EDIT: thanks to the credits, this cover is by "Ran-D," and was released in 2017, while Dolores was alive. "Bad Wolves" tastelessly covered it shortly after her death
while it is endearingly ugly i wonder if this is another contender for a car that would be improved with an lfx or some other easily available and reliable v6 of some sort
definitely not the car for me as i like the idea of a real caterham and not the caged motorbike powered ones but i would still like to see this naked and also what it would look like if you commissioned a body from andrew brilliant to cook up an even more serious and more aesthetically pleasing shell for it
I admire all these but don't see the point. If you want a street car to take to a track get one of those. It will be slower--big deal-- but has the advantage of, well, everything.
If you want a race car that you can sort of drive on the street, but not very far and not very safely, and probably not really insurable, ok, there is that.
I've got a track buddy who built a Beck frame/fiberglass Porsche 904 into a "race car" with a 911 engine. That's kind of what this thing reminds me of.
50k for someone to dump a hot ls in and make everything else work properly sounds expensive until you see all the ways others have failed to do just that
My point is that it's an awfully thin market, a race car that you can kind of drive on the street. Just get a cheap race car if you want to go racing. You'll need a trailer and whatnot if you have this thing and want to do a race weekend. and if you get this to impress the Porsche guy at a track day, you won't. Doesn't matter how much faster you'll be around the track. You won't.
"My point is that it's an awfully thin market, a race car that you can kind of drive on the street."
Every specialty market is thin. Stohr sells a dozen cars a year. The most popular purpose-built track car ever built, the SRF, has sold 950 copies. Nevertheless, they are built and sold.
"You'll need a trailer and whatnot if you have this thing and want to do a race weekend."
Not necessarily. There's a lot of 200 treadwear racing out there.
"if you get this to impress the Porsche guy at a track day, you won't"
This is like saying, "Don't go to Anderson & Sheppard, because the Men's Wearhouse customer who rents you cars at Enterprise won't be impressed." Porsche guys are the lowest forms of life at any trackday outside their PCA walled garden. It's all most of them can do to stay ahead of the NA Miatas. The customer who spends $70k, cash, on a purpose-built track rat has about as much esteem for Porsche owners as I do for people who wear "American Fighter" apparel.
I get where you're coming from, but this isn’t just a street car turned into a race car. The Cardinal is built from the ground up for both track and street, with safety as a top priority. Plenty of our cars are registered and insured, and they perform safely on the road and exceptionally well on the track. Its performance punches way above its class in terms of pricing, making it a serious contender without the high-end race car price tag. You’re getting way more car for the money.
Hey, let’s give the looks some credit—it’s got that 1960s sports car vibe going on, which is a big part of its appeal. It’s not just about turning heads, it’s about capturing that retro spirit. And the bonus? Thanks to the design, we only have to meet 1965 California emissions standards. As for the engine, we chose the EcoBoost for its power, reliability, and the Ford factory warranty. But if you want something else, we’ve got Coyote V8s, LS engines, and more. Oh, and check out the TRZ if you’re into open cockpits!
never thought id get a response from the man himself so thank you for that
"Thanks to the design, we only have to meet 1965 California emissions standards."
are you referring to the aesthetics of the car or the method of construction and does this mean an entirely different bodyshell could be fitted while still being california legal
I wouldn’t call myself "the man himself," but I’m fortunate to work closely with the design team at Fields Auto Works. The Cardinal is built on the versatile Series 200 chassis, which also supports models like the TRZ, with future plans to expand this platform further.
Designed as a tribute to the 1965 Alfa TZ2, the Cardinal blends the classic raw looks with modern aero, drivability, and reliability. As an homage, it qualifies for California's SB100 process, ensuring a smooth path to legalization.
If you have any questions about the Cardinal, TRZ, or our other models, feel free to reach out to me directly at ethan.samuel@fieldsautoworks.com. I'd be happy to assist!
It's no 2JZ but the motor is pretty cheap and easy to uncork a bit too. The only trouble is it doesn't really rev and it sounds awful. Based on the interior packaging it sounds like this is the answer to the question "What if someone with half a brain designed a car?"
