Car Features

The Misty Road to Johann Bukes' Rat Rod Hideaway

Our journey to the Vaal, guided solely by the monotone directions of Google Maps, was cloaked in dense mist. A fitting prelude to what awaited us. Our navigational odyssey led us, quite appropriately, to Wild Goose Lodge before we eventually found ourselves at Johann's sanctuary, greeted by the sight of the rat rod in all its metal glory.

Johann's American Dream: A South African Rat Rod Creation

Photos by:  Jan van Der Walt

The Chevy Biscayne Legacy: The Chevy Biscayne, a full-size production marvel from 1958 to 1972, emerged as the epitome of affordable elegance. Born after a show car displayed at the 1955 GM Motorama, it was the stripped-down sibling of the Bel-Air and Impala, boasting a lower price tag. Pieter Thomas, a man accustomed to the thunderous symphony of V8 engines since childhood, felt an irresistible pull when he laid eyes on this particular Biscayne.

Photos by: Jan van Der Walt

The Rescued Racer: Before Wouter entered the picture, this particular GT40 had already left an indelible mark on various race tracks, striking fear into the hearts of its competition. However, fate took an unexpected turn when the car was involved in a track accident, igniting a fire that threatened to extinguish its racing glory. Extensive repairs, including a new body shell and various components, became imperative, but the process was marred by disagreements among the previous owners.

A Nostalgic Dream: For many, the Lamborghini Diablo epitomizes the spirit of the 90s – a perfect balance of perfection and imperfection. Emanuel Colombini, the visionary behind Eccentrica Cars, reminisces, "The Diablo was my dream car as a kid – a supercar that broke all speed records." Inspired by this childhood dream, Colombini envisioned transforming the Diablo into a modern marvel without compromising its iconic design.

Owner: Monty Booth
Photos By: Jan van der Walt

Owner:  Stan Mengel
Builders Name and/or Shop name: Mark Jonker Race Performance Motorsport
Location of the vehicle: George, Western Cape
Year: 2012
Make: Toyota
Model: GT86
 

They sure did build a dream car. This 1966 Chevelle is outstanding in many ways. To start, it’s extremely powerful. It has a beastly Whipple-supercharged Wegner Motorsports LS7 engine that outputs a whopping 980 horsepower. They constructed special one-off fuel rail covers for the Whipple supercharger to exactly match the design of the blower’s case. A Holley Fuel Injection System was installed with an Aeromotive fuel cell and pump to feed 91 Octane fuel to the powerplant. To get that extra roar, Flowmaster mufflers were implemented.

Owner: Arthur Sabada. Built by Race Face

Photos by: Jan van der Walt

Dave from Race Face Custom Classics in Randburg has always wanted to own a Buick Riviera and has had his eyes on this particular car for years. He said Every time the car came up for sale, I either did not have the money, or the space to store it was not available. Finally, I tracked the car down and purchased it from the family after the owner tragically passed away.

• PHOTOS AND ARTICLE BY CHRIS WALL
• BUILT BY RAGE MOTORSPORT

The most visually appealing cars would be the ones that you couldnt see from a high vantage point because theyd have a crowd of people around them. I plotted out a route to visit these small crowds and see what the fuss was all about. Firstly, I have to say that some people have seriously poor taste. Some cars with lots of spectators were simply terrible. I was losing hope fast until I came across the Rage Motorsport Phoenix. Done right is all I can say.

Article & Photographs: Jared Govender