The transformer: Petrolkop Adonis Verkuil turns trash into treasures one cabbie at a time
Pics by Tashnation
Though it was some time ago, the Timour Hall show, there was a cabbie that impressed Bobby Nitro as being somewhat timeless in that it had defied mortality.
Not only was it a crowd-pulling 1972 Datsun SSS P510 parked in the shade on a sweltering day, but it had been rescued from scrapyard demise by a keen eye at the last gasp.
Here is the story.
Owner Adonis Verkuil has a name for building one-of-a-kind custom jobs, and this Datsun fits the bill, what with its quality of finish of the engine bay, attention to detail and raw street racer cred.
The fabricated dimple dies welded into the engine bay, candy apple red roll cage, tucked engine wires and natural stance look had fans drooling.
Not to mention the imported steel fender arches that lend a look of aggression, coupled with high gloss black spray on the chrome work.
Adonis, 52, says: “I’ve always been fascinated with how things work and growing up with my dad’s best friend being a mechanic gave me the inspiration and confidence to build cars. It started as a hobby and now I’m in the position where I do this as a business, called TNT Customs.”
The origin story starts when Adonis spotted the Datsun hanging off the back of a bakkie on the way to the scrapyard.
He stopped the guys, negotiated a price and took home a project that he says at the time “certainly did not impress my wife”.
Adonis, not one for half jobs, dropped a Toyota 3SG dual Beams TRD spec engine in, fitted it with 20-valve throttles, HKS titanium branches and TRE clutch and pressure plate.
He must have had the race track in mind.
Adonis says: “The biggest transformation came with the BMW E30 front suspension with Z3 power steering and coilovers. We are running a Spintronics management system that manages to squeeze out 171kW.”
Adonis explains that he had originally built the car to make provision for a sound system but, like many authentic petrolkoppe, opted for the audio pleasure coming from the engine instead.
The interior seats are standard, but upholstered in black vinyl with red double stitching.
A full set of after-market pro sport gauges were retro-fitted in the existing SSS dash pods, as well as a hydro brake and gear lever with an OMP suede steering wheel.
No doubt, this cabbie turns heads on the road.
Adonis says: “Just driving the car I feel like a celebrity, with people hooting or waving. The purpose of this car is for stature and for others to enjoy it.”
Asked about its strong points, he says: “It is built properly from the ground up, suspension, brakes coilovers and all rubbers replaced it feels like a new car and very tight and confident to drive.”
This kind of attention to detail and passion has to come from somewhere, and Adonis says: “A lot of the inspiration came from years of buying and collecting car magazines and now with social media, one has access to so much information.
“However, I am an avid fan of the SEMA Show and one day it is my dream to build a car worthy of being displayed there. The Tokyo Auto Salon show also inspired me as I am also a full-on JDM [Japanese Domestic Market] fan.”
Truth is, this cabbie has been sold and you’d have to go to Gqeberha to see it, but Adonis has a new project – namely a Porsche 944 that he plans to drop a V8 Toyota power-plant in with a manual transmission and E46 rear end.
Adonis also has a dream: “My goal is to build enough cars that I can sell and eventually build my own retro 911 Outlaw.”
This is certainly a space to watch. Perhaps next time Bobby can take a closer look at Adonis’ 1975 super Beetle 1303 S fitted with a turbo-charged Subaru EJ20 making 280kw.
How’s that for a mic drop.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za