The “backstory” on just about every hot rod is where the real story lies. Frankie Klepadlo of SoCal is no different, as the real story on his ’30 Ford five-window coupe began years ago. Frankie’s ’30 Ford chopped and- channeled coupe has finally made the road after six years of painstaking effort. But the backstory tells us it began a long time before that. It’s best to hear this story from Frankie himself.
For one entrepreneur, the lure of Italian beauty with American power was not enough: it needed German build quality, too. The result was the Bitter CD.
Page through the CAR guide section at the back of the magazine and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a new model that does not incorporate some form of smartphone integration; be it simple Bluetooth connectivity, or touchscreen systems that accommodate Android Auto or Apple CarPlay functionality. And it was the latter that set the scene for the sort of phone-to- car interaction we enjoy in so many of our vehicles right now.
A 22-year old mechanic and aircraft technician, in 1951 Rolf Wütherich possessed the kinds of skills Ferry Porsche was seeking for his nascent business. Within weeks he was part of a small group developing a new transaxle for Porsche’s own gearbox, a component urgently needed because the stock VW item was failing under the increasing torque of Porsche’s flat fours.
Going fast comes down to a simple mathematical equation. When translated into automotive lingo, one part of that formula usually means that a reduction in weight will have a comparable reduction in the force required to accelerate or decelerate. For acceleration you add in additional horsepower, however, the way to get that balance usually means that at some point you need to introduce some weight reduction and start hacking away on a car.
The Spectre emerges out of the mist on an uncharacteristically overcast day of this exclusive drive, not only as the first electric car from Rolls-Royce, but to prove a ghost from the past right.
To follow his revealing new history of these cars, Marinus Rijkers drives a 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur limousine stretched by Robert Jankel Design. Step in, sit down, and join us!