This particular Cardinal is driven 2 hours each way to and from every track event—no truck or trailer needed. The whole point behind these cars is to make track days easier and more accessible for everyone. You just drive there, race, and drive home. Plus, parts are readily available, so you spend less time searching and more time on track. And when you do need to wrench, it’s designed to be easy to work on, keeping you racing and minimizing time spent in the garage.
Speaking of "small volume sports car makers" how is that even a thing? I lived half an hour from Factory Five Racing for years and never managed to tour their factory but last time I was paying attention completed vehicles from companies like that were a no-no.
That is not something I've looked into so perhaps someone else can chime in. I expect it will come down to an exclusion in subesection x, sub-paragraph e, nothwithstanding the provisions in the previous parts of the the code to the contrary of this section, etc.
So then, a sort of spiritual descendent of "English landowners hiring people to live in seclusion on their estates, often in the gardens, with byzantine rules governing their behavior."
Had to wait a while for the funniest bit: "Alternately, that money will buy you a Mustang Dark Horse, which will feel like an F-450 on the move compared to a Fields Cardinal." Oh, and the entire last paragraph of course!
Why does COTA suck, other than the fact that it's already been repaved and is still bumpy as hell?
Do you want me to measure how far behind the front axle my engine is? Because you seem to be taunting me, but I've got enough aspergers aspirations in me to ignore you and measure the width of the engine and how much of it's not in front of the axle. #frontmidshipsforlife
Okay, so I've realized I'm not really sure where you should measure from. The top of the block, surprisingly, is only 18" long, from the back to where the pulleys mount to the timing chain cover.
From the center of the strut, the block continues for 9 more inches--12" including the pulleys. 5" of it sticks past the edge of the shock tower. I have no idea where its center of gravity would be, but it does appear that the engine's pretty much centered over the axle.
Also, @jack when you raced that FC3S with the v6 in it out of the 300zx, if you had kept the rotary in it it would have given you a similar FMR sensation fyi
I just spent my entire evening trying to wrestle a transmission back into my car with just a floor jack for assistance, so I wouldn’t mind a little codeine in my cough syrup. I didn’t know Fields existed, but I’m thrilled that they’re building these in Ohio. Are all the Fields cars primarily intended to pull double duty as street and track cars ? If they decided to build a dedicated race car, the Cardinal seems a bit more appealing than something like a Rush SR. The Rush cars seem a bit odd to me but I always see them at NASA events where my friends race time trials.
I trust you’ll let us know if you come across any other badass operations in Ohio that no one else is talking about..
"370 pounds listed, before you ask. which is enough to teeter-totter even a Radwood “founder” or MAMA president off the ground.)"
Brad maybe, but Tom's gotta tip the scale at 350 lbs at least. In a just world, he'd have to pay his own way to fly to a ride and drive, only to find out when he arrives that they are all small roadsters that won't accommodate his size and mass.
For those who don't know, Tom's the guy who called me "a parasite" to my face. I don't know why he was so upset that I made a few bucks selling press kits and swag on eBay back in the day when press kits actually existed in hard copy form. It's not like he's going to have fewer shrimp to eat, I keep a kosher diet.
About 20 years ago I was part of a circle of people who figured out that the hard copy press kits and swag given to the media were collectible and marketable on eBay and got credentials to the big auto shows in order to get product to sell. By the time of the "parasite" comment, though, I had written for PJ Media, Hemmings, and TTAC, contributing some pieces that got big traffic and at least in one case (my series on the Arsenal of Democracy) got named a blog post of the year by Time.
When he called me a parasite it didn't bother me that much. I've been called worse by people who actually matter. I simply told him that I've written for more prestigious publications than he has and that my articles are more widely read than his. I consider myself to be a journeyman writer at best, but at least I write original content. Tom recycles press releases and gets "long term test" cars. If I was a billionaire, I'd have a free MIata (that he wouldn't be able to drive because he can't fit in one) delivered to his driveway.
There was a time more that 20 years ago when they actually did new product reveals every 45 minutes at the major auto show media previews, in January and February (NAIAS and Chicago), a serious press kit / swag / brochures (people also collect brochures) dealer might make $300/day. I had a number of regular customers who were press kit collectors. Yes, I kept one copy of each item for myself, for about 10 years worth of stuff. When I die, I'll instruct my kids to give it all to the National Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library.
