When it comes to building a car we all have own preferences, after all, variety is the spice of life.
Just imagine if we all had Gen 1 Camaros or Fox Body Mustangs…wait, I think most of us have actually had a Fox Body Stang. The bottom line is, your project should be done for you and whatever motivates you to continue. No matter what the build brand or style is, when someone puts their heart and soul into something the results can be amazing, especially when you see how the project started – often from an old car or a simple shell of something that was once the pride and joy of its first owner. At RPM MAG we love solid horsepower, a slick build and especially
the story behind it. So sit back and enjoy something a little different, and the story of how a family came together for the love of their husband and father to finish what he started.
Bill Brautigam is a car guy, plain and simple. He grew up loving all things horsepower and even became a technician 40 years ago so he could live his passion. “My first car was a 1973 Chevelle Laguna,” tells Bill. “It was originally my father’s car and when I turned 16 I started driving it.” The first mods to the Chevelle were mag wheels and fat rear tires and before long Brautigam found himself drag racing. “I had a friend whose father drag raced a car called Spoiled Rat, and that’s how I got started drag racing.” Just as Bill was hitting the strip, this new era
As you can see, Bill Brautigam can build a world class car and most of the Rambler was built right in his home garage.
The body of the car is art-like, with unique lines and trim work. From the side, you can clearly see a similar design used on the ’64 Ford Falcon, and the cowl hood just fits with the whole package. It’s a narrow car, which makes those big Mickey rear meats look even bigger!
That Rambler wagon in the background of this shot is the Brautigam family’s next project, this one is being built for Carrie though.
of street machine was taking the performance and race world by storm; Pro Street. Being based on Pro Stock and Pro Mod drag cars, Bill became instantly hooked on Pro Street and decided to tub out his Chevelle and slide a big block Chevy motor between the rails.
Working his way through college and earning an Associate Degree in Applied Science, he started a career in the automotive field. Around 1997 Bill’s wife surprised him with an unusual Christmas gift, a 1951 Henry J. Although it was a basket case, Bill used his talents to turn it into a topshelf hot rod that was featured in many magazines and won countless awards. Building hot rods was definitely his passion, and Bill was really good at it, and by 2005, on top of his full time gig he started working part time at a hot rod shop. He even built cars for his daughters for their high school graduation present!
After driving and showing the Henry J for 10 years, Bill’s wife Carrie urged him to pursue another project. Since Bill liked the off-the-beatenpath stuff, he found a solid, complete and fully operational 1962 Rambler American in 2014 just 20 miles from his house. For the sum of $3,800 it was in his garage and he went straight to work.
The Box Performance-built big block Chevy started with a DART block. The motor worked out to a roomy 600-inches and includes a Manley crankshaft, Manley H-beam steel rods, JE forged pistons, TRW bearings and Total Seal rings. A Comp Cams roller camshaft custom grind with .750 + lift was used and Patriot Performance aluminum cylinder heads are equipped with Manley valves/springs and Scorpion rockers. A Profiler Sniper 4500 flange intake manifold is topped by a Quick Fuel Dominator style 1050 carburetor.
With his years of experience, Bill knew that he’d be just spinning his wheels without a solid plan, so step 1 was to plot out the build, which started with removing the body from the frame and envisioning the end result, and then making the long list of work and parts needed to accomplish that vision. Brau-
tigam wanted to create a professional quality build that was clean and functional. As anyone who has done anything on cars knows, there are often stumbling blocks and challenges that can seem insurmountable, but few have had to face what Bill was up against.
First, Brautigam constructed a WATCH
Bill Brautigam’s Pro Street 1962 AMC
Chassis Type & Mods:
Mild steel 12-point roll bar by Bill Brautigam. Chris Alston’s Chassisworks Eliminator I 1 5/8” round steel chassis. Wheelbase is 100 inches.
Suspension:
Rear Suspension is 4-Link with diagonal panhard bar, QA1 double adjustable shocks, Wilwood brakes (4 piston). Front suspension is strut with QA1 double adjustables. EPAS electric steering rack, Chassisworks steering column.
Body & Paint:
All steel 2 door car, 5” cowl scoop molded to factory hood. Body work by Bud at Wentz Hot Rods, Alliance, OH. using PPG products. Stock chromed front and rear bumpers and door panels. Modifications include door locks shaved, body molding shaved, gas door filled, dash moved back.
