Atomic Punk
When our buddy Aaron "Plowboy" Grote isn't fertilizing the cornfields around central Illinois you can usually find him out in his shed, drinking beer, listening to 80's hair metal, pounding out a godforsaken pile of junkyard scrap metal into an amazing 60's style show car. Today Plowboy sent fresh pics of his latest effort: the Atomic Punk, a Rothian bubbletop stitched together out of a '58 1959 Plymouth, plus about three dozen other junkers, with motivation provided by a 392 inch Chrysler Hemi sporting an 8-pack of Holley 94s. Unlike Roth's cars, though, this one is completely functional and street legal, and even has an air conditioner to keep the driver cool under that magnifying glass.
If you're in Detroit this weekend, drop by Autorama to see Aaron and the Punk in person and pick up a T-shirt. Tell him we sent you, but whatever you do don't let him show you "the fist."
Update: h/t to several who identified the fins as 1959 rather than 1958. To answer a question posed by a couple of people, those taillight housings are narrowed "eyebrow" hood grilles from an early '60s Chevy pickup.
Illustration: Jeff Norwell
Whoa!
I'll be in my bunk.
Posted by: Bob | March 03, 2008 at 11:08 PM
It's for sale, or will be after a few car shows.
Posted by: iowahawk | March 04, 2008 at 08:52 AM
Undoubtedly out of my price range unless Ebay starts letting people sell things like kidneys. I can only imagine what it cost to fabricate the bubbletop.
Posted by: Bob | March 04, 2008 at 09:52 AM
Ive always wondered if the bubble fogs up easily.
Posted by: gabriel | March 04, 2008 at 10:16 AM
I think you'd be pleasantly surprised at the asking price.
Besides, I defy you to find a car with more neighbor-horrifying, kid-delighting pizazz at any price.
Posted by: iowahawk | March 04, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Ive always wondered if the bubble fogs up easily.
It's got a rudimentary ventilation system. That said, I probably wouldn't plan any coast-to-coast trips in it.
Posted by: iowahawk | March 04, 2008 at 10:22 AM
this is his best effort by far.
Great looking beast.
Posted by: cratedigger | March 04, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Cratedigger - I'm thinking about driving to Detroit Friday with Drew for Autorama. You interested?
Posted by: iowahawk | March 04, 2008 at 10:41 AM
M. Iowahawk-
Give me a call. I am sort of interested.
Posted by: cratedigger | March 04, 2008 at 11:16 AM
At the moment anything over the price of a 79' Chevy Chevette Scooter with 300k on the clock would be over my budget.
Posted by: Bob | March 04, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Wow! just fuckin wow!
Posted by: Tolbert | March 04, 2008 at 01:30 PM
Hi...neat car, but those fins are from a '59 Plymouth, not a '58.
Posted by: Plymouthguru | March 05, 2008 at 11:31 AM
I'm an even more worthless darkie after seeing these pictures.
Posted by: Nads | March 06, 2008 at 08:13 AM
I'm an even more worthless darkie after seeing these pictures.
Posted by: Nads | March 06, 2008 at 08:13 AM
Nads, you magnificent bastard!
I was in Tampa last week and thought about gonna give you a holler, but was booked up in meetings. Will probably be there again before long, will try to make it up to Mousetown.
Posted by: iowahawk | March 06, 2008 at 09:57 AM
How does the bubble open? Does it hinge forwards, or is it a "suicide" bubble?
Posted by: John Schulien | March 09, 2008 at 05:57 PM
Hinge is in back, so it's like a "suicide bubble." It opens with linear actuators.
Posted by: iowahawk | March 10, 2008 at 11:44 AM