Until now.
At the Sherwin-Williams
Automotive Finishes booth at SEMA Show 2012 in Las Vegas today, Evernham
unveiled a street-legal 1964 Plymouth Belvedere that combines old school
American style with modern NASCAR racing technology. Aptly named ‘ForPly,’ the car
marks Evernham’s debut as an automotive designer and builder.
“We set out to design the
ultimate street machine that takes a vintage American muscle car with great
motorsports heritage and brings it into the modern age,” said Evernham. “There
is not another one like it in the world. We hope it draws the attention of
racing and non-racing enthusiasts, as well as the collector who is looking for
that one-of-a-kind vehicle.”
Following SEMA, Evernham
will present the ForPly for auction as a featured vehicle at Barrett-Jackson’s
Scottsdale auction in January 2013. Net proceeds from the sale will go to
Evernham Family Racing for a Reason, a foundation that is funding IGNITE, a new
program and facility in Davidson, N.C. operated by the Autism Society of North
Carolina. IGNITE enables adults with High-Functioning Autism or Asperger
Syndrome to enjoy a better quality of life as valued members of the community
in which they live and work.
“Enthusiasts are really
going to enjoy Evernham’s entry into this side of the automotive business,”
said Gary Bennett, VP of Consignment at Barrett-Jackson. “The ForPly is an
innovative and beautiful-looking street racer built with great craftsmanship by
the very man who revolutionized the crew chief role by leading it – and now
also the Plymouth Belvedere – into the modern age of racing. It should attract
lots of interested buyers at Scottsdale.”
Housed in the restored body
of a near-half-century-old 1964 Plymouth Belvedere – the year, make and model
that won the 1964 Daytona 500 and NASCAR Grand National Championship– the
ForPly features a Dodge racing powertrain, plus the driveline of a modern day
race car that Evernham’s former team Evernham Motorsports built and raced in
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Nestled under the ForPly’s
hood is a former Evernham Motorsports Dodge R5-P7 race engine (previously run
by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne), which has been re-formulated as a
fuel-injected, 358-cubic-inch, 8-cylinder powerhouse that outputs 750+
horsepower. Racing components integrated from the Evernham Motorsports #10
Dodge Charger driven by Scott Riggs at the 2007 Daytona 500 include the
four-speed manual transmission, front and rear clips and fully-adjustable
suspension. Other special features include NASCAR Sprint Cup shocks, custom
18-inch NASCAR-style wheels, NASCAR-style front splitter and rear spoiler, and
an all-digital, backlit dual-display dashboard.
The 2-door, hardtop coupe,
blazoned with a distinctive Radiant Red automotive matte finish with Graphite
racing stripes, features the popular, slant-back roofline and a Graphite
Grey-colored custom interior with carbon fiber inlay and bucket race seats.
The same technology as used
on the ForPly is also now available from Sherwin-Williams in kit format. Planet
Color® Barrett-Jackson® Restoration System Kits contain all of the tools
required to mix and prepare primer, color, or clear coat, simplifying the
entire paint purchasing process. The Planet Color® Barrett-Jackson® Restoration
System allows automotive enthusiasts to achieve a professional quality paint
finish for under $500.
Now available through Pep
Boys – the nation’s leading automotive aftermarket service and retail chain –
which has partnered with Barrett-Jackson as the exclusive distributor of
Barrett-Jackson® car care products within its new Automobile Restoration
System.
“Sherwin-Williams is proud
to partner with Ray Evernham on his first design venture, and we’re also
excited Ray specified the car’s color scheme using Sherwin-Williams® Automotive
Finishes,” said Bobby Moody, Director of Motorsports for Sherwin-Williams
Automotive Finishes. “Our new Restoration System inspired by the
Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction includes primer, color, and optional clear coat
kits. These kits provide the tools and products to make each step in the
restoration process easy to follow.”
This not your father's, er, grandfather's Belvedere. Wow!
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