Due to this being a new upgraded website, we are slowly updating this page with our previous builds. As you can appreciate 20 years on we have built a lot of cars, so please be patient with us whilst we continue to add more.
This 1970 Mustang is not always a favourable year for Pony fans, however we were given a free hand to restyle the body and put some power under the hood, in the form of a 351 Cleveland stroker motor. This was a 415CI with ally heads, roller rockers, Performa RPM inlet manifold and a 4-barrel Holley, as well as a set of headers linked to a dual exhaust system. There is also a B&M C4 transmission and a Ford 8-inch rear axle. The thing you will notice mostly with this car is its custom body mods which we have fabricated in steel. This Mustang has had a total transformation in the looks department and now looks very menacing in its jet black paint, and custom red and black 20″ ARE wheels. It’s not just the outside that grabs you – check out the inside too!
This Pick Up was brought in as a donor vehicle for another customer originally wanting the rear wings. Then our client decided to save it. As you can see from the pictures we have totally rebuilt and restored her. Our in house VGSS Engine shop has completely rebuilt the 350 SBC to a 383 tri power set up. There have been many hours spent on just the bodywork in saving this truck and we certainly think it was worth it. The truck now also sports a Kugel IFS and a Ford 9” Rear on 4 bar and coil overs. It will also have a 700R4 for overdrive on those autobahns.
This truck came into us with a 350 Chevy along with stock suspension. It now sits on a Kugel IFS front end, with a Ford 9″ and 6 link on coil overs, that is suspended on a cantilever rocker arm set up for the shock absorbers at the rear. The chassis has been extensively modified with CDS tubing, and a roll cage. This truck has big Wilwood brakes all round including a Wilwood pedal assembly and master cylinders, to handle the 500+hp Ford Small Block 427ci, and 5 Speed Trans. The induction on this is a trick down draught injection set up with throttle bodies. This truck has got a lot of influence from circuit racing and is guaranteed to be a blast!
Featured in Custom Car June 2023
Not all the cars we do here at VGSS are your typical hot rod. The Jensen “Viperceptor” has become an internet famous car. What started off as a rusty stock Jensen Interceptor, we totally restyle the body as if Jensen had built a 2013 Interceptor re-creation. Running an 8.2 V10 Viper engine with an SRT-10 Auto transmission and big brakes all round, this GT Car could be used as a daily or for a trip to Monaco.
The Viperceptor lived in a famous American car collection for a few years but having been into VGSS for a freshen up for its new owner it is now back prowling the streets again!
Featured in Octane Magazine 2014
This cool Van is now powered by a stroker 318CI (built in house by VGSS) which now produces over 340BHP, along with a rebuilt transmission, and fully rebuilt underpinnings. We have lowered the van by flipping the axle to get down in the weeds and sit well on those Rocket Racing Wheels. The van was taken back to bare metal and then painted in a House of Kolor Kustom mix. We have also done some cool little tricks on this van, like the Grille, moving the bumpers inwards, de-badging, nosed and decked. When you get to see this van, check out its headlining and interior as all this has been carried out by our very talented team here at Valley Gas Speed Shop.
This 57 Olds was once owned by Geordie Paul (Duksville) and now owned by Kelvin who has a vast collection of cars. This will be very different from his current collection as its powered by a 558ci BBF, with a pro charger to top it off. This engine once powered the 9 second Boston Brawler Drag Car and has now been de-tuned for road use, but will make this big ol’ Cruiser a surprise at the traffic lights. We have also painted this car in Candy wine with lots of Kustom touches including a trick stainless steel exhaust system with side exits. It sits on an IFS and has power steering and brakes. Open the door and you will find our trimmer has made this look as good on the inside as it does on the out.
Featured in Custom Car April 2023
This 5-window coupe is powered by a Ford Flathead V8 and has come to us as a running, driving hot rod. We will be chopping the top 4” and we will also be filling the roof in. The axle requires re mounting to get the wheels to sit correctly in the fenders. At this time we will also lower the back, and add different wheel and tyre combinations which will also move the track out. We will also be fitting a wider dropped I-beam. This will all hopefully make the car sit a lot nicer and lower. There is a whole bunch of other mods the customer requires us to do, for example, smooth running boards, rolled rear pan, custom interior. This awesome little A will be pounding the streets very soon.