My favorite item was a "hero card" distributed for a special Hot Wheels edition of the Pontiac Grand Am. I sold them for $5 each to Hot Wheels collectors - at that price it's almost an impulse item. I remember telling my ex that I was going back down to Cobo and she asked me what for and I said, "General Motors is giving away $5 bills."
I did things seriously, like I was Sotheby's or something. I'd actually review, photograph, and write up every item - figuring that if I didn't know it had some special whiz-bang performance model featured, I couldn't sell it to some boy racer. Some of the folks still selling stuff use my descriptions.
By the way, even if your goods cost you essentially nothing, eBay and Paypal end up taking a pretty thick cut.
At the introduction of the C6 Corvette in 2004, I managed to snag five 1:18 scale Hot Wheels branded models of the car, with a special plaque for the occasion, a run of 2,500. I sold the duplicates and kept the lowest number, 0338.
There is no way in hell I am waiting until the next kitten thread to link this:
https://www.tiktok.com/@aiwiry1/video/7401489496635755783
Pinned.
calico 1-1 and tabby 2-1 preparing to engage hostiles in springfield during operation litterbox
I looked on yelp for restaurants in Springfield but all the results are animal shelters.
EDIT: thanks to the credits, this cover is by "Ran-D," and was released in 2017, while Dolores was alive. "Bad Wolves" tastelessly covered it shortly after her death
https://blabbermouth.net/news/cranberries-members-felt-bad-wolves-zombie-cover-was-released-too-soon
Speaking of "Zombie," it is interesting to see Catholics and Protestants recently marching together over mass migration.
while it is endearingly ugly i wonder if this is another contender for a car that would be improved with an lfx or some other easily available and reliable v6 of some sort
definitely not the car for me as i like the idea of a real caterham and not the caged motorbike powered ones but i would still like to see this naked and also what it would look like if you commissioned a body from andrew brilliant to cook up an even more serious and more aesthetically pleasing shell for it
A six would at least sound better. From the description, it wouldn't fit between the suspension towers. Are there any more engine bay pics, Jack?
I don't have them but they are on the fields website.
I admire all these but don't see the point. If you want a street car to take to a track get one of those. It will be slower--big deal-- but has the advantage of, well, everything.
If you want a race car that you can sort of drive on the street, but not very far and not very safely, and probably not really insurable, ok, there is that.
I've got a track buddy who built a Beck frame/fiberglass Porsche 904 into a "race car" with a 911 engine. That's kind of what this thing reminds me of.
I probably don't understand.
There's no $70,000 showroom car that provides anything like this level of pace, driver involvement, and general enjoyment.
This car was eighty-six grand and it's close but significantly less "racey" in how it behaves on track.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2016-mazda-mx-5-miata-10/
i think he almost broke even at 84k
absolute riot of a car
Yeah. We were in line to have one built when FM got cold feet and left the business.
50k for someone to dump a hot ls in and make everything else work properly sounds expensive until you see all the ways others have failed to do just that
A guy in florida picked up the production of those, albeit as a one man shop: https://www.sarasotasupersport.com/
https://youtu.be/DpO1zHktGqk?t=195
Oh this has my full attention.
My point is that it's an awfully thin market, a race car that you can kind of drive on the street. Just get a cheap race car if you want to go racing. You'll need a trailer and whatnot if you have this thing and want to do a race weekend. and if you get this to impress the Porsche guy at a track day, you won't. Doesn't matter how much faster you'll be around the track. You won't.
"My point is that it's an awfully thin market, a race car that you can kind of drive on the street."
Every specialty market is thin. Stohr sells a dozen cars a year. The most popular purpose-built track car ever built, the SRF, has sold 950 copies. Nevertheless, they are built and sold.
"You'll need a trailer and whatnot if you have this thing and want to do a race weekend."
Not necessarily. There's a lot of 200 treadwear racing out there.
"if you get this to impress the Porsche guy at a track day, you won't"
This is like saying, "Don't go to Anderson & Sheppard, because the Men's Wearhouse customer who rents you cars at Enterprise won't be impressed." Porsche guys are the lowest forms of life at any trackday outside their PCA walled garden. It's all most of them can do to stay ahead of the NA Miatas. The customer who spends $70k, cash, on a purpose-built track rat has about as much esteem for Porsche owners as I do for people who wear "American Fighter" apparel.
