Car Features

Frame-Off Restoration

Unlike a cosmetic restoration, this Corvette has received a complete frame-off rebuild, meaning the body was separated from the chassis to allow every aspect of the vehicle to be restored, inspected, upgraded, or replaced.

Starting with a solid donor car, virtually every component has been replaced with new parts, creating a vehicle that is as close to new as possible while preserving the unmistakable character of the C3 Corvette.

That line, from the launch edition of a hot rod magazine, could not describe this build more accurately.

The idea took shape casually, as most dangerous ideas do. Paging through a magazine in Wynand Nell’s workshop on 29 July, the inaugural SA SpeedWeek was mentioned — scheduled for the end of September. Attending as spectators felt like a missed opportunity. If they were going, they were going to race.

There was no plan. Just enthusiasm, experience, and a willingness to work long hours.

When this Chevy first came into its current owner’s life, it wasn’t a showpiece or a neatly preserved classic. It was a working relic. The chassis had been cut, the back end repurposed into a trailer, and years of hard farm use had left their mark everywhere you looked. Bearings failed, grease replaced maintenance, and the truck kept going long after most would have been written off. By the time it was finally parked, it had no doors, no lights, no glass — just a body, a history, and a stubborn refusal to disappear.

The car is a 1974 Chevrolet El Camino, HQ Holden-based, owned by Scott Bucknell, better known as “The Olbugga,” and built by Ricardo Johnson of Midlife Crisis Garage. What started as a simple plan to freshen up the paint and “tickle the engine a bit” quickly escalated, as these things always do. The more Scott looked at the car, the more potential he saw. He wanted something strong, reliable, and genuinely enjoyable to drive. Having owned several El Caminos before, he knew this one was special.

Article by Chris “Krutch” Wall

She didn’t start out glamorous. Far from it. When her owner, Etienne Fouché, first found her, she was nothing more than a bare metal shell sitting flat on tired 14-inch wheels. Most would have walked away, or at best stripped her for parts. Etienne saw something worth saving — not to restore her to “factory correct” condition, but to shape her into a pure expression of what a muscle car should feel like: raw, honest, loud, and unfiltered.

The Chevy’s story starts on a farm in Delmas, Mpumalanga, where it had been resting under a tree for decades. It belonged to an elderly woman whose husband had planned to restore it before he passed away. By the time Danie found it, the car was partially sunk into the ground, the woodwork had rotted away, and most people saw nothing more than scrap. Danie originally bought it just for parts and even felt he had made a mistake on the drive home. But once the car was in his yard, something about it demanded attention.

But don’t be fooled — this Galaxie isn’t just a showpiece or a weekend cruiser. Whenever Dimo’s back in South Africa, it’s his daily driver. It racks up proper mileage each month, and every trip behind the wheel brings that unmistakable smile only a true V8 classic can deliver. 

A Ford with Family Roots Franco explains, “I decided to build this truck as these particular vehicles have always been a part of my life and business. I’ve always been a huge fan of this shape and model.”

The truck in question — a 1942 Ford Jailbar — was discovered in Barkley West. What was initially intended to be a simple shop truck and parts runner quickly spiraled into a full-blown custom build. As Franco laughs, “One thing led to another, and here we are.”

Underneath the imperfections, the body panels were solid. But the sills, floorboards, and rear bumper sections had seen better days. Most people might have written it off or done a standard restoration. Dave, however, had something more ambitious in mind — he wanted a 2-door. Not imported, not replicated — converted. The 2-door models are rare in South Africa and always in demand, while the 4-doors tend to be overlooked. So, armed with diagrams and factory specs sourced online, Dave and his business partner set about turning the dream into steel.