The body for the project is a repro steel Brookville Roadster unit with some modifications done to satisfy Bob's eye. The tops of the doors and the dash have been sectioned with pieces from a '36 Ford roadster, making the top edge of the cockpit flow around smoother than the stock Deuce design. Moal also makes dual cowl vents to replace the single, stock unit, and they can work independently from each other or in unison.
The hood was fashioned at Moal's from aluminum and, with the three-row louvered sides (punched by Garth Bowie), is in a traditional four-piece layout. Another facet of the Moal design are rolled and louvered aluminum side panels that run the bottom edge length of the body as well as a louvered rear pan that has been modified to accept twin exhaust pipes. The piece de resistance of the trim pieces is the grille badge, which is made by Mark Swanson from Prescott, Arizona, out of nickel and spells out the car's Nickel 2 name.
Darryl Hollenbeck of Vintage Color Studios in Concord, California, got the call to cover the roadster in black two-stage PPG paint, which he accomplished to perfection. The miles-deep finish was then subtly pinstriped in green by Rory, though you have to look closely to see it in the beltlines.
As highlighted previously, the engine is a rare Yenko Weslake V-8. Weslake developed a special head for the Chevy 302 applications (especially the Camaros) for Trans-Am racing in the '70s. The basic short-block design wasn't altered, but the pushrods work forked rockers that actuate the four valves per cylinder, helping boost the power to around 600 hp at 7,500 rpm in racing applications.
Mountain Valley Performance handled the entire engine assembly, which began with a 350 block (which uses the same head bolt configuration as a 302). Included in the installation is a SCAT 4340 alloy 3.5-inch stroker crank, SCAT H-beam 5.7-inch rods, J&E forged pistons, and a special Crane Weslake roller camshaft for a final displacement of 358 cubes. Bob Ream at Imagine Injection Inc. designed the fuel delivery system that utilizes a Weslake intake manifold, and Moal-built headers and Turbo Tone mufflers handle exhaust.
Other engine-performance goodies include a SPAL fan, a Howerton radiator, an Enos alternator, and Taylor wires that work with the Motech Electronics. Ron Chavers hooked up the small-block to a dyno and it registered a peak 544 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed Tremec TKO-500 transmission was bolted up to the motor before the whole drivetrain was lowered into the chassis.
Longtime upholstery guru Sid Chavers expertly created a clean-looking interior for the roadster using deep green (nearly black) leather. A flip-down armrest in the back piece allows Bob to cruise in comfort while clever flaps on the door panels conceal pockets that can hold the required registration or other paperwork. The DuVall-style windshield uses flat glass and is outfitted with one interior and one exterior mirror. A smooth '32 dash was installed, as was an aluminum insert from Moal, which was then filled with Stewart Warner gauges. A Flaming River column continues the simple theme, and Bob fabricated the four-spoke steering wheel in his own shop. Topping off the interior is a Moal electric heater, which is found under the dash and looks like a '50s-era heater.