Since my track driving enthusiasm has a hard stop at the needing a trailer and tow rig level, this car is very appealing to me.
Same for me. Been there, done that, sold the car and trailer, but kept the Silverado!
Been there, done that, sold the car and trailer, kept the Silverado!
were of the same mind
at least being able to drive your track car to the track instead of on a trailer makes it easier to live with kinda
I get where you're coming from, but this isn’t just a street car turned into a race car. The Cardinal is built from the ground up for both track and street, with safety as a top priority. Plenty of our cars are registered and insured, and they perform safely on the road and exceptionally well on the track. Its performance punches way above its class in terms of pricing, making it a serious contender without the high-end race car price tag. You’re getting way more car for the money.
Hey, let’s give the looks some credit—it’s got that 1960s sports car vibe going on, which is a big part of its appeal. It’s not just about turning heads, it’s about capturing that retro spirit. And the bonus? Thanks to the design, we only have to meet 1965 California emissions standards. As for the engine, we chose the EcoBoost for its power, reliability, and the Ford factory warranty. But if you want something else, we’ve got Coyote V8s, LS engines, and more. Oh, and check out the TRZ if you’re into open cockpits!
never thought id get a response from the man himself so thank you for that
"Thanks to the design, we only have to meet 1965 California emissions standards."
are you referring to the aesthetics of the car or the method of construction and does this mean an entirely different bodyshell could be fitted while still being california legal
I wouldn’t call myself "the man himself," but I’m fortunate to work closely with the design team at Fields Auto Works. The Cardinal is built on the versatile Series 200 chassis, which also supports models like the TRZ, with future plans to expand this platform further.
Designed as a tribute to the 1965 Alfa TZ2, the Cardinal blends the classic raw looks with modern aero, drivability, and reliability. As an homage, it qualifies for California's SB100 process, ensuring a smooth path to legalization.
If you have any questions about the Cardinal, TRZ, or our other models, feel free to reach out to me directly at ethan.samuel@fieldsautoworks.com. I'd be happy to assist!
Jarts need to make a come back. Screw a bunch of pickle ball or corn hole. Jarts is much more entertaining.
pickleball is stupid as hell
bring back tennis and women in tennis skirts
its an infinitely more dignified sport
Yes, paragraph two!
Dunno man, those asses are absolootly yuge today.
It's a miracle that I don't have a jart sized hole in my head.
I’d love to know how many kids or pets were maimed and/or killed that they were outlawed.
I wonder if there’s still a few sets of those making the rounds on the garage sale circuit?
There sure is. I have a set myself.
It's no 2JZ but the motor is pretty cheap and easy to uncork a bit too. The only trouble is it doesn't really rev and it sounds awful. Based on the interior packaging it sounds like this is the answer to the question "What if someone with half a brain designed a car?"
its amazing what can happen when people try literally at all
I actually like the looks of it. Who could've ever dreamed something like that would be built in Plain City, Ohio.
I like different cars and I love this!
May need to tell my son who reads ACF he is on his own for the rest of college.
Need to make the call quickly before he reads this. Better to tell him than let him find out online…….
college is overrated anyway
buy this instead
Dude you’re not helping. Or maybe you are. You really got me thinking about Miata’s but this is another level.
Have already watched the videos on their website.
miatas are never a bad idea but if this is what gets you going the least you could do is pop down there and have a look at the cars in person
no harm in that
No there is not and I have a ton of family in Plain City.
sounds like a road trip is in your near future
college is underrated
Depends on whether you're studying aeronautical engineering, pre-med, English lit, or womxn's studies, and where you're studying.
Me too.
Come visit the shop sometime!
So you're telling me you can register that for the street and drive it to the track and home again? Pretty tempting proposition
This car was driven to MidO and back today.
What's the depreciation look like on them? Have to imagine it's a thin secondary market
It's a true risk and a lot of it depends on how Fields fares going forward.
Always a catch. How's it compare on the track to a 2G/3G viper?
