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Show The Park Record C-22 f you want to know haw to change an engine and a sel of wheels, ask a mechanic. If vou want to know how to cram a lifetime of experience deigning and hammering out some of UiO mo<t incredible ensloin airs in the world between lour tires and two bumpers of a clappcdout Nluslang. ask Troy Irepmer. It's a question that came from Internet auction giant Ebay Motors when it wanted lo show what could he built with the ports and pieces - and an entire- car. actually - bought through its popular online service. It's an abnormal way IbrTivpanier, who runs Rad Ritks by Troy, to work, but challenges are what the custom hot-rod business is all about. The bijjgcA had to do with a calendar Whea1 Trepanier would normally turn out just one or two vehicles a year with his small staff" ofcrdftsmen. youn^ and old, Rxiv Motors needed itsradridea'Jtly in jusl four months, fresh for an unveiling at the 2003 Specialty Ixjuipment Markd Assn. (SEVIA) show held in Las Vegas, Nc\'.. the largest gathering of aftciTnarket parts and accessories in North America. A welder hv trade, 'IYepnnier. with the help of his father Jack, has made a name for himself turning out heavenly works of automotive ait that gob)' ruimes such as Switchback ami ("h'icayne. Now you can add llie Histforwaixi histhack lo the list The idea was lo lake a vintage liird Mustang, in this case a '68, and modernize il with styling cues nom the new 2005 Miu&ing . . . which draws from the old Mustang. As confusing as it all sounds the end j>axluct is anything but Of corns?, the beauly of ihe modifications, most of which are done on tile lly without an illustration to suidc the way, is that they're, transparent. You can't tell what they arc. which is entirely the point "I don't draw much. A welding rod is my pen." At Trepnnicr's shop, each and every project begins with a complete vehicle tear down and a thorough inspection. "You can only see so much when it's together" Subsequently, two piles of parts begin taking shape: a small pile of the stiili" that stays and in this case, a much larger pile of the. stuff that goes. Most of the body panels were discarded in favor of fresh, rust-free metal, including most of the car from the windshield forward and, actually, from the windshield lack I "This car has no clue what it's in for "Trepanier said during the early stages of destruction''construction. Key lo evcrv rad ride that rolls out of Tivpanier's \ fanleno. 111., shop, and the reason libay Motors teamed up with Tiny and his father Jack, is rather simple. He's one of the best Trepanier's perspective is a bit different with aresultthat jusl happens to match wnal t-hav is looking for "We have the ability lo tike other people's money and turn it into art" And the more you've got. the more unique and more impressive the ait gels. In this case, the math adds up fast bul gets libay N lotors Uieradride of a lifetime, on time. The car's burners WX-K cut and moved inwairi, the shaip lower edges of the quarter panels wea- mllcd under to smooth out the kxik am! the roofs side scoops wea* reworked to hxtk like those I mm a ih-w Mustang. In addition to completely modem running gear Trepanier's crew fashioned a mocjemized interior, complete with lug stereo and custom console and door [Kinds. The whole thing mils on enormous Billet Specialties wheels. I'nderlhe hexxi is a siipcivharged engine thai lonks , like it was molded in place, well largely because it was 1 \xicr-lhc-h.wvl packaging is wheiv any Rad Ride by Tiov stands out Once built Ihcc.arw.w paraded anmndilieoiijntn lor !2 months U> be auctioned oil'on Hiav (with the iiroceeds heading In ckmty) dunnt; the 2(XW SHMA show. The auction negin ("Xt 25 and ends Nov 4 w iln the highest bidder Liking homo ihis trophy. 01" course. Rxi\ is quick to give Tivpanier and his skiff all the avdiL "(Troy)a-.iliy was the leader.. \vc delurrcd in hi1*judgement, " S J \ S Drc'.v Lietx-mian of libay Motors. Duplicating this exact elfoit on a Mustang dnven straight into Trcpanicr's shop would drain the college lund to the tune of SI 25.000. But. if you're fanatical about cars and attention lo detail, the finalresultis woith every jx-nny. certainly for 1-.bay Mirtors. "It shows that'we're enthusiasts too." Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues. April 2-5, 2005 "Naw, there ain't no silver bullet1. Their ads might sound that way, but factory does the same for all BIG-or SMALL!!" "Do the BIG mega dealers have BIGGER rebates or LOWER interest rates than Mike Hale Chevy?" ~RS. Ski FREE at Deer Valley with any Test Drive! Sam sez... "See The Folks at Mike Hale Cheisy today, lor All The Best Deals and Current Incentives." Send Your Questions for Silverado Sam to... MIKE HALE CHEVROLET 2190 Rasmussen Rd • Park City, Utah (435)649-2399 • (80/')533-2399 • (800)549-2399 • Jeff Metnychuk is Wheebase Communications'managing editor. He can be reached on the Web at wwiv. wheebase. ws/maifbag.htmi. Whedbase Communications supples automotive news and features to newspapers across North America. RS. We also service Acuras and other OA/I Vehicles In Park C/ty. 77-- WELCOME to International AutoCross a puzzle dedicated to the automobile enthusiast! i>^"**^HR.?!