Stubby Bob was already one of the coolest Roadkill Project Cars in existence, and that was before Freiburger and Finnegan threw an 8-71 on a junkyard 454 big-block, and made it wheelie out in the deserts. Yeah, you heard that right. Now it's unanimous: Stubby Bobis the coolestRoadkill project car thus far.

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It all began when Freiburger and Finnegan were deciding how to resolve Stubby's lack of horsepower and transmission/rear-axle synchronicity. Despite its huge size, the engine bay of Stubby is actually pretty small, desgined around inline-six and flathead drivetrains from the era.

While seeing just how badly it would be cut, Freiburger had an epiphany: put this business up front, and the party in the back. Leave the radiator, battery, and ancillary junk in the nose, and put a the 454 over the rear axle where there's plenty of room!

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And so, on the seventh day, God said let there be wheelies. Glorious, maniacal, spine-compressing wheelies. Realistically, it took Freiburger and Finnegan a few months to bring this car together while roadtripping around the usual Roadkill schedule. Thankfully, Roadkill Garage sent us Lucky Costa to help dial-in Stubby while the guys were on the road.

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The transmission and driveline go into the cab, through a vintage boat racing V-drive, and then back out to the original two-speed axle. The 454 is backed by a Gearstar 4L80E, ready for the uncommon abuse we're about to put Stubby through. Freiburger also built a tubular driveshaft loop, with 3/16-inch plate steel for at least a little protection when the driveshafts explode.

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Up front, the radiator and ancillary systems were stored under the now-vacant hood. Service is easy, and we didn't have to cut it up too bad! Despite the flack from Diesel Power Magazine's K.J. Jones, the proof is in the pudding. Freiburger and Finnegan ran to the deserts outside of LA to test Bob, and seek eternal glory.