AMC
Gary Moore is no stranger to hot rods; he has owned literally dozens of them over the years. Past rods include no fewer than seven Deuces, a couple of altered drag roadsters, three ’40 coupes, three woodies…well, you get the idea. Like many hot rodders, Moore has an eye for the unique, and while his current stable holds a Deuce highboy roadster, a ’27 roadster pickup and a ’51 Ford woody, a couple of years ago he contracted “straight-axle fever.”
We recently had the opportunity to work on a Levi’s Edition AMC Jeep Renegade—a unique piece of off-road history that has undoubtedly seen its fair share of adventures. The exterior still boasts its original paint, complete with bumps, scrapes, and surface rust that showcase the character that comes with many years of use and enjoyment. Rather than opting for a fresh new repaint, our mission was to preserve its tough, battle-worn patina while adding protection and a nice polished matte finish to show it some love. We wanted to enhance its character, highlighting its scars instead of hiding them, and, with the assistance of Sweet Patina’s products, we accomplished this beautifully. This Jeep didn’t spend its life tucked away in a garage; its paint tells a story, with each scratch, chip, and faded patch serving as a badge of honor. We felt that applying a shiny new paint job would be a disservice to this classic Renegade.
Every creative endeavor, from fine art to mechanical invention, requires some type of high-wire act—a unique and delicate balance between vision, creativity and capability. When the cogs align, and the elusive look rises to the forefront, there’s no questioning the purity of its origin.
It’s often been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and when you consider the total transformation of this ’51 Nash Rambler, this old saying proves to be true once again. After all, the starting point was anything but beautiful, and more to the point, some people remember these Nash wagons as downright ugly. But now the right mixture of elements has transformed this unusual and outstanding example, giving it an all-new character that’s easy to appreciate.
Artec Industries, specializing in designing and manufacturing high-quality off-road components for Jeep, Toyota, Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Scout, or Custom vehicles, is known for its innovative designs, quality reputation, fast shipping, and exceptional customer service. Founded in 2003 by Artie Nuttall, the company has a mission to provide world-class aftermarket automotive parts to off-road enthusiasts and to break the mold on what has been done in the industry. Artec’s relentless dedication ensures that it consistently exceeds customer expectations and earns their trust through unparalleled service.
In 1981 this Jeep, that now belongs to Clinton Campbell of Dallas Texas left the factory floor with a straight 6, but he drove it away from Street & Performance with a 5.3 truck LS-1 type engine and a 4L60E transmission. Clinton wanted more performance, drivability and, with the recent enforcement of emission laws in Texas, he needed to be able to pass emissions.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show engulfs Fabulous Las Vegas annually. It brings together the biggest names in the automotive world to show off the latest and greatest, whether it’s new products, amazing custom builds, or the newest trends. TheAutoBuilder is excited to be in the thick of it all.
You can’t throw a stone these days without hitting an aftermarket aluminum cylinder head. They perform as good or better than anything the factories put out, and then some. They are much lighter than iron heads, and they’re now extremely affordable. Thanks to competition in the aftermarket, it could easily be said that for the performance and price benefits of a new set of aluminum heads, why would anyone bother refurbishing a set of iron castings?