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With a quick glance, it's easy to dismiss Sharon Brainard's Pontiac as a 700 Club street rod. You know the type-Mustang II front suspension, Chevrolet small-block V-8 and a 700R-4 transmission. All store-bought stuff so ubiquitous under any street rod that it's become formulaic. Sure, it makes life much simpler-after all, does your corner parts store carry front brake shoes for a 1954 Dodge? Do pre-molded radiator hoses exist for a 1949 Studebaker?
But look again at Sharon's 1951 Pontiac Super Deluxe Catalina-no aftermarket wheels, no gaudy billet-milled gewgaws and all the stock trim. Which is not to say Sharon, of Canton, Connecticut, has to search all over for 1951 Pontiac mechanical parts to keep her car on the road. "I talked with some Mustang II manufacturers and decided that was not the way to go," Sharon's husband, Rob, said. "I looked at as many cars as I could find and didn't like how they looked. Some looked like how a broken bone heals. I wanted a smooth, undetectable transition."
After much measuring, Rob found that the front subframe from a second-generation Firebird would fit, as well as provide disc brakes, power steering and much easier parts acquisition. He bought a complete 1979 Trans Am subframe and mated it to the Catalina's full frame. "At about this time, it became clear that, if at all possible, every part used should be Pontiac," he said.
He could have rebuilt the stock 268-cu.in. flathead straight-eight and figured out how to fit it in the Trans Am subframe, but who today stocks distributors or water pumps for those engines? The Trans Am front subframe allowed for use of just any Pontiac V-8 engine. For that reason, Rob obtained a 1971 Pontiac Grand Ville with a recently rebuilt Pontiac 455-cu.in. V-8 and Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic transmission. The engine bolted straight in, while a mount made from one-inch-by-two-inch rectangular tubing located the transmission.
The Trans Am also donated its rear brakes and 3.08-geared rear axle housing, which mated to the 1951 Pontiac's rear leaf springs. Bolting on aftermarket wheels would have been easy, but Rob wanted to use the original Pontiac hubcaps, which fit only to the original Pontiac 15-inch wheels, which had a 5-on-5 bolt pattern-the Trans Am uses a 5-on-4.75 bolt pattern. So Rob changed out the rear axles for custom Moser axles and found two-piece front rotors with the correct pattern from Speedway Motors. He then fitted seven-inch-wide outer wheels to the original Pontiac centers.
The body, after some restoration work, then received its maroon and cream two-tone paint, and Rob had Butch Benoit of Bristol, Connecticut, replace the original leather interior with vinyl in the same pattern. "When I sit and think about all the things I did to this car, I wonder why I took on the project at all, except that I love doing it," Rob said.
And, of course, now Sharon can drive her rod without worrying about how she'll come across replacement parts.
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Toyota
From the sounds of it, the S-FR will share a platform with the Daihatsu Vision Copen that was revealed at the 2023 Tokyo Mobility Show. It will supposedly feature the same two-plus-two seating as displayed in the concept, but will be even smaller and lighter than the Toyota 86 model.
The Toyota S-FR will reportedly get its power from a turbocharged three-cylinder engine that will send around 150 horsepower to the rear wheels. If these figures sound familiar, you may have also heard the rumors about Toyota reviving the Starlet with a GR performance version that has similar specs; a 1.3-liter engine producing 150 horsepower.
Toyota
Toyota S-FR Racing concept
Like most concept cars, the S-FR’s design will see some changes before production, in this case reports point specifically to a smaller grille and altered headlights. Whether or not the production model will incorporate the concept’s aero elements is unknown.
Toyota’s target MSRP of $22,700 for the S-FR could potentially beat out the Mazda Miata by around $6,000. Whether or not the S-FR will be sold in the States to potentially compete with Toyota’s existing GR86 model’s sales is also, sadly, unknown, but we have our fingers crossed.
