TRANSLAMMED

A 2003 Corvette Z06 "Vette kart" wears 1977 Trans Am bodywork to create an IMSA Camel GT race team that never was.

- JOHNNY HUNKINS

Take one look at TredWear's "Translammed' 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and you'll be smitten. You'll immediately notice the wide look of period-correct IMSA bodywork from the late '70s/early '80s and a subtle but obvious reduction in the Trans Am's wheelbase, aided by a slammed stance and an arsena of aero aids including some crafty and functional turbine wheel covers. Accompanying all these vintage-style mods is a tasty complement of sponsor graphics in the IMSA style that some will no doubt label as kitsch, but it's all in good fun and in the TredWear tradition of pulling at the heartstrings of those who fondly remember the era.

Translammed is TredWear's latest build in a line of cars-seven in all-that stretch back to the company's inception in 2012. You may remember TredWear's "Scraptona," the equally imaginary 1969 Dodge Daytona designed and built on a whim to emulate how a 1969 Dodge Daytona might have been built to run the 24 Hours of Daytona circa 1972. The uninitiated may wonder why a company specializing in affordable rubber tire decals would spend so much time and energy on whimsical creations like Translammed, but it makes good sense; each vehicle calls attention to the company's line of ready-made and custom tire graphics in a way that makes sure you get the message loud and clear. And hold on to your chair for this one: TredWear only spent $17K on it including the car, putting the lion's share into labor-about 20 hours a week over a two-year period.

We'll dive into the mechanical magic of Translammed in a moment, but the real story here is the unique relationship between TredWear's two principals, Michael Hunt and Lee Clayton. Second cousins and best friends since the age of two, Michael (the elder by two years) and Lee have identical one-track minds and can be relied upon to finish each other's sentences and each other's automotive pipe dreams.