One-Off With Shelby Connections: Dodge Viper Prototype Chassis

This prototype Dodge Viper RT-10 chassis was purchased at the official Carroll Shelby Garage Sale in 1994 by the seller and is totally original, right down to the original Goodyear tires and documentation included by the seller. Since it is a prototype and there is no frame number, it is perhaps best suited to a car museum, a Viper enthusiast with space for it, or a collection.

Find it here on eBay with a $5000 USD buy-it-now, 2 days left on auction at time of writing but will probably get relisted.

Aluminum Intensive Vehicle: 1996 Panoz AIV Roadster Prototype Chassis #002

(all pictures from seller)

While the Panoz AIV lost quite a bit of its original beauty compared to its predecessor, the later AIV Roadster is still a very pure sports car and is as good or better a performer. 

The car featured here is the only Panoz ever painted Toreador Red, was custom-built for the parents of company founder Danny Panoz, was used in the factory promotional video "Drive and You Shall Fly" that was distributed to potential customers in 1996 and 1997, and was featured in the AIV debut at Chateau Elan Winery in September 1996, where the likes of Pete Brock, Adrian Reynard and Jack Roush drove it. It was then taken to Detroit to become the EPA certification car, then was parked in the back of a shop at the Panoz factory and rarely used. 

This car has 4,900 original miles, has Roush alloy wheels, is one of 4 prototype cars built in 1996, features a Panoz-designed 4-wheel independent suspension, a 305-horsepower, 4.2-liter, 32-valve aluminum-block Ford Mustang Cobra V8 and a Tremec T45 5-speed manual transmission, and is made of aluminum with fiberglass-composite fenders. 

Factory specifications follow:

   Panoz AIV Roadster specs:

• Transmission: 5-Speed Manual

• Engine 4600cc (Ford)DOHC V-8

• Power (bhp) 305 @ 5800 rpm

• Torque 300 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

• Redline: 6800 rpm

• Miles Per Gallon: 17/23 mpg

• Curb Weight: 2570 lbs

• Performance (0-60mph) 4.3sec

• Performance (0-100mph) 11.7 sec

• Top Speed (mph) 140

• Braking, 0-60 mph: 119 ft 

• Place Of Manufacture: Braselton, Georgia (USA)

Find it here for $32,900 USD at WireWheel, and enjoy this video of a production Panoz AIV:

Missed Opportunity: 1974 Lotus Elite

(all photos from former seller, wirewheel.com)

While this car may no longer be available, and the "wedge" Elite may be polarizing, one still cannot deny that this was a milestone car for Lotus. 

The car in question here, recently sold by wirewheel.com, was far nicer than most other Elite projects seen on the market, had unusually good paint, fiberglass and trim for the model, which could be explained by long storage, the car has factory air conditioning and has had the ghost of Joe Lucas partly exorcised with a Crane Fireball electronic ignition and MSD coil, has had dual electric cooling fans and has only 36,000 original miles. 

Unfortunately the seat upholstery was worn and it needed work from having been stored, and I don't know the sale price, but one could do a lot worse as a starting point, and these cars are great with Ford small-block or Rover V8s.

Find the sold listing for this Lotus here.

High-Class Horsecollar: 1959 Edsel Corsair Sedan

I am a complete sucker for the Edsel. Someone has to love them and I count myself as one of those people. This is a gorgeous green '59 Corsair 4-door sedan. Corsair was Edsel's larger and more luxurious model line and these cars are very rare today. Only 44,891 Edsels were built in 1959, of which only 3,301 were Corsair 4-door sedans. Notably absent on this car is the troublesome Teletouch automatic, which shifted the transmission through push buttons on the steering wheel hub. Due to cost-cutting - and probably customers complaining of putting the car in the wrong gear while trying to honk the horn - Teletouch was dropped after 1958. The interior isn't perfect, nor is the exterior, but this is a very clean car for its age.

Are you an Edsel fan too or does the "Oldsmobile sucking a lemon" grille leave you sour? Find it here in the San Francisco area for $8000 or go here if the ad expires.

Malaise Era Mopar: 1976 Dodge Royal Monaco

Those who know our authors' tastes will know that we love Malaise Era cars, and I am a Blues Brothers fan who grew up around a friend of the family's 1975 Dodge Coronet four-door, so I had to post this Monaco. It is a 1976 Royal Monaco with the police speedometer installed but not working (proper wiring included), already has steel wheels, and with the proper paint scheme, vinyl top, hubcap and extra chrome delete, a pushbar made, the woodgrain trim painted to match the interior, regular Monaco badges, and an 8-track stereo installation (check eBay before buying at a wrecking yard or thrift store), this is an excellent Bluesmobile clone project, or just have the dash wiring installed by a specialist, put the rear-view mirror back up and drive as-is.

Those who are interested in building a Bluesmobile have all the reference they need and more here at the Blues Brothers Central Bluesmobile forum, and you can find the car here in Oregon for $1500, (or go here if ad disappears)