Stacey David's GearZ

Question: who is the most influential automotive designer of all time? Did they work for Ford, Chevy, Ferrari, or Jaguar? Or were they more of a maverick and designed race cars like Lola, McLaren, or Chapparal? Well as amazing as all these people were, no car designer influenced the hot rod world like the legendary Tom Daniel.

With any project, there comes a time where you are ready to dig into it and start cutting, welding, and building. But stop! Wait a minute. Before you loosen one nut, or roll that cherry picker an inch closer to your engine bay, are you planning for success or failure? Today on Gearz, Stacey shows how to plan in a way that will save you time, frustration, and money.

Every gearhead out there knows that unboxing a crate engine is like Christmas morning. Inside that box is a pre-built, run-in, and ready to install engine. Stacey unboxes a 570hp GM Performance LS 427! But it's not just the engine, it's also the matching 6L80E transmission and the plug and play kit that will allow us to install this setup in virtually anything.

Are you a diesel maniac? Do you love the smell of rolling coal in the morning? Does the whine of a diesel turbo make your heart race? Then we may have the event for you. The fastest, strongest, and meanest diesels come together once a year in Indianapolis for a diesel only event known as "the Ultimate Callout Challenge!

The crazy yellow van is getting a facelift. It's good riddance to that clunky plastic face, and hello to some real steel. But with every modification, there are bound to be a couple of roadblocks. Hang on tight, cause Stacey's gonna show you what it takes build your own brackets to relocate the headlights and keep them fully adjustable and serviceable with OEM parts. The van craze is Back!

There was a time when vans ruled the custom scene! They had slick paint jobs, crazy interiors, and even crazier engines. Then, they disappeared. Well, like it or not, vans are back! But where do you find cool parts to turn that dumpy old van into a sweet street machine? Stacey has a few tricks up his sleeve to use some common parts to breathe new life into the faded glory of van culture.

Stacey rolls in what could be the ultimate open-air, fun machine - an original Meyers Manx dune buggy! These, crazy, colorful, fiberglass bodied buggies were not only beyond cool, but they also started a revolution of affordable, DIY projects that opened the doors to the Kit Car world. After that, Stacey dives into some tech pieces that will definitely make your life easier in the shop!

We've had a blast beefing up the suspension on our old Bird. But with suspension upgrades and the type of driving we're going to be doing, there are a few other things we need to take care of. Tag along as Stacey outfits this ride with some massive Baer brakes. Then it's on to wheels and tires because you need some serious rubber on the road if you're going to stick to the curves.

Some of the best gearhead memories come from a time when as a kid or a teenager, we started tinkering and building by using our imaginations. That's where the Toolboxer project comes from. Stacey takes three Cornwell Toolboxes and turns them into drivable vehicles by pulling parts from junk yards, craigslist, and Facebook marketplace. Get back to using your imagination and making things happen!

TV Tommy Ivo was a master showman on the Dragstrip. When the NHRA banned Nitro, he built a two-engine Buick, followed by an even more amazing all-wheel drive four engine Buick! This awesome machine, dubbed the Showboat, ran the length of the track buried in the smoke from four screeching slicks! The Showboat was later turned into The Wagonmaster, and continued to dominate the strip.

With the front suspension updated, Stacey digs into the rear suspension of this LS-powered '98 Trans Am to show how upgrading each component improves these cars' handling. Daily driver? Road course? Drag strip? You can do it all with these cars if you set them up right. The best part is it's all affordable bolt-on parts that you can put on in your garage over the weekend!

The Pontiac Trans Am is an iconic piece of American muscle car history. Stacey rolls in this well-worn '98 Trans Am and digs into the front suspension to see if we can't unlock the hidden potential of the 4th generation F-body on a reasonable budget. It's the start of project Red Bird, and the front suspension is just the beginning.

Stacey visits a father and son team who are literally upside down in their restoration of an old C-10 pickup. You'll feel at home as father and son talk about all the challenges they've faced with this build. From first time welding challenges to replacing rusty sheet metal, every gearhead will relate to this DIY journey. It's a classic example of how small steps make big things happen!