FIAT500x DUCATI EVOLUZIONE by Petrolheadonism & The Dip Monkey Garage for EBC Brakes SEMA 2024. ‘Blood, Sweat & Tetleys’ #PROJECTBRUNO #TALKOFSEMA #PETROLHEADONISM #DIPMONKEYGARAGE What is it? Race Car + VW Baja Bug + Superbike + Widebody Custom Car + Classic Restomod + Low Rider = BONKERS! Building a car for showing at SEMA and compete in Battle of the Builders requires imagination, creativity, engineering and an engine swap, the Americans love an engine swap! So where do we start? Deep within my mind and with one of my classic cars needing a light restoration, the 1965 Fiat 500f – from my visits to SEMA in the past 6 years, I’ve never seen a classic 500 SEMA’d…plus it will be running purely on new technology P1 Fuels synthetic fuel 102 RON – the future for Petrolheads across the world, why change the car when you can change the fuel? The build starts with a wish list borne from my vision of what I know a SEMA build should be: Classic Fiat 500 married to a Ducati Engine Swap, Twin Termignoni Pipes hanging out the rear like a Lamborghini, Widened Bodykit, Hyper Forged Dry Carbon accents, Bespoke Design Wheels, Crazy Engineering, Air Ride all wrapped around a set of EBC Brakes because ultimately that’s where our project starts and ends! At SEMA 2023, our friends Dan & Claire from Dip Monkey Garage attended as ‘tourists’ to check out the show, network and represent EBC Brakes during their 40th Anniversary festivities. The Petrolheadonism made in Britain 1973 Toyota Corolla had been hugely popular with attendees and we started discussing the opportunity of Dip Monkey getting involved in our 2024 build, but taking things to an alternative dimension of extremes. The Corolla had brought together a great number of our British based partners to create a veritably classy restomod, with DMG & Petrolheadonism coming together I knew we’d not only share the same vision but be in a strong position to execute something special, that we code named #projectbruno the 1965 Fiat 500f and once completed became known as our Fiat500x Ducati Evoluzione. What is it exactly? It can only be described as BONKERS – it is an amalgamation of several genre and automotive sub-cultures with the chosen drivetrain being a Ducati 996 ST4S donated to the project by Ducati Preston. The Fiat 500 was stripped and the Ducati bike began it’s deconstruction. The plan was to retain part of the 996 Ducati engine cage and suspend the engine over the back seat of the Fiat while marrying it to an SW Motorsport bespoke roll cage to also create the part steel part polycarbonate Metro 6R4 upper clear firewall. To drive the power from the 996 block to the rear wheels was a challenge and with the lack of space within the frame of the classic 500, we enlisted the expertise of Casarva Trikes who have engineered and designed a 2 wheel bike conversion to Trike system which would give us rear suspension, drive shafts, the rear diff and the all important transfer box. With the various elements coming together, our relationship with Air Lift Performance UK was further strengthened with a full kit delivered to DMG HQ in Southport UK – way up north near Liverpool and again the team began looking at the options to bring all these non standard, bespoke and modified mechanical parts together in a cohesive, working and driveable manner. Some SEMA builds never drive, our goal is to drive Bruno down the Las Vegas Strip two days before the event opens flanked by Las Vegas’ finest low rider crew – it’s good to have goals in life, or challenges. The idea is to bring together as many extremes as possible within one inimitable classic package – the original Fiat 500. Motobambino Lancashire sourced many original body panels for us to strengthen and straighten the base vehicle which had been badly restored in 2001. Once this had been completed, approximately 30% was chopped out to make room for the various upgrades and increased engine bay required. We worked with our friends at Demon Tweeks to ensure that quality and recognised Motorsport parts were used across the steering, braking, dials, switches, TRS seatbelts and more completing the look. We worked with Plastics 4 Performance to supply polycarbonate windows throughout including the one off full door windows replacing the classic quarter light and of course the upper firewall. We offered up the Ducati 996 petrol tank to the