- 13,719
- Indiana
- ViperManiac
This show is pretty cool. Its on the Discovery channel. They take regular cars and mod them for a specific purpose. Like this '96 Impala. They modded it to be a zamboni machine. 
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In 1996 it was born a Chevy Impala Supersport. In 2002 (July 2002, to be more exact) it mutated into a monster capable of smoothing out the roughest of frozen surfaces.
THE TEAM
Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif.
Bob Van Der Brink, retired high-school shop teacher, Chino Hills, Calif.
Stuart Fuller, hot-rod designer, Downey, Calif.
Ken Hoffman, self-employed fabricator and welder, Simi Valley, Calif.
Renee Newell, sculptor, Santa Monica, Calif.
Dan Padilla, artist
Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif.
Tad Yenowine, set-builder, Los Angeles, Calif.
Richard Zamboni, president, Frank J. Zamboni & Co. Inc., Paramount, Calif.
VEHICLE SPECS
Engine: 5.7-liter SFI V-8
Pistons: Chevy stock
Camshaft: Chevy stock
Heads: Chevy stock
Ignition: electronic
Induction: Chevy stock
Cooling: Check stock
Exhaust: dual exhaust routed through the hood flame throwers (flames shoot straight up approximately 1 foot)
Steering: power
Rear Suspension: air bag kit by Master Image Customs
Brakes: disc brakes
Front Suspension: air bag kit by Master Image Customs
Tires: 225-35-20 tires by Toyo Tires
Wheels: 20-inch wheels by Alba Wheels
VEHICLE SPECS
Electronics: neon tube lighting by Auto Indulgence Inc.
Interior: black and purple vinyl by Nacho's Auto Upholstery
Paint: Damon's Motorcycle Creations House of Kolor black base coat, burple candy-apple base coat, urethane clear coat
Painters: Tom Prewitt, Jason Prewitt and Richard Perez
Height: 5 feet
Width: 7 feet
Length: 18 feet
Ground Clearance: 2 inches
Weight: 7,000 pounds
MONSTER PARTS
Moving Parts: The trunk opens up with a flip of a switch and an additional steering wheel emerges; conveyor belt; auger
Additional Acquired or Machined Parts: 36-inch blade, auger, conveyor belt, motor, water tank, extended drive shaft; extended accelerator pedal and brake pedal; auto-lock 12-inch linear actuator to open trunk; studs for tires
Body Modifications: Rear-corner windows sealed; two holes in hood for exhaust pipes
Biggest Challenges: Making the mechanism to hold the auger and blade; the steering box and extended steering shaft to allow Jesse to drive the car from the rear; making device to adjust blade
TRANSITION TECHNIQUE
With the help of Richard Zamboni the team made a water-conditioning unit to clean the ice once the blade shaved it, positioned an auger behind the blade to gather the shaved ice, and designed a conveyor belt to lift the shaved ice and dispose of it into the car. Each of these components is located under the trunk, and once the car drives into the rink, the blade is pressed into the ice by lowering the car using custom air bags.
Staying true to the Zamboni design, when the car is resurfacing the ice, it is operated and driven from the back. To achieve this, the mechanics extended an additional steering wheel as well as additional brake and accelerator pedals to the trunk. With a flip of a switch, the trunk lifts and the additional steering wheel and back seat rise up ready to resurface.
With its sleek burple candy-apple paint coat, purple neon floor lights, studded tires and dual exhaust pipes throwing flames from the hood, this monster machine is sure to change the face of all ice-resurfacing machines.
Heres pics of other cars they've done:
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In 1996 it was born a Chevy Impala Supersport. In 2002 (July 2002, to be more exact) it mutated into a monster capable of smoothing out the roughest of frozen surfaces.
THE TEAM
Jesse James, custom-bike builder/designer, West Coast Choppers, Long Beach, Calif.
Bob Van Der Brink, retired high-school shop teacher, Chino Hills, Calif.
Stuart Fuller, hot-rod designer, Downey, Calif.
Ken Hoffman, self-employed fabricator and welder, Simi Valley, Calif.
Renee Newell, sculptor, Santa Monica, Calif.
Dan Padilla, artist
Tom Prewitt, custom painter, Damon's Motorcycle Creations, Brea, Calif.
Tad Yenowine, set-builder, Los Angeles, Calif.
Richard Zamboni, president, Frank J. Zamboni & Co. Inc., Paramount, Calif.
VEHICLE SPECS
Engine: 5.7-liter SFI V-8
Pistons: Chevy stock
Camshaft: Chevy stock
Heads: Chevy stock
Ignition: electronic
Induction: Chevy stock
Cooling: Check stock
Exhaust: dual exhaust routed through the hood flame throwers (flames shoot straight up approximately 1 foot)
Steering: power
Rear Suspension: air bag kit by Master Image Customs
Brakes: disc brakes
Front Suspension: air bag kit by Master Image Customs
Tires: 225-35-20 tires by Toyo Tires
Wheels: 20-inch wheels by Alba Wheels
VEHICLE SPECS
Electronics: neon tube lighting by Auto Indulgence Inc.
Interior: black and purple vinyl by Nacho's Auto Upholstery
Paint: Damon's Motorcycle Creations House of Kolor black base coat, burple candy-apple base coat, urethane clear coat
Painters: Tom Prewitt, Jason Prewitt and Richard Perez
Height: 5 feet
Width: 7 feet
Length: 18 feet
Ground Clearance: 2 inches
Weight: 7,000 pounds
MONSTER PARTS
Moving Parts: The trunk opens up with a flip of a switch and an additional steering wheel emerges; conveyor belt; auger
Additional Acquired or Machined Parts: 36-inch blade, auger, conveyor belt, motor, water tank, extended drive shaft; extended accelerator pedal and brake pedal; auto-lock 12-inch linear actuator to open trunk; studs for tires
Body Modifications: Rear-corner windows sealed; two holes in hood for exhaust pipes
Biggest Challenges: Making the mechanism to hold the auger and blade; the steering box and extended steering shaft to allow Jesse to drive the car from the rear; making device to adjust blade
TRANSITION TECHNIQUE
With the help of Richard Zamboni the team made a water-conditioning unit to clean the ice once the blade shaved it, positioned an auger behind the blade to gather the shaved ice, and designed a conveyor belt to lift the shaved ice and dispose of it into the car. Each of these components is located under the trunk, and once the car drives into the rink, the blade is pressed into the ice by lowering the car using custom air bags.
Staying true to the Zamboni design, when the car is resurfacing the ice, it is operated and driven from the back. To achieve this, the mechanics extended an additional steering wheel as well as additional brake and accelerator pedals to the trunk. With a flip of a switch, the trunk lifts and the additional steering wheel and back seat rise up ready to resurface.
With its sleek burple candy-apple paint coat, purple neon floor lights, studded tires and dual exhaust pipes throwing flames from the hood, this monster machine is sure to change the face of all ice-resurfacing machines.
Heres pics of other cars they've done:
