By the time the Sawzall was plugged in, there was no saving the little red Ford Fiesta from fate. Within ten minutes, it would be a ute. The idea seemed like such a good one at the time…people were giving these things away and we had scored it for a low three-digit price tag. It was such a clean little car, but when it’s value was just above scrap and nobody else wanted it, it fell victim to the whims of delinquents. We didn’t completely butcher the poor thing…the lines were arrow-straight, we made each cut carefully, and we even tried to keep some of the up-swept body line that goes from the end of the quarter window to what became the “tailgate” of our machine. 
Manufacturers crank out vehicles in scales that just seem overwhelming. GM cranked out nearly three million vehicles for 2018 alone, so you can do some math in your head and try to figure out just how many rolling machines there are in the world. The little Fiesta ute turned out to actually be a pretty solid idea, but really we only proceeded with the roof-ectomy for the fun of it. The same story went with the “War Car” Dodge from this same era, the car that was driven through virtually every kind of Pacific Northwest underbrush at ramming speed before being backed through a Volvo wagon, or the Chevy Nova jump car that flew Banner Jump like a champ. Machines like the Chrysler Newport that very nearly became a Ft. Hood to Austin Party Barge, the Cadillac Limo and others only exist for one reason: amusement. Dude, why else would I buy a $600 Cadillac Limo that had all the horsepower of a Chevrolet Spark and enough health issues that I’m amazed the CDC didn’t show up on my doorstep?
Have you done a just-for-fun deal? Let’s hear about it!
His freezer is probably full of choice body parts….
Since I haven’t seen a profit. Their all expensive fun ..
I just finished cutting the roof off a Cutlass wagon to make a ute for the World Tour of Texas rally. Ran over 4,000 miles. Hell yeah I’ll do stupid stuff.
Been there, done that! In the mid seventies we cut a Toranado in half and matched it with a bumper pull camper to make a motor home. Also, the “es Camino “. A escort we made into a Ute, changed it to run on propane and used it as a parts runner for years. These type of things happen when gear heads sit in a garage, have an adult beverage or 3 and say “well it’s just setting there going to rot anyway”. Some of the best times of my life!
Putting a turbo on a slant six was definitely more for my own amusement than having any idea of competing in organized racing. I later found that the only heads up class the NHRA might let such a combo run in would be H/Dragster… if they let a full bodied street car compete in a dragster class. (Oddly, I don’t see anything in the rulebook that says I can’t!)
Lets see,A 61 Lincoln 4 door chop top convertible GASSER,a 1953 Massey Harris tractor , with a small block Chevy in it ( it would run over 60 MPH,I passed cars on the highway) And a 48 Dodge 4 door sedan .Made into a picnic table car. Yep I would say I have built stuff just for the heck of it. Wire welders and a plasma cutter ,help make it all possible.
Everything I build is for the fun of it. I could shade those who do it for YouTube likes, and followers – but I’m just glad I’m not them and can rightly tell the person who is angry at a Hemi in a Chevy to squarely blow it out their Ford.