^_ 1 N TE R N AT 1 AutoCross will test your [ knowledge ol cars, brand names and ^^BBBF III iijUr^j auto-related people from all over the world. Good luck! ™i^ •III a I • • • • I •1III K' ho BBBI BBBI • • • • O utes. The replacement for the long-running Windstar doesn't make a huge statement. It not a radical departure from normal thinking. It doesn't have the most horsepower H its class. It doesn't even look all that different from its predecessor And that Just might be why it will score with buyers. Ironically, in anonymity, the Freestar is a player in a business filled with big names. Why? It's uncluttered and focused in its purpose. Mostly, it's designed to do what minivans of this world were originally intended to do; carry your family from Point A to Point B. For 2004, Ford dropped the Windstar name to give its restyled Canadian-built minivan a fresh approach in a segment where the bar has quite suddenly been raised. Nissan unveiled its roomy new Quest this year and Toyota redesigned the rock-solid Sienna. How does the Freestar cope? Thankfully, tfiere's more than a name change at work. Ford wanted to break through the clutter by un-cluttering its minivan. Gone is the Windstar's unusual, plastic-laden instrument panel that sometimes seemed a little tight for the driver. Enter a new twotone panel that's squared off with sharp lines and a clean and crisp angular design. A first impression might even lead you to think things are downright barren inside. From the cupholders to the instrument panel, everything is direct for the driver and easy to find. Yet its interior has an ambiance to it; the • 12 BBn • • •II • • • • • ! • • •• • •• • i1 I• | I'' I high on its list of redesign priorities cabin is elegant and trimmed in higher-quality materials. In this case, simple doesn't have to mean boring. This year them am plenty of intriguing extras in the five available models (base, LX, LX Sport, SB and Limited) aside from the standard features that include air conditioning, remote keyless entry, power locks, mirrors and windows. Freestar holds up to seven people wit/) a third-row seat that can be folded flat into the load floor or flipped around into a rearward-facing position. Ford calls it "stadium seating, "and what it means is that when you park t/te Freestar at your favorite game you can tailgate out of the back. The optional second-row captain's chairs slide from side to side on rails and also fold and tumble forward like those on the Ford Explorer and Expedition sport-utility vehicles for easy access to the third row. Under the hood is a new standard 3.9-liter V6 that makes 193 horsepower, a bit less actually than the old 3.8-liter engine. But there's also the option of a new 201 -horsepower 4.2liter V6 that comes standard on high-end Freestars. That's less - considerably less in some" cases - than what the Sienna, Odyssey and Quest offer, but the Ford provides more peak torque, which is, periiaps, more important. Where competitors offer a rivespeed automatic transmission, however, all Freestar models come with a four-speed automatic. But, when it comes to minivans, being on the leading edge of innovation doesn't automatically guarantee a sale. So where does Ford hang its hat? Safety, of course. The company is already banking that the Freestar will go one step farther than the excellent Windstar, The Freestar has 1 • n 1 *J KH^BBRFMBBBB! I DOWN •• r- 1. Removable top ••B ••B •• • • 1 1 1 2. Nissan's search Bl BB • • BB B l 3. FWD Swede h •&•!•• •• ••••••• H I IBM ! • • • • 4. GT350, GT500 L •1 6. Bar or cage I I Bill! 1 •I puts safety and simplicity f all the things the new 2004 Ford Freestar does right, keeping life simple and people safe might be this min'ivan's best attrib- III! • . EHMBHEHBI larger four-wheel disc brakes with standard anti-lock on all models and a new 'panic brake assist' system to help you stop better in emergency situations (it comes on models equipped with AdvanceTrac stability control). Freestar can also be ordered with a 'safety canopy' airbag system tliat deploys from the headliner to cover most of the side glass area in the even of an accident. The system includes side-impact air bags for the front passengers. As for extras, the Fmestar can be ordered with a DVD entertainment system and a power liftgate will arrive later in the model year. For now, it's all about getting there safe and sound, without fuss and muss, from Point A to Point B. SPEC SHEET 2004 Ford Freestar •Four-door, seven-passenger minivan. • 3 9- or 4.2-liter V6, producing 193 horsepower and 201 horsepower, respectively. •Four-speed automatic transmission •Simple, but functional, the Freestar doesn't add a lot of bells and wrestles ye; still also offers some unique elements like a third-row -seat that folds flat and flips around for tailgate parties. • A plus in the cargo department is Ford's third-row head restraints that don't require removal to fold the seat • With a smooth quiet nde under any condition. Ford upgrades its minivan lineup with a vehicle that doesn i feature much innovation over its competitors, but offers solid improvements over its predecessor. •Standard satety: Front arbags, anti-lock brakes. ' •MPG (city/hwy): 17/23 (3.9-liter V6) • Base price: $23,800 By JASON STEIN FOR WHEELBASE COMMUNICATIONS BBBI ' • Ql • • ••~ ••• •- • • EMMM II 10. Honda gas miser BBBl 12. Firesweep or Firetlight •;s I 1 1 1 BMBH29 • B BJ 7. Big rig 9. GT40 based on this BB B B B B I • 16. iacocca's first name, once • I I SIBIBIrTr I I IL-UI I 1 I • 3 I•I • • I • I [V-V-V-l H II I I III!- | •36 - |i• I •I • •I • _ •• • • •|• • J I • • m i l B-LIlllll Ill L JB-l -| I 1 J I I I I• T - • B BB BB •• u 23 HBVBVB • • • BlBlBlBlBlBlBI • • • • II B l ' i i 1 1 1 1 1 • 1 • 1 1 A CROSS 1 3 5 8 Alignmenl adjustment a.k.aoversteer Maker uses lion as symbol F1 pilot Schumacher 11 American Graffiti Chevy driver Ron 13 14 15 18 21 22 24 25 27 24. Covers top when down BlBlBiBlBl •BlHlBlBiBl Bl Bl Bl 20. V16-powered, once 23. Studebaker marque 26. Czech-built auto 28. Suzuki sedan or wagon 29. Dodge pickup BlBlBl Bl 30. Luxury-car trim material 31. Trunk accessory gives a lift BB'1* BB I 1 17. 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