Back in August I posted about a new feature at DrivelineBlog.com called Driveline Blog Builds (DLBB). The goal of this new feature series is to highlight one project vehicle a month going forward. I was hoping to launch DLBB in August, so this is a little behind schedule. Someone once said “better late than never,” an aphorism that I’m happy to apply in this case.

Our inaugural DLBB vehicle for October 2009 is a heavily modified 1988 BMW 528e which the owner–who asked that I don’t reveal his real name, so I’ll go with “Bob”–is planning to race in the 2010 Tire Rack One Lap of America. A friend told me about this project, and Bob was kind enough to let me swing by his garage earlier this year to take some pictures and ask some questions about the project.

Bob’s project started with a 1988 BMW 528e in close to new condition he found after a web search a few years ago. “This car sat in a garage in California from 1992 onwards, had a single owner, had full documentation, had only about 50,000 miles, and everything was in great shape.” Bob mentioned that that not having to do bodywork on the vehicle was a bonus for him, as he really wanted to focus more of his time on the powertrain and suspension.

Rather than go with the stock motor, Bob opted for a 3.3L S52 V6 cylinder motor from a 1998 BMW M3 that he balanced, rebuilt with a new valve job, equipped with a T04e-60 turbo, and bolstered with a host of other engine component upgrades. “My goal was to try and keep most of the components from the firewall forward as stock or easily replaceable as possible,” Bob explains. “If I’m running laps in this and something breaks, I want to make sure I can run to the local BMW dealership and have good odds of finding those parts in stock.”

Engine control will likely be handled by an AEM unit from Evosport.com, and the transmission is a e36 ZF 5 speed manual sourced from an M3. The tranny will be mated to a 400hp clutch and an aluminum flywheel. Bob conservatively estimates that the motor will put out 400-420 horsepower at the rear wheels by the time he’s finished, but final numbers may fluctuate between now and when his project finally hits the track.

Some of the more unusual elements of Bob’s project are motor/transmission mounts pulled from a Toyota Supra, and a rack and pion steering setup that proved to be more problematic than Bob anticipated. “I originally tried a rack and pinion unit from a e39 BMW 528i, but that was for a front steer car,” Bob said. “I found a rear steer rack online that only cost me about $300 that should work fine.”

Bob is still hoping to run the car in the 2010 Tire Rack One Lap of America, and plans to downplay all the significant enhancements he’s made to the vehicle. In a forum post on MyE28.com — a popular online hangout for BMW E-series buffs — Bob outlined his strategy:

I want this car to be a sleeper. No spoilers, stripes, wings, in fact I have a set of 16″ factory steel wheels which I will have widened to 8″ and will run BMW hub caps and beauty rings. I want to see the face of the Porsche GT3 or new M3 driver when the old euro taxi goes flying by.

I hope you’ll join me in wishing Bob the best of luck with One Lap of America exploits, and we’ll keep tabs on his progress. If you know of a vehicle worthy of being featured as a monthly Driveline Blog Build, drop me an email at jeff@drivelineblog.com.

While we should all be thankful that they don’t build cars like they used to from a safety perspective, you have to give N2A Motors credit for channeling old school with their striking 789 custom car. N2A starts with a factory Corvette C6, then radically reworks the exterior to create the vehicle you see here. The front end is inspired by a ’57 Chevy, the middle take cues from a ’58 Chevy, and the rear section (with those lethal tailfins) pays homage to the ’59 Chevy.You can see more photos of the 789 here.

It get’s even better: Given that the crew at N2A Motors doesn’t touch the mechanicals of the Corvette donor vehicle, the official GM powertrain warranty remains in effect. The coupe weighs in at $139,500, while the convertible (shown above) starts at $144,500.

(Photo: N2A Motors)

That’s why I’ve decided to launch a new feature called Driveline Blog Builds (DLBB) that will highlight one vehicle project a month. I’ll have more details to post about the series in a few days, when I’ll also unveil the first DLBB project vehicle.

Here’s a preview of our inaugural DLBB vehicle: It’s a custom BMW E28 5-series that sports an E28 sub frame, E39 rack and pinion steering, and an S52 Turbocharged engine from an E36 M3. The owner hopes to race the finished vehicle in the upcoming 2009 One Lap of America, and is pushing to get the vehicle finished in time for the event.

If you know of a vehicle worthy of being featured as a monthly Driveline Blog Build, drop me an email at jeff@drivelineblog.com.

There has been a dearth of top-caliber car movies over the past few years, but Gone in 60 Seconds—which was itself a remake of the 1974 original—has been one of the better ones. Nicholas Cage and the always captivating Angelina Jolie may have been given top billing as actors, but the true star of the movie was the modified 1967 Ford Shelby GT—affectionately referred to in the film as “Eleanor”—that car thief Cage uses to outrun the fuzz in the final 30 minutes of the film.

If you’re looking to own your own Eleanor, custom hot rod builder Classic Recreations inked a deal with the Gone in 60 Seconds film producers in 2008 to create licensed versions of the vehicle. Two version are offered: A 535hp variant ($138,000), and a 750hp model ($189,900). Both models are painstakingly hand-crafted from a 1967 Ford Mustang fastback body by the Classic Creations team in Yukon, Oklahoma. All the requisite features of Eleanor from the movie are standard, including the “Go-Baby-Go” nitrous button.

Visit the Classic Creations website for a complete list of specs (and more photos) of the 750hp and 535hp variants. (Photos: Classic Creations LLC)

With the flurry of new product introductions and concept vehicles being unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this year, standing out from the crowd can take something special. I came across that something special in my first 30 minutes of walking the show floor: the Holden Efijy concept.

Developed by a team of engineers and designers at Holden (a GM subsidiary in Australia), the Efijy rides on a Corvette chassis and is powered by a supercharged 6.0 liter V8. The design screams old school, but I don’t care — this beauty is a sight to behold.

GM and Holden have already said that the Efijy would never see the light of day as a production vehicle, and that the effort was a “passionate side project” by Holden engineers who worked on the vehicle in their spare time. Despite the long list of concept vehicles unveiled in COBO Hall — from the Toyota FT-HS to the Chrysler Nassau and Ford Interceptor — I have to admit that the Efijy was my favorite concept of the show.

Funny thing about having a passion for something: it tends to produce breathtaking vehicles like this one. Here’s hoping that the obvious talent of these Holden designers and engineers is put to good use with the new 2009 Chevy Camaro, which is being developed on a Holden-engineered RWD platform. – [Jeff James]

Although we have fond memories of ZZ Top‘s music from our younger years, we’ll readily admit that the cars associated with the band have been just as appealing. We recently came across guitarist Billy F Gibbons’ new Rock + Roll Gearhead book, and it’s well-worth a read by custom car fans.

While the book is filled with some tidbits about the history of the band, the focus is squarely on the custom hot rods that Gibbons has acquired over the years, including the world-famous 1933 3-window Ford coupe custom — the Eliminator — that was featured on the Eliminator album cover and gained prominent air time in the music videos for “Gimme all your Lovin‘”, “Sharp-Dressed Man” and “Legs“. Some equally impressive vehicles get plenty of ink as well, including a lowered and stretched 1948 Cadillac (“CadZZilla”, below) and a chopped 50′s Ford business coupe (“Kopperhed“).

Check out the Amazon page for the book here or scope out an excellent Top Gear overview of the vehicles here. (Source: Petersen Auto Museum/CadZZilla photo) – [Jeff James]