Any VW engine would fit, but that seemed a bit of a waste as the Hustler was also designed to take Porsche four- and six-cylinder engines, as well as the beefy Corvair. The latter two would have seriously tested the limits of the VW drum brakes, as disc conversions were a dream of the future in 1968. Wheels were up to the buyer, but CE "pie plate" spun aluminum rims (13x4.5 inches wide) were optional. The side windows were intended to be cut from Plexiglas, and templates were included with the assembly manual. The base kit retailed for $1,295 in 1968, and sales were handled by Dearborn Automobile, a companion company set up by Alex Dearborn. Dearborn and Autodynamics had earlier created the remarkable Deserter dune buggies.
There were many options available, including more comfortable Lotus Elan seats, a deluxe upholstery kit, a heater and defroster kit, and complete instrumentation. The "pop up" headlights were actuated by long mechanical cables (more reliable than the dodgy vacuum system fitted to Elans). A tail spoiler was also available that helped keep the car planted at a theoretical 150 mph (if more muscular engines were fitted). With a stock 1500 VW top speed was closer to 85 mph, even though weight was a svelte 1,320 pounds.
Alas, the Hustler was to have a short life. Reportedly 43 were built before Autodynamics dropped its street car program. They were stretched too thin from the failure of their innovative live-axle CanAm car and from campaigning Formula 5000 cars for Posey, as well as developing the Trans-Am Dodges and a new line of Formula Vees. When Dodge pulled the plug on their Trans-Am program, Autodynamics was forced to reorganize, but they continued selling successful customer racing cars (under the Caldwell name) for some time.
The Hustler was a high-quality kit that would make a very nice street machine even today. They are thin on the ground and not well known, even among astute kit car people. I would love to see one fully tricked out with a 911 engine (although I would fudge and put later 'Ghia disc brakes on the front).
Letters To Kit Carchives
Sport Techie
Way back in 1990, KIT CAR magazine did an article on a small yellow kit car that used a Suzuki GSX-R 1,100cc engine. It also had a few unique features, like a reverse system wherein a battery-powered starter motor engaged a flywheel to move the car rearward. It also had chaindrive and used the donor motorcycle's instrument cluster. A year or two later the car was dramatically redone by its creator (not for the better-I liked the first design) with a redesigned body style and red paint. I would like to know what year and month the articles were in, so I can try to find them.Mario PalomboVia the Internet
The car you are looking for was initially called the Piontek Sport Tek when it was introduced in 1990. It was featured in our November '90 issue. It was built by Dave Piontek, an engineer with the Ford Advance Planning Office in Canton, Michigan. Piontek opened up his Suzuki engines to 1,325 cc, and they produced 150 hp. It weighed around 1,200 pounds and was scary quick. By 1993, it had been renamed the Sportech and had been upgraded with round instead of square tubes in the chassis. Power was up to 180 hp. Production shifted to Sportech International in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
Some later Sportechs were fitted with turbocharged GSX-R engines pumping out 290 hp. Carbon-fiber and Kevlar bodies were also developed that shaved the weight down to 1,100 pounds. Dave Piontek is now selling the prototype and the last of six cars built on the Fun Car Company Web site: www.funcar.com/sportech. The prototype is $35,000 and the turbo runs $60,000 (less with a stock engine). A selection of articles on the car is also available on the same site, so you won't have to look for each issue. You can contact Piontek at info@funcar.com or (704) 658-0988.