Track Test: Deuce Highboy

The interior is a combination of form and function with racecar-influenced aluminum accessorizing and the upholstered seats and carpeted floor.

Following the Lexus family of cars' theme, the roadster uses seats out of an Acura Integra with carpeting straight from a Lexus. The five-point seatbelts come by way of Crow Enterprises. The aluminum panels were formed at DP.

The center console sports the aluminum work by Doug Kruse and DP while the shifter is straight out of a Lexus passenger car.

The steering wheel is a Honda airbag model while Stewart Warner gauges are fitted to a Deuce dash.

Look carefully and you will see an internal tube framework (beneath the sheetmetal) that serves as mounting points for such items as the radiator and steering shaft support. It also stiffens the roadster, allowing for improved handling characteristics.

The heater vents are straight from an Audi TT while the pedals are racecar influenced--true hot rod items.

The taillights are Lexus IS300 trunk lights. The diminutive-appearing stainless steel rear bumper is actually a substantive part of the rear body as the bumper is four times the visible width as it runs "through" the body and hooks to the frame out of sight.

The roadster weighed in at 2,280 lbs, with 1,030 lbs over the front axle and 1,250 lbs over the rear.

At the STREET RODDER Tech Center the Deuce recorded on the Dynojet chassis dyno a 230-max hp to the rear wheels at 5,900 rpm while 301.07 lb-ft at 5,800 rpm was the max torque reading. Not bad for an engine that is rated at 290hp at the flywheel.