Road&Track once called the 80s vintage Mercedes 380SEC a "svelte vault". It remains one of my favorite cars. It combines classic great looks with grace, power, and handling into an everlasting beauty.
Read MoreA Moment of Creative Appreciation
Stopping now and then to appreciate the transient beauty of a single moment is critical to the creative process. Mechanical processes are inherently creative and have a natural fluid beauty.
Read MorePorsche G935 - 019 - Custom Wheels
One Co-Hog Porsche G935 is being made for each of my sons. The fourth one I’ll keep for the collection. Shea's automotive passion has endured from very early on. Many of his exploits have become family lore and others remain secret.
Read MoreSpecial Edition - Porsche 928 S
Love it or hate it, the Porsche 928 was a challenge to the status quo on many levels. It was Porsche's first completely in-house design. It had a water-cooled V8 in the front and it was a comparatively heavy luxury cruiser that could still make great haste.
Read MoreLola T70 MK IIIB - 002 - Restoration Progress
Wood never stops moving. Forty-one-year-old lacquer likes to crack. Don May's 21" (53.3 cm) long Co-Hog Lola T70 MKIIIB body was created using jelutong wood and painted in Sunoco blue lacquer. A complete restoration is well under way.
In 1982, when the Co-Hog T70 was built, there was little reference material available other than the photos Don provided. Now there is a plethora of, photos, specifications, and stories. They help me make subtle adjustments to my original forms.
Read MoreFiat 124 Sport Coupé - First Drawings to Rough Prototype
Sheila taught herself how to drive a stick, in Boston traffic, in a clapped-out 1971(ish) Fiat 124 Sport Coupé. That is just one of many outstanding accomplishments that made her supremely attractive.
Read MoreChaparral Gallery Treasures
Chaparral's immense racing spirit and the earthly evidence of it are safely established and maintained in a superb gallery at the Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas.
Read More1980 Co-Hog Porsche Restorations - Final
177 Co-Hog Porsches were made between 1980 and 1983. They were sold as single cars or as part of one or two car race teams. I had always wanted to upgrade a few with the turned aluminum wheels and Delrin tires from the Co-Hog Porsche 956/962 edition. In late 2023 I found four complete bodies from 1980 that had never been finished. Game on!
Read MoreSpray Booth Progress - Fully Functional
It's been over five months since we took a look at progress on the spray booth. A lot of things have happened and the booth work has been interwoven with all of them. It's certainly not done, but I'm ready for some serious spraying. Warning - this is a long post - you may need additional sustenance before the end.
Read MorePorsche G935 - 018 - Ever Closer to Paint
Traveling to see two new grandsons, family visitors and the holidays have been the focus of activities for several months now. But the pleasure of working on Co-Hogs has also been squeezed in. A good bit of progress has been made on the four G935's for my sons.
Read More1980 Co-Hog Porsche Restorations - Part 4
Finding four ratty 1980's Co-Hog Porsche bodies way back in December of 2022 has allowed me to restore and upgrade them with aluminum wheels and Delrin tires from the Co-Hog Porsche 956/962 series. Three of the four have been completed and sent to their new homes. When it’s finished, number four will stay here as part of my collection.
Read MorePorsche 956 Restorations
Even good stuff breaks. When Paul Allen received a pair of auctioned Co-Hog Porsche 956's from the Hank Hammer collection, they were damaged, so he sent them home for restoration. The cast edition of the Co-Hog Porsche 956/962 series with properly scaled wing supports did not provide enough gluing area for solid wing attachment or to protect against the inevitable sharp knocks.
Read MoreWorkbench Full of Projects
I would never be hired based on the excellent organization of my workbench, but at least it's interesting to explore. This shaky clip shows and identifies a random day's projects in progress from the top of the bench down to the desktop.
Read MoreLola T70 MK IIIB - 001 - Restoration Started
Don May III commissioned this Co-Hog Lola T70 Mk IIIB Coupe in 1982. As the proud owner of of the last original documented factory-built Lola T70 Coupe (Ser. No. SL76/158), he wanted a smaller version that he could keep and enjoy indoors. The Co-Hog version was finished just over 40 years ago and has recently been sent home for a thorough restoration to overcome the ravages of time, weather, and movers.
Read MorePorsche G935 - 017 - Overall Progress
The group of four Co-Hog Porsche G935's is moving right along. There have been plenty of improvements since my last update. Temporary prototype graphics have been applied to give a better feel for overall proportions which, in turn, helps identify areas for further refinement. Front and rear wheel to tire ratios have been modified (again), using turned and painted maple. The result is a better overall look and stance.
Read MoreNew Co-Hog Logos
There have been many ways used to label and individualize finished Co-Hog pieces. Most frequently the final touch was a machine printed label and a hand stamped number or a signed paper label. I've finally worked out something more fitting for current smaller, more refined editions.
Read MoreSpecial Edition - Ferrari 400i
Thoughts of subtle elegance glide through my mind whenever I see a Ferrari 400i. It has long been a favorite of mine despite the naysayers. Leonardo Fioravanti's design for a 2+2 coupe for Pininfarina is timeless. Just imagine striding across the continent in the comfort of this grand tourer.
Read More1980 Co-Hog Porsche Restorations - Part 3
The group of four Co-Hog Restoration Porsches from the 1980's is nearing completion. They were started last November and have been progressing along with numerous other Co-Hog projects.
Read MoreSpecial Edition - BMW 733i E23
This Co-Hog Special Edition Lapis Blue BMW 733i E23 was handmade and completed on 2/13/84. Only two were ever made. The body and bumpers were constructed from multiple pieces of jelutong and basswood. It measures about 7" (18 cm) long. The tires were made using maple.
Read MorePorsche 935 Artist's Proof - Turbofan Wheel Prototype
It's been over two years since I finished the Artist’s Proof (AP) for a tiny edition (less than 5) of Co-Hog Porsche 935 sculptures. Although the basket weave wheels shown here look great, I intend to offer the option of turbofans as well. This post will concentrate on the creation of the prototype which was finished shortly after the AP 935 was done.
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