frunk and found it fitted perfectly with very little modification required, therefore the McLaren 600lt inspired hard top roof scoop by Elite Carbon Composites made of hypercar level dry carbon was mimicked with a 600lt inspired bonnet scoop to give the tank the clearance and also ensure that the filler cap could be accessed directly as it would be exposed. The dry carbon list didn’t end there, the 600lt inspired roof scoop also translated into the rear air intakes replacing the 2 windows as well as the swan neck aero ridiculous aero wing hung perfectly with an SW Motorsport chassis mounted uprights. The exquisite carbon weave follows through the car with hypercar accuracy from the bonnet through to the wing mirrors and beyond. To finish the carbon fibre in satin lacquer on the outside and gloss on the inside, our partners Pennings Group reinstated their build partner status from 2023 as they work hand in hand with Elite Carbon Composites. We sourced a hard top roof to replace the standard vinyl covered opening from Italy and found a the wider skirt and bumper set we required to tie the wider arches that we’d already bought at the very beginning of the project. The workmanship to mould and fit the Frankenstein wide body kit together was a DMG expertise and they worked their magic through many late nights of blood, sweat and Tetleys, yes it’s British so Tea naturally powered the workshop energy. We proudly worked with American partners we’d grown relationships with since SEMA 2023. XK Glow have given Bruno his ostentatious light show which can be as bonkers as the build itself or be used on fixed colours to highlight the engine bay, interior and ensure he glows, just in case you may have walked past without paying him any attention. Custom Paints Inc supplied the Candy Teal and Shimmer used to give the ultimate nod to our love for the Low Rider community as well as ensuring the build stands out against a modified crowd of insane builds across the various halls of SEMA. Huge thank you to Roberlo UK for supporting the Dip Monkey Garage team throughout the various stages of the project Shoes, let’s talk about the shoes! Every EBC Brakes feature build starts at the caliper and therefore the 2 spoke wheel has elliptical viewing access to display the candy teal custom one off calipers and discs with yellow stuff stopping power. 6AD Forged took our vision and created our ‘Pearly Whites’ to compliment the design, but also running 15’s up front with 16’s at the rear in order to give the clearance for the braking and suspension systems as well as giving the obscene VW Beetle Baja bug vibe. The only tyres available for the only set of 6AD Forged Pearly Whites were supplied by our Toyo Tyres UK and with the tyre writing enhanced by Claire of DMG, the finishing touch of Bruno’s shoes – such an important part of the whole project. Our partners Motul UK supplied all the juices to ensure Bruno is appropriately lubricated across his various mechanical elements to give the best performance for the 996 Superbike engine and braking system. Finally, the Fiat500x Ducati Evoluzione only runs the 102RON synthetic fuel by P1 Fuels – at the very edge of future technology which not only enhances performance, protects the relevant engine components with better grade fuelling but also ensures an 80% reduction in CO2 compared to normal fuel, a fossil free solution without any engine or vehicle modification and fully road fuel compliant. #ProjectBruno makes his UK debut at Petrolheadonism Live on the 14th & 15th September 2024 and will then be shipped from Milton Keynes ShipMyCar Headquarters across the Atlantic Ocean to New Jersey as he makes his way to the EBC Brakes Central Hall location in Las Vegas at SEMA. We can’t wait for the SEMA unveil on Tuesday 5th November – stay glued to our social media channels @petrolheadonism.club for progress updates. For further information or details, please contact Ciro Ciampi, Ciro@petrolheadonism.club / +447775717199 LINK TO PRESS IMAGES AND RELEASE https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2egn7suwkqqrquw9xrssj/AMyVnepsGHmqv_Bhag… Press Release Type: Vehicle Company: EBC BRAKES - PETROLHEADONISM Booth #: 24466 Show Categories: Racing & Performance Media Contact Name: Ciro Ciampi Media Contact Email: Ciro@petrolheadonism.club Media Contact Phone: +447775717199 Photo Gallery: 102821