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I hope that the squabbles have finally gone away, I have met Richard a few times and even managed to blag a free Nubodi T shirt off him. He is a very nice and knowledgeable chap, who loves doing what he does. He has posted many helpful posts on here on the way to do things - remember he doesn't have to spend his time doing this this he just does it to help other people and i for one are very grateful for his posts, help and ideas when building my Kobra ( and the t shirt ).
He should be praised and not slagged off as we need people to share their ideas on this site which is why i go on it.
Could not have said it better, well done Wolfie. I think the silliness is done now.
Tribute make cheap, affordable and great quality kits for the masses.
Nubodi shows the kits potential and makes the public sit up and notice.
Nuff said.
Hi. Ive never posted before but could not hold back any longer.
I come from the American car world and forums and have read every thread on the Tribute site. I came across Richard Bird of Nubodi Automotive back in the late 1980's. I was at a show at Hickstead showground where his car won best of show. It was a Chevrolet Chevelle 1969 which had a big block engine and a shortened rear axle, fully 'tubbed' which he called Pro Street No.1. This car started the Pro street craze in the nineties. It was on the cover of Street Machine (remember that?) and was the best car I have even seen...ever! He has not mentioned here any of these fine vehicles he has built like this over the years. I wait for any new posts to his thread to learn. Although I've never met him he comes across to me as a good chap, where Danny HUFC gets the idea he is arrogant I'm not sure. Perhaps he could give us an example, I cant find any? Although with his credentials I would not blame him.
There's seems to me to be a bunch of three, Roadster, Danny (was that your excuse for an apology?) and Mister towed (although he seems to be changing his tune now) who are over loyal to Chris and Dan because they think Nubodi is taking the credit and limelight for Chris's work.
As I and others seem to see it, Nubodi came along when Chris never had any finished vehicles to show and has propelled his company to be a major player in the kit car industry via the press and standard of work. I am willing to bet none of the these three has even met him or spoken at length with him. You should be ashamed of this behavior. Hopefully this has come to and end now and he, Richard has not been put off and continues to post.
I am not wanting to re-new any arguments or indeed get involved with any , but just wanted to pick up on something in the quote above . I too , come from an American Car background , had several cars featured over the years in Custom Car , Street Machine etc. Even managed to get a few pics in Street Rodder magazine a few years back ! , roof chopped Chevrolet Sleds etc.mostly in the 80's when I was attending shows all over . The Chevelle sounds great ,My old 56 Chevy 2dr sedan was pro-streeted around the same time by Gary Smith , the new owner . I am sure I must have seen it at shows but would be interested in seeing a picture on here , if you can post one up . I'll dig out some pics of my old feature stuff too and put some up if anyones interested ?
Wheres the Chevelle now ? My mate Ron France had a pro street Chevelle a couple of years back , same one ?
My mate Shug from Glasgow had a really neat 32 Ford Pro Street 3 window Coupe in about 86 too ...so you must have had the Chevelle earlier than that ? I think Nick Arletts 47 Pro Street Coupe ( as ripped to pieces by Clarkson on Top Gear ) was mid 80's too ?
Anyway , sorry to hijack thread , just wasnt expecting to see anything about American and Hot Rod stuff on here .
Wheels arrived yesterday - great turn around from Australia. If I didn't know better I'd say they were probably made alongside Daytons in the same factory. They look identical. Very chromey, shiny and lovely...
Sorry to butt in again , but I dont suppose Speedjunkie or Richard from Nubodi himself could post up a picture of that Chevelle ? Start a new thread or pm me with it rather than cocking up this thread anymore , but my mate Ron is bending my ear constantly about seeing a picture of it .
Sorry again
I'm sure I have the magazine somewhere in storage at my mothers. I'll try and find it at the weekend.
