Hot rodders have had a good formula for about the last 80 years and that is to grab a cheap car that may be largely unloved and turn it into something that they can scorch the Earth with. They did it with old jalopy Ford, they did it with Willys and other cheapie cars during the gasser era and they’re still doing it today as Minnesota’s Bill Ray shows us here with his awesome 1973 Gremlin that has led the lives of 10 cars. Bill’s son Colton sent us a note with the information and photos that you’ll see below. Why’d he do that? Well, the guy is rightfully proud of his pop for not only building this car but for sticking with it during some years where the family came ahead of any sort of hot rodding. We’ll let Colton explain.

Colton Ray said: Obviously you have to be a unique individual if you’re going to build a Gremlin and my Dad (Bill Ray) is just that. He’s owned a few Gremlins, one Javelin and one AMX, but he absolutely loves this car. Back when it was originally built it was a fast drag car (4:88 gears, auto, race gas engine, nitrous, plastic buckets, no interior, etc.), but he really wanted to drive it on the street. After blowing it up at the track when I was 13 or 14 he put it away due to lack of funds, over the years he collected parts and about 4 years ago he had Travis Knowlton from Knowlton Thunderheads and racing engines build him a pump gas friendly all AMC blower engine. He ditched the 4:88 rear gears for 3:54’s changed the auto over to a liberty gears built T10 4 speed, civilized the interior with black leather seats, headliner, door panels and even added a nice stereo.

We really don’t have to tell you a whole lot more than that, do we? The car, like all of our hot rods is a labor of love and of personal vision. Bill saw this car as it sits in his head and he saw it through to reality. With the AMC engine and the four speed, this thing is 100% BangShift approved. Some guys like to build cars to be purposefully off beat and outside the norm. We don’t get that vibe from Colton or Bill on this Gremlin. It isn’t a Gremlin to scream, “LOOK AT ME…I BUILT A GREMLIN”. It just happens to be the car that Bill has owned forever and was able to give it a second (third?) life.

When cars become part of the family, everyone wins. We’re super proud that Colton thought of BangShift to share this story with and we’re honored to show off Bill’s gnarly hot rod!

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE SPECS AND THE PHOTOS OF THIS AWESOME BLOWN 1973 GREMLIN –