Rather than a lightweight sports car, the Aston Martin V8 is better considered a GT car, which seems to have a lot in common with American muscle cars. Even with aluminum body panels, the rather substantial Aston had a curb weight just a hair over 4,000 pounds, making it several hundred pounds heavier than a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. It’s worth noting that despite being measurably smaller than the Charger, both cars share very similar proportions, with their long hoods, fastback rooflines, and short rear decks. An even closer comparison comes in the form of a ‘67 Ford Mustang, again with similar proportions but also the Aston having a wheelbase and overall length, width, and height very close to the American pony car.
The 1978 Aston Martin V8 is frequently referred to as a Series 3 since it was derived from the DBS, a model that launched in 1967 with an inline-six engine that was followed by the DBS V8, with a fuel-injected V8 engine. Both versions of the DBS were sold alongside each other into 1972, when, during the model year, the simply named V8 model supplanted both. With an updated front end that included a grille shape more reminiscent of Aston Martins past and a pair of headlamps rather than four, these interims V8s were considered Series 2 cars.
In 1973, Aston Martin dumped what had turned out to be a problematic mechanical fuel-injection system, instead opting for four Weber carburetors for its 5.3-liter V8. Multiple carburetion gives it good company with the likes of a Mopar 440 Six-Pack or Pontiac Tri-Power. That carburetor setup required additional hood clearance that resulted in the large scoop worn by such cars, though it was non-functional in terms of letting in any additional air to the intake.
The rest of the engine department takes a big departure from the standard American iron-block, overhead-valve setup. Aston Martin’s V8 featured all-aluminum construction and dual overhead camshafts on each cylinder head, driven by dual chains. Yes, it had hemispherical combustion chambers, even with just two valves per cylinder. Engineers specced a forged crankshaft and forged chrome-moly connecting rods.
Output for 1978 was estimated at 310 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque—pretty substantial numbers for a car built during the oil crisis era and before engineers had leveraged electronic fuel injection to win the battle against emissions regulations. In accordance with its muscle car vibe, most AM V8s of the period were equipped with a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic, complete with Mopar factory ratios of 2.45:1, 1:45:1 and 1:1, along with a limited-slip rear differential. A 3.31 final-drive ratio was standard, with 3.54:1 optional. A five-speed manual was available.
Distinctions from Detroit grow once you step inside an Aston Martin V8, which was essentially a handmade car, with very low production numbers. Each of the four seats was covered in leather, a material that extended to the door trim, steering wheel, shift knob and even the center console surround. Carpets were wool. Given its high price and object of luxury aspirations, each car was also packed with plenty of sound insulation to isolate occupants from road noise. Power assistance for the brakes and steering was standard, as were air conditioning, power windows and power locks.
With a 0-60 mph time of “about six seconds,” according to Aston Martin literature of the time, along with a top speed over 150 mph, the AM V8 was in nearly a class by itself. Torque wasn't quite like that of an unrestrained big block American V8 from the peak muscle car era, but the Aston Martin’s V8 engine still delivered power with a swift rush towards a redline over 5,000 rpm, though no such actual red line is indicated on the tach. Suspension included unequal-length control arms up front with an anti-roll bar and De Dion rear axle with parallel trailing arms and watt linkage in the rear. Coil spring were at all four wheels, as were disc brakes, with the rear disc inboard. Not designed to tackle a tight road course, the AM V8 was still noted as a competent high-speed handler.
This 1978 Aston Martin V8 Series 3 features a silver metallic body with a red leather interior. The selling dealer indicates that it was purchased from the second owner who it is believed purchased it from the original owner as he aged out of driving in his 90s. The car appears to have been very well maintained, with the seller sharing that the engine, transmission, paint, body and interior are all “highly original.”
Other information to note on this AMV8 are a slew of services performed last fall, including a “full tune-up,” rebuilt carburetors, new spark plugs and filters, new battery and an alternator rebuild. Everything is asserted to be functioning properly with the car seemingly ready to drive anywhere.
As one of less than 1,000 Series 3 examples made, this 1978 Aston Martin V8 coupe offers a uniquely British take on big V8 performance in a midsize car—a muscle car, but with a different accent.
Head on over to Hemmings Auctions and take a closer look for yourself.
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