Jimmy met this customer at Classic Le Mans in 2015, he wanted to build something with big CI and bigger HP. After showing the customer several early Fords he then purchased the truck you see here. It may look very similar to when it 1st came in but under this truck is a total transformation. With re-worked front and rear suspension, disc brakes all round, custom fuel system, headers, exhaust system and custom Ally radiator. All this is done to handle the 558ci BBF built by Roush. This engine produces 705 BHP and 719 ft-lbs Torque. Then runs through a 6 speed manual transmission to a Denys Aluminium custom prop. The wheels are driven by a Plus 9 Currie rear axle, which has been braced. This truck is fast, handles and stops: exactly what the customer wanted.
Featured in Custom Car April 2020
We Originally started this vehicle for a previous customer. The new customer who purchased the vehicle then brought it back to us and we stripped all the original work that was carried out down and started again.
Our new customer wanted a completely different style and gave us a free hand.
This 70’s style C Cab is running a 383 Tri power. The body is painted in House of Kolor paint with Melliards Modern Sign writing to really bring out that depth of paint that pops in the sun.
This stunning car was featured in October 2021 Custom Car Magazine!
Originally featured in Custom Car 1997. The well known British Gasser is back in VGSS. The customer wanted to retain parts of the history on this iconic car, but using his own ideas. this Gasser is now being powered by a blown 392ci Hemi built in house at VGSS. The paint and sign writing will certainly be a big feature on this car; which has been carried out by the best sign writer in the country Neil Melliard and paint shop – Brookfield VW – The original wheels are still on the car as well as the front and rear axles, and most of its original Ally work. So keep your eyes out on the drag strip as this Willys will be back where it belongs.
Kevin originally brought his two tone red and white 57 Chevy to us for an engine oil change and general check over. He and his wife used it to drive down the coast and wanted it to be reliable. After viewing the workshop and seeing the new shiny crate engines on display. He decided a new engine was needed. Shortly after this evolved into a full nut and bolt restoration. We loved worked with Kevin on this car and we still store and maintain this car to date.
This 57 was featured in Custom Car Magazine back in the day.
This 1942 Chevy was originally built in the US but after close inspection the build quality wasn’t up to modern standards. VGSS set about and totally transformed this truck into what you see today. With its rare SU downdraft tri power and its many cool features (Customers input) This unique hot rod can be seen in the SU Carburettor Christmas video along with being featured in Classic American Magazine February 2019.
The Standard Vanguard is not the best looking car you would think to begin a project with. But with some metal work magic and numerous hours, she now represents a British slant on an American lead sled. The Slamguard is powered by a Rover V8 and has a Borg Warner transmission, and all the suspension has come from a MK5 Cortina. This is as “English Hot Rod/Custom” as you could get.
Featured in Custom Car Magazine December Issue 2020
This Suburban was brought to us for a total revamp. We set about modifing the chassis and suspension, whilst also installing a new blueprint crate engine 383ci, running a brand new 700R4. The whole Sub sits on custom air ride suspension, and when the air is out, this thing rides deep in the weeds. We also made up inner tubs for the rear wheels and new floor pans at the rear to give as much room as possible for storage. The bumpers were also modified, a peak added, and various other little touches were made to make this one killer low Suburban.
Keep an eye out for this Chevy as the owners are at more shows than most people get to in a year!
Our customer wanted to retain the original patina look of their pick up truck, but wanted the reliability along with drive ability to a more user friendly standard. We’ve upgraded the underpinnings with an IFS front suspension with a 9 inch rear axle, upgraded rear posie springs and a full rewire. We have also fitted a new 350 Blueprint crate engine along with running a dual stainless steel exhaust system, with power brakes and power steering. She’s now a trustworthy, reliable workhorse or plaything you can drive anywhere – recently proven by Simon’s trip to the Scottish Highlands and back!
This South African RHD F100 came to us totally stock with a 6 cylinder engine. Now she runs a 2019 Ford Coyote 5.0 Engine with 7 Speed Auto. The front is now running on a custom Kugel Komponents IFS (We are the sole UK Dealer) and now running a Ford 9″ rear with 5 Link and coil overs. The suspension is fully adjustable and stops with four pot Wilwood front brakes and Ford SVO rear discs. The customer wanted this truck to be usable with creature comforts, we feel we nailed the brief on this one.
