Autoblog

Jay Leno has a very tender moment with a decidedly tough 1975 Plymouth Duster

Zach Bowman — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Celebrities, Specialty

Long before Jay Leno became an international celebrity, he was spinning wrenches at a local car dealership. While there, he crossed paths with Paul Annunziata, a brilliant mechanic with a penchant for Mopar muscle. While Leno was busy doing stand-up comedy and working his way toward network television, Annunziata was doing something really interesting: building a street-legal pro-stock drag car out of a 1975 Duster. After winning $10,000 in the lottery, he started with a body-in-white chassis before snapping up a 426 Hemi V8 from a Super Bee. Not satisfied with wedging an impossibly huge engine into the confines of the Duster's engine bay, Annunziata bolted on a massive Roots blower.

The rear of the body had to be tubbed to keep the tires under the factory sheetmetal, and the Duster also underwent extensive engine bay modification to house its new powerplant. Even so, everything on the machine is fully functional as it would have been from the factory.

Unfortunately, Annunziata was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Rather than sell his pride and joy, he offered it to Leno for free under the stipulation that he never sell the machine. Leno agreed, but only if he could actually pay Annunziata for his creation. The two compromised by setting up a scholarship for those who are interested in pursuing a four-year degree in auto mechanics or restoration. We call that a win on every front. Scroll down to see Leno take the 1,000 horsepower Duster out for a run.

Continue reading Jay Leno has a very tender moment with a decidedly tough 1975 Plymouth Duster

Jay Leno has a very tender moment with a decidedly tough 1975 Plymouth Duster originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2012 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket and Charger SRT8 Super Bee debuting in LA

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Dodge, Design/Style

Chrysler is taking a page from the insect world with its latest set of high-performance machinery. Just as the bright yellow and black motif of a bumble bee is meant to warn potential predators that they might get stung if they come too close, the new 2012 Charger SRT8 Super Bee and Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket feature Stinger Yellow and Pitch Black paint schemes to signal their ill intent.

Included in the Charger Super Bee package for 2012, in either yellow or black motifs, is a full sticker and stripe package highlighting the 3D helmeted bee logo along with five-spoke aluminum wheels with black painted pockets. Inside, the cloth interior is punctuated with yellow and silver striping and stitching. Subtle it is not.

Similarly, the Challenger Yellow Jacket is covered in various coatings of yellow and black, both inside and out, with the addition of a new Yellow Jacket logo. Both models come equipped with Chrysler's venerable 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine that puts out 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The Challenger is available with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic; the Charger offers only the auto.

You'll be able to see both machines live and in living color at the upcoming LA Auto Show. Ordering is slated to begin in December and the first shipments will arrive sometime in the first quarter of 2012. Pricing has yet to be announced, but you can read all about each machine in the press releases after the jump.

Continue reading Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket and Charger SRT8 Super Bee debuting in LA

Dodge Challenger SRT Yellow Jacket and Charger SRT8 Super Bee debuting in LA originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nopar: Pontiac G6 "Super Bee"

Alex Nunez — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, GM, Pontiac, Humor, Specialty

Pontiac G6 "Super Bee" - Click above for photo gallery

While Pontiac gets ready to take a dirt nap next to Oldsmobile and the folks at Chrysler's Auburn Hills HQ brush up on their Italian, at least one American driver is showing us what might have been if the once-proposed Chrysler/GM merger (remember those days?) had come to be. Consider the perfect storm of hideous product decisions that could have ensued under such a tie-up.

What's that? Your mind's eye can't envision a scenario so horrifying? No worries. Autoblog reader Berto snagged some photos illustrating just how kooky things could have gotten. Imagine one automaker's muscle heritage fused with the base-level front-drive mediocrity of another. Imagine, friends, the Pontiac G6 V6 Super Bee. Thanks, Berto!

Gallery: Nopar: Pontiac G6 V6 Super Bee

[Photos: Berto]

Nopar: Pontiac G6 "Super Bee" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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