Interior: Racepak dash, Billet Specialties steering wheel, Honda Civic seats, RJS 3” seatbelts. Interior upholstery by Miracles Upholstery.
Engine:
DART block, 600 ci. Machine work and assembly by Box Performance, Strongsville, Ohio. Manley crankshaft, Manley H-beam steel rods, JE forged pistons, TRW bearings, Total Seal rings. Balanced. Comp Cams roller camshaft custom grind with .750 + lift. Patriot aluminum cylinder heads, Manley valves/springs and Scorpion rockers.
Miscellaneous:
Rambler
Meziere electric water pump, 16” Spal electric fan and Champion 3 core aluminum radiator. Powermaster 150 Amp chrome alternator, fabricated aluminum valve covers, billet thermostat housing and timing cover and all stainless hardware. Kit-built headers, 2 1/4” primary tube into 4” Summit exhaust with Flowmaster 2 chamber mufflers. MSD 6AL, Blaster 2 coil, Pro Billet distributor and MSD 8.5 wires. Racepak dash and Summit Racing 20 gallon aluminum fuel tank.
Bill bought the Rambler American as a complete fully functional survivor. He found it just 20 miles from home and paid just $3,800 for it. The wheelbase is 100 inches.
round tube chassis using components from Chris Alston’s Chassisworks and designed the tinwork throughout the build along with having Box Performance build a 600-inch 850hp big block Chevy to power the street machine. After the fabrication work was done, which took a couple of years, he took the car to his friend’s hot rod and restoration shop to have the body work done.
“By the end of 2017, Bill was noticing that he was having some fa-
tigue in his arms and hands,” Bill’s wife Carrie recalled. “Holding his arms up and gripping tools was becoming difficult. At first, it seemed like his 40 years of being an automotive technician were taking its toll, but unfortunately this was not the case, and in March 2018 we received devastating news. Bill had ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
Carrie continued, “This is a devastating disease that is ultimately fatal and takes away all your muscle
The Rambler is an all-steel car that Bill frame-off restored and heavily modified. It sits low thanks to the owner-built mild steel chassis. He also did the 12-point roll bar work using parts throughout the chassis from Chris Alston’s Chassisworks.
Check out the depth and metallic in the deep orange skin laid down by Bud at Wentz Hot Rods.
The Miracles Upholstery interior is tastefully Pro Street and not overdone. The factory dash and structure were relocated and a Racepak dash now sits front and center with equipment from Billet Specialties, B&M and RJS as well.
function such as; being able to walk, talk, swallow, speak and ultimately breathe. Bill’s disease started with his arms and hands, so being able to assemble his car would be virtually impossible without help.” But that did not stop Bill. With his guidance, Carrie, along with their two daughters, Nicole, 28 and Samantha, 24 and family friend Bud Wentz helped assemble his car.
They had a goal to have the car ready for the 2018 GoodGuys Car Show in Columbus, Ohio, and working day and night, Bill’s loved ones busted their knuckles to complete the project. “It gave me a whole new perspective on the talent and time it takes to build these custom hot rods,” Carrie added. “We were able to get the car done and Bill and Samantha were able to attend the car show, but it took a toll on Bill. Later that summer, he attended a local car show where he won Best Of Show and at Summit Rac-
ing’s car show he won Best Paint, which made everything worthwhile.”
During the following fall, winter and early spring, Bill’s family continued to fine tune everything in preparation for the next season, but Bill’s health continued to deteriorate. He continued to lose strength in his hands and being able to shift and steer had now become an issue. Carrie and her team changed the steering to an electric power rack and pinion system, but unfortunately Bill did not have the strength to steer or shift it. “It is hard to imagine what it would be like to put your heart and soul into a project and not be able to drive it or have it be seen,” Carrie said somberly. “His design of the custom Rambler had to be seen – it was important to me that everyone sees his talent and creativity, so I am the driver of the car for him. He is the brains and I am his hands.”
With Bill’s guidance, Carrie, along with their two daughters, Nicole, 28 and Samantha, 24 and family friend Bud Wentz helped assemble his car.