Featured in Classic American December 2020
Steve’s 32 Model B
This 32 was the last of the fibreglass bodies that we produced, so for us this needed to be a special show build. With our love of Fords we picked a 429CJ with a C6 transmission, previously used in the Boston Brawler Gasser. VGSS built a fully custom chassis with a 9″ rear. Along with custom front brake covers and a one-off interior. This car is not just built for shows but with 450 bhp, it is built to go!
Was featured in Custom Car September 2018
Richard originally bought just a cab/chassis along with many boxes of parts. We then set about building a show winning truck. Various custom touches were added into this build such as frenched headlights, custom dash, smoothed body, de-badged. The big impact of this truck was the paint – originally due to be painted orange – however in the end the truck left VGSS with a custom-mixed paint job.
The truck was featured in Custom Car June 2011.
Built at our old shop in Newbury, this 37 Ford came to us with a TPI small block Chevy, and the customer wanted to run it with a supercharger. We bought a crate 350 and a complete blower kit, and shoehorned this into the compact engine bay. It as always going to be sticking out the top of the hood so this was modified to accommodate a shotgun scoop. We also changed the lights and added side trim and various other modifications including a repaint.
This customer had been racing an MGB in hillclimbs for several years, but wanted to have something different harking back to nostalgic years. Being an MG fan, the whole car was built with MG front and rear suspension, custom made 4 bar with coilovers at the rear, an MG engine and gearbox, and the chassis was custom made at VGSS. The front nosecone and tail section was also supplied by us. The car was finished to a rolling steering stopping state so that the customer could then finish the car off and go racing.
This 69 Camaro came to us for a full build. It was fitted with a ZZ3 engine with a 700R4 transmission, the whole of the suspension was upgraded with a total handling pack, sway bar kit, and biggest Wilwood brakes we could fit. Wheels are AREs, inside was re-trimmed in black with red piping, the instrument panel was upgraded with Auto Meter Classic Series gauges, and then it was bare metal repainted in this beautiful gloss black with a red hockey stick. As you can see the customer was pleased with the end result. This Camaro is fast, comfortable, and stops like any modern classic should.
The Camaro was featured in Classic American January 2011.
This hot rod was originally built in California, the customer wished to add his own touch, and make it more usable as he lived in the Scottish Highlands, and as you can imagine every show journey was a long trip. We had Gear Star build build us an adaptor plate and 700R4 to be connected to this Pontiac 401 engine. We also added new steel floors, wheeled in a roof insert and lots of extra custom touches that the customer required. After this, the seats were trimmed in bright red leather, and the car travelled down from Scotland to many shows and we now believe the car lives with its new owner in the south of England. This hot rod is exactly what hot rods should be- loud, fast and slightly uncomfortable.
Originally built for a previous customer as a Graffiti inspired coupe. He wanted good gas mileage and towing ability, and once finished, he travelled thousands of miles in the 10 years he had this car. The new owner then wanted a completely different look, so we embarked on a full makeover whilst also getting a little more horsepower out of the engine and some gears to bring back a bit of acceleration. Customer then had it painted this beautiful candy red colour. We then finished the look off with a lowering job, a nice set of whitewall tyres, full retrim and a new dash layout.
The Kellison is owned by the Duke of Richmond, and we have had the privilege of building him several cars, but this is our favourite. The car was designed by a Korean war pilot called Jim Kellison. It is well worth looking him up. The car came to us in very poor state, and the chassis was beyond use. A date was made to have this car finished by and it was all hands on deck to get it finished in an unbelievable 8 months – this included new chassis, suspension, engine, custom grill, paint, interior and sign writing. You will spot this car at Goodwood Revival most years.
Featured in GRRC Almanac Issue 6
This glorious Willys Coupe was built in the States, but the owner realised that it was a total show car trailered to the shows and back home winning many awards but not being driven. Its new owner wanted to use this car, so we sorted out all the overheating problems and fitted a hydro-boost brake system as the brakes were nonexistent. You will now see this car regularly on the street, and at the drag strip
Other work carried out at VALLEY GAS SPEED SHOP:
