Tony DeFeo / As Of 2009

For those interested in a guy who helped ignite interest in 80's 5.0
Mustang scene. Here's what I found doing a Google search.

---

It's actually a coffeehouse/hookah bar in Middle Tn...just south of
Nashville.

For those who are wondering...I quit the car thing cold turkey back
in 98 after a particularly ugly incident with a T/F car. Needed to
get away and clear my head. Started to get back into things about
three years ago.
The magazine thing was fun when it was fun...but that scene is
probably behind me for good
I do have a few interesting projects I'm working on at the
moment...biggest of which is a twin engine Fuel Altered. Two blown
Mopar Wedges in a 120 inch Bantam. It's a really traditional Altered
(Aside from the extra engine, of course) rather than a converted Funny
Car. Progress is slow and steady, but I've still got a ways to go
before "The Terrifying 'Terd" is ready to make smoke.
I've also got a Gasser style 4 door 4 speed 67 Belvedere that's
going together with what I believe will be the cheapest Hemi ever
built. You guys that know how I do things are gonna love this. I'm
using a 440 block that I've reworked to mount standard hemi heads.
The heads themselves are bona-fide A990's that I scored at a
throwaway price. My total investment in this lump so far...including
valve covers is 275 bucks. My goal is to have this thing drinking
alky through a set of Hilborns for under 2 grand.
I've also got small fleet of assorted Mopars and a few bikes that
keep me tinkering on a continual basis.
As for the new factory stuff...I have zero interest. It's all fast
and pretty, but it's also disposable, overstuffed and over
complicated. My daily driver is a slant 6 3 speed Duster,(The wife
and I call it "Happy Happy Car Car") and I wouldn't trade it for
anything built anywhere in the world today...but that's just me.
I really do appreciate that you guys remember my old stuff, but I
see it as something that happened in another lifetime...to another
person! I really never was very comfortable playing the role of
"Automotive Journalist". I'm working class gearhead. I build stuff
in my backyard using the most basic of tools, my imagination and
whatever money I can steal from the house.
So, that's what happened to Tony DeFeo.

---

Patrick

For what it's worth - Cars Illustrated wasn't something I thought of
as automotive journalism... it was better than that.

Steve

On Nov 6, 5:58*pm, NoOp > wrote:
> For those interested in a guy who helped ignite interest in 80's 5.0
> Mustang scene. *Here's what I found doing a Google search.
>
> ---
>
> It's actually a coffeehouse/hookah bar in Middle Tn...just south of
> Nashville.
>
> * *For those who are wondering...I quit the car thing cold turkey back
> in 98 after a particularly ugly incident with a T/F car. *Needed to
> get away and clear my head. *Started to get back into things about
> three years ago.
> * *The magazine thing was fun when it was fun...but that scene is
> probably behind me for good
> * *I do have a few interesting projects I'm working on at the
> moment...biggest of which is a twin engine Fuel Altered. *Two blown
> Mopar Wedges in a 120 inch Bantam. *It's a really traditional Altered
> (Aside from the extra engine, of course) rather than a converted Funny
> Car. *Progress is slow and steady, but I've still got a ways to go
> before "The Terrifying 'Terd" is ready to make smoke.
> * I've also got a Gasser style 4 door 4 speed 67 Belvedere that's
> going together with what I believe will be the cheapest Hemi ever
> built. *You guys that know how I do things are gonna love this. *I'm
> using a 440 block that I've reworked to mount standard hemi heads.
> The heads themselves are bona-fide A990's that I scored at a
> throwaway price. *My total investment in this lump so far...including
> valve covers is 275 bucks. *My goal is to have this thing drinking
> alky through a set of Hilborns for under 2 grand.
> * *I've also got small fleet of assorted Mopars and a few bikes that
> keep me tinkering on a continual basis.
> As for the new factory stuff...I have zero interest. *It's all fast
> and pretty, but it's also disposable, overstuffed and over
> complicated. *My daily driver is a slant 6 3 speed Duster,(The wife
> and I call it "Happy Happy Car Car") and I wouldn't trade it for
> anything built anywhere in the world today...but that's just me.
> * I really do appreciate that you guys remember my old stuff, but I
> see it as something that happened in another lifetime...to another
> person! *I really never was very comfortable playing the role of
> "Automotive Journalist". *I'm *working class gearhead. *I build stuff
> in my backyard using the most basic of tools, my imagination and
> whatever money I can steal from the house.
> So, that's what happened to Tony DeFeo.
>
> ---
>
> Patrick

On Dec 22 2010, 11:44*pm, A Guy Named Steve >
wrote:
> For what it's worth - Cars Illustrated wasn't something I thought of
> as automotive journalism... it was better than that.

CI sure wasn't what we have these days. Now most auto rags are
nothing more than advertisements -- their tech articles are there to
only sell their sponsors' products. CI on the other hand didn't have
any problems telling what worked and what didn't. They also catered
to the low-budget guys.

Patrick


> On Nov 6, 5:58*pm, NoOp > wrote:
>
> > For those interested in a guy who helped ignite interest in 80's 5.0
> > Mustang scene. *Here's what I found doing a Google search.
>
> > ---
>
> > It's actually a coffeehouse/hookah bar in Middle Tn...just south of
> > Nashville.
>
> > * *For those who are wondering...I quit the car thing cold turkey back
> > in 98 after a particularly ugly incident with a T/F car. *Needed to
> > get away and clear my head. *Started to get back into things about
> > three years ago.
> > * *The magazine thing was fun when it was fun...but that scene is
> > probably behind me for good
> > * *I do have a few interesting projects I'm working on at the
> > moment...biggest of which is a twin engine Fuel Altered. *Two blown
> > Mopar Wedges in a 120 inch Bantam. *It's a really traditional Altered
> > (Aside from the extra engine, of course) rather than a converted Funny
> > Car. *Progress is slow and steady, but I've still got a ways to go
> > before "The Terrifying 'Terd" is ready to make smoke.
> > * I've also got a Gasser style 4 door 4 speed 67 Belvedere that's
> > going together with what I believe will be the cheapest Hemi ever
> > built. *You guys that know how I do things are gonna love this. *I'm
> > using a 440 block that I've reworked to mount standard hemi heads.
> > The heads themselves are bona-fide A990's that I scored at a
> > throwaway price. *My total investment in this lump so far...including
> > valve covers is 275 bucks. *My goal is to have this thing drinking
> > alky through a set of Hilborns for under 2 grand.
> > * *I've also got small fleet of assorted Mopars and a few bikes that
> > keep me tinkering on a continual basis.
> > As for the new factory stuff...I have zero interest. *It's all fast
> > and pretty, but it's also disposable, overstuffed and over
> > complicated. *My daily driver is a slant 6 3 speed Duster,(The wife
> > and I call it "Happy Happy Car Car") and I wouldn't trade it for
> > anything built anywhere in the world today...but that's just me.
> > * I really do appreciate that you guys remember my old stuff, but I
> > see it as something that happened in another lifetime...to another
> > person! *I really never was very comfortable playing the role of
> > "Automotive Journalist". *I'm *working class gearhead. *I build stuff
> > in my backyard using the most basic of tools, my imagination and
> > whatever money I can steal from the house.
> > So, that's what happened to Tony DeFeo.
>
> > ---
>
> > Patrick