There was a guy a bit like that in Australia - Rod Hadfield (he's got his fans and detractors too to be sure, in all fairness) he ran the 'castlemaine rod shop' which manufactured and sold all sorts of specialist hot rod stuff - bellhousings to adapt a hundred different engine and gearbox combinations, chassis rail strengthening kits, you name it. He's probably know to guys in the US and Canada (if at all) for building the 55 (I think is the right year) chevy with the v12 ww2 aircraft engine in it - which I think ended up being bought by Jay Leno. The firm still exists but Rod sold out of it about 10 years ago (I haven't had call to go past there in years, it's out of the city by about an hour and a half - don't know who is running it now).

Guys like these are sadly disappearing. It seems there's less people interested in modding their own cars with each passing year.

Thanks very much for the pics and info. Great to see.