It should drop a 2G easy and probably a 3G as well.
an acr too or does the aero make it to fast for this thing
This particular Cardinal is driven 2 hours each way to and from every track event—no truck or trailer needed. The whole point behind these cars is to make track days easier and more accessible for everyone. You just drive there, race, and drive home. Plus, parts are readily available, so you spend less time searching and more time on track. And when you do need to wrench, it’s designed to be easy to work on, keeping you racing and minimizing time spent in the garage.
Coca Cola with cocaine!
Hahaha, what a great line. Funny I was just thinking about that the last couple of days. I'd buy one of those over a Porsh too. Enjoyed the article!
When I first saw the Varsity Roadster years ago I thought it was a kit car, which it's not. I'm glad we still have small volume sports car makers.
Speaking of "small volume sports car makers" how is that even a thing? I lived half an hour from Factory Five Racing for years and never managed to tour their factory but last time I was paying attention completed vehicles from companies like that were a no-no.
That is not something I've looked into so perhaps someone else can chime in. I expect it will come down to an exclusion in subesection x, sub-paragraph e, nothwithstanding the provisions in the previous parts of the the code to the contrary of this section, etc.
🤣🤣🤣 No doubt! 🤣🤣🤣
So then, a sort of spiritual descendent of "English landowners hiring people to live in seclusion on their estates, often in the gardens, with byzantine rules governing their behavior."
https://historyfacts.com/world-history/fact/wealthy-brits-used-to-hire-hermits-to-live-on-their-estate-grounds/
are they still hiring
It's like an 80% lower
I'm dense, 80% lower than what?
The first rule of 80% is...
OK, am I going to have to Google this concept? I'm drawing a blank. 😳
He's talking about kits to machine your own pistol.
Ohio certifies small batch cars as self-assembled. Just have the receipts to prove the engine isn't stolen.
Had to wait a while for the funniest bit: "Alternately, that money will buy you a Mustang Dark Horse, which will feel like an F-450 on the move compared to a Fields Cardinal." Oh, and the entire last paragraph of course!
Why does COTA suck, other than the fact that it's already been repaved and is still bumpy as hell?
It's the ultimate rich guy track: two long straights bracketed by simple turns.
does that mean theres a track that could be considered as one designed for drivers
is it the nurburgring
It's Waterford Hills
i wondered why i liked it!
Is it a good thing or a bad thing that I had to look up "Fleshlight?"
It's a good thing. Now put your credit card away.
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F9bw49j0zszx61.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1080%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3Db86b5e4c5a2c9fbbf52383db48d8ba150626cd0a
Do you want me to measure how far behind the front axle my engine is? Because you seem to be taunting me, but I've got enough aspergers aspirations in me to ignore you and measure the width of the engine and how much of it's not in front of the axle. #frontmidshipsforlife
Do eeet
Okay, so I've realized I'm not really sure where you should measure from. The top of the block, surprisingly, is only 18" long, from the back to where the pulleys mount to the timing chain cover.
From the center of the strut, the block continues for 9 more inches--12" including the pulleys. 5" of it sticks past the edge of the shock tower. I have no idea where its center of gravity would be, but it does appear that the engine's pretty much centered over the axle.
a few inches above crank centerline would be my best guess for the engine cg
hell yeah vq
booooooooo
I’m sorry what? This is amazing. I need to go to Ohio and shake this man’s hand.
Also, @jack when you raced that FC3S with the v6 in it out of the 300zx, if you had kept the rotary in it it would have given you a similar FMR sensation fyi
It was worse than that. It was a Camaro 3.4!
I just spent my entire evening trying to wrestle a transmission back into my car with just a floor jack for assistance, so I wouldn’t mind a little codeine in my cough syrup. I didn’t know Fields existed, but I’m thrilled that they’re building these in Ohio. Are all the Fields cars primarily intended to pull double duty as street and track cars ? If they decided to build a dedicated race car, the Cardinal seems a bit more appealing than something like a Rush SR. The Rush cars seem a bit odd to me but I always see them at NASA events where my friends race time trials.
I trust you’ll let us know if you come across any other badass operations in Ohio that no one else is talking about..
I wouldn't take a Rush SR for free. I can't think of a better way to get killed at a NASA race.
And Lord knows you've tried a few ways..