The car was imported from the States, it was a 1969 SS Chevelle with a 396 big block engine. It was in pristine condition but the colour was brown. The car was stripped and sand blasted back to bare metal, it was painted at Prince Brothers near Reading Porsche Guards red. It ran a Mr Gasket vertical gate shifter on a four speed manual. The engine was stripped and bored out to produce around 550BHP. The axle was shortened with Strange shafts and 12 bolt posi rear end. Centreline racing wheels, very wide at rear, very narrow at the front. Alloy tubed inside and roll cage. Also had a parachute and wheelie bars fitted. It was running mid 10's but potential to go faster. Stock interior apart from race harnesses. I sold it to a guy named Roy Giles who swapped it and and my ex-girlfriend Debbie Turley (who he married and had kids) for a bright red full track ready Trans-am in mint condition (which I later wrote off in a multi Police car chase...opps)and a Triumph Bonneville show winning chop. and my ex-girlfriend Debbie Turley (who he married and had kids with). No idea where it is now but one of the fastest cars I every owned and one of the prettiest.
So Roy Giles swapped the Corvair and your ex girlfriend for a Trans Am and a motor bike?
Some years ago I swapped a girlfriend for an RS1600. I miss that car.
Well that's how the legend goes!
I must have bought and sold 500 cars or more in 35 years but its one of the top 3 I regret selling.
It was a strange time and seems like a previous life far, far away!
It was a Chrevrolet Chevelle by the way not a Corvair. The american car boys would string you up for such heresy. LOL
Thats my car!
B*****ks did this Reg bloke build it! I believe Roy who I sold it to had the rear tubed by him. How can he say he built it! Bloody cheek, Im off the facebook to trash his reputation. Grrrr.
Just left this
Richard Bird Can i just set the record straight here...this car was not 'built' by Reg Chatwin! I was the owner before Roy Giles and I built it. It was imported from the States in original condition (Brown) it was then blasted and had it painted at Prince Brothers in Porsche Guards red. The 396 c inch was bored to 402 and numerous engine modifications and ancillaries. The centrelines were bought from Shadow wheels in Reading. The list goes on. I sold it finished to Roy who took it to Reg to get it tubbed and a cage fitted. Built by Reg is not correct, further modified would be a closer description.
The axle was shortened with Strange shafts and 12 bolt posi rear end. Centreline racing wheels, very wide at rear, very narrow at the front. Alloy tubed inside and roll cage. Also had a parachute and wheelie bars fitted. It was running mid 10's but potential to go faster. Stock interior apart from No idea where it is now but one of the fastest cars I every owned and one of the prettiest.
Great - Thank you for the pics . I am emailing them to Ron right now . Its not his old one but he'll still be interested .
Quick question - Am I being thick , but if the new owner tubbed and roll bar'd it - did he re-do what you did above before you sold it or were you running it without tubs and rollbar ? I only ask as we had a guy locally who ran a MK2 Consul with a V6 in it and the stock , narrower rear axle from the same Capri that gave up the engine , he wanted that raw street racer look , 2 lane Blacktop kind of thing and didnt have tubbed inner arches , just big holes with tyres exposed if you opened the boot ! Anyway , he was always getting muck and spray coming through the boot gaps which didnt matter on his aerosol paint job .
Did the new owner remove the parachute and wheelie bars too ?
Totally agree with you ranting on facebook too . I have had previous work done by me and my mates accreditted to other people . It annoys me - the Beetle we did in my old workshop years and years ago , major mods , chop , suicide doors , window grafts etc. The owner , who runs his own Buggy shop , took credit for all the work , not a mention in the articles , and he even promoted his business off the back of it !!
Penguin Speedshop in Wales have done the same , using pictures of his shop truck etc in adverts advertising Hot Rod builds by his shop . His shop truck was built by Home Grown Hot Rods in Southend !!
Yes it was very frustrating.
The chute and wheelie bar were removed before I sold it and put on my next project at the time, a 1971 Mustang 351 Cleveland, which I drag raced for many years. The chap I sold it to, Roy took it to a few shows and won them all which again was frustrating for me but really my fault for not doing the same. However I always build the cars for me not to show. The boot was relined in ali at the time of the tubbing so no muck gets through.
I will say from what I saw, the work done by this Reg chap did seen to be of a very high standard.