You're not kidding!
But my NASA days are over, courtesy of an email sent by the region owner to... my wife.
That story might be worth it’s own post
Oh, believe me there's going to be one.
I just had to Google that. Is it any bigger than a fucking go kart?
Yeah but not as much as you'd like.
My partner graduated from UNOH.
Also, while it’s quite hideous, I can appreciate a purpose-built machine like this.
Finally, having sat in the prior AMG GT, it definitely continued the practice of having the occupants sit basically over the proverbial rear axle.
Agreed, but not quite to the same extreme.
"370 pounds listed, before you ask. which is enough to teeter-totter even a Radwood “founder” or MAMA president off the ground.)"
Brad maybe, but Tom's gotta tip the scale at 350 lbs at least. In a just world, he'd have to pay his own way to fly to a ride and drive, only to find out when he arrives that they are all small roadsters that won't accommodate his size and mass.
For those who don't know, Tom's the guy who called me "a parasite" to my face. I don't know why he was so upset that I made a few bucks selling press kits and swag on eBay back in the day when press kits actually existed in hard copy form. It's not like he's going to have fewer shrimp to eat, I keep a kosher diet.
I figured you'd...
weigh in on this!
the fuck why would he call you a parasite
did you steal the last cupcake from him and ruin his week or something
About 20 years ago I was part of a circle of people who figured out that the hard copy press kits and swag given to the media were collectible and marketable on eBay and got credentials to the big auto shows in order to get product to sell. By the time of the "parasite" comment, though, I had written for PJ Media, Hemmings, and TTAC, contributing some pieces that got big traffic and at least in one case (my series on the Arsenal of Democracy) got named a blog post of the year by Time.
When he called me a parasite it didn't bother me that much. I've been called worse by people who actually matter. I simply told him that I've written for more prestigious publications than he has and that my articles are more widely read than his. I consider myself to be a journeyman writer at best, but at least I write original content. Tom recycles press releases and gets "long term test" cars. If I was a billionaire, I'd have a free MIata (that he wouldn't be able to drive because he can't fit in one) delivered to his driveway.
see nowadays that would be called a side hustle
"If I was a billionaire, I'd have a free MIata (that he wouldn't be able to drive because he can't fit in one) delivered to his driveway"
based
There was a time more that 20 years ago when they actually did new product reveals every 45 minutes at the major auto show media previews, in January and February (NAIAS and Chicago), a serious press kit / swag / brochures (people also collect brochures) dealer might make $300/day. I had a number of regular customers who were press kit collectors. Yes, I kept one copy of each item for myself, for about 10 years worth of stuff. When I die, I'll instruct my kids to give it all to the National Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library.
My favorite item was a "hero card" distributed for a special Hot Wheels edition of the Pontiac Grand Am. I sold them for $5 each to Hot Wheels collectors - at that price it's almost an impulse item. I remember telling my ex that I was going back down to Cobo and she asked me what for and I said, "General Motors is giving away $5 bills."
I did things seriously, like I was Sotheby's or something. I'd actually review, photograph, and write up every item - figuring that if I didn't know it had some special whiz-bang performance model featured, I couldn't sell it to some boy racer. Some of the folks still selling stuff use my descriptions.
By the way, even if your goods cost you essentially nothing, eBay and Paypal end up taking a pretty thick cut.
i have a buddy whos into hot wheels stuff and he was telling me about those special edition hot wheels cars
if youre lucky to get into some major events and get those cars youre looking at a few hundred bucks each depending on the model
guess you were a bit ahead of the curve there
"When I die, I'll instruct my kids to give it all to the National Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library"
generous of you to do so
At the introduction of the C6 Corvette in 2004, I managed to snag five 1:18 scale Hot Wheels branded models of the car, with a special plaque for the occasion, a run of 2,500. I sold the duplicates and kept the lowest number, 0338.
Link to Arsenal of Democracy?
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/05/for-memorial-day-the-arsenal-of-democracy-the-big-3-go-to-war/
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/05/for-memorial-day-the-arsenal-of-democracy-the-independents/
My recent piece on the gliders Ford built in their Woodie plant:
https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/when-ford-stopped-building-woodies-to-make-wwii-gliders/