Agreed. And he shows up in a comfortable shop-type jacket and t-shirt. Nothing pretentious. Nothing to prove. No loud talk, no puffing himself up. His salesmanship is in the metal.
I wish the Dodge Viper team would leave a comment on this page with a thumbs up. It would be cool for them to see what is capable if Dodge had a hand forming design re-body team instead of having to build for the mass market
Bonkers! Absolutely bonkers. A genuine work of art. 50 years from now, when everybody's being driven around by AI flying cars, the owner of this car will feel rightly smug.
Oh yeah! This man is passionate and skilled and cares a lot about the quality of his work, but he had the confidence in his son's skills to know that the youngster would not mess it up. That speaks volumes about both men and their working relationship.
Having seen this car and his others over the years I am so excited to see him on here. His builds are masterpieces alone. And he brings them to local shows!
He was on here a couple years ago. At the time I thought maybe Jay would commission him to build a car. When he started building the Ve"leno" with an American engine I assumed it was being built for Jay. It now looks like my assumption was incorrect.
I love how Jay 'learns' from different guests, he never acts like he knows everything or condescending...he is not fake. Jay then lets the person talk & 'educate' Jay about something. So real & down to earth.
I heard Enzo Ferrari started out building one car at a time. His shop looked like a sculptor's studio. That's what this car brings to mind. When many people say something is truly beautiful, they are often referring to something that is obviously handmade with small imperfections visible here and there. It somehow makes the object a little bit more human. In a world where most things are mass-produced and more and more perfect all the time, it's refreshing to come across something handmade.
Hi Jay. Thankfully we still have a few mastercraftsmen in the UK who can still use an "English Wheel " . I'm 70 but as a 20 year old l wanted to learn the craft and went to a local shop to learn . I worked for 2 weeks with no pay . Charlie , the master panelbeater , said l had what it took but the boss only wanted me to make fuel tanks ! Chris was spot on with the annealing process . Well, 50 years later l can make some pretty tricky parts for my "e"type restoration in steel but will always feel cheated that l was not given the chance to do what l craved to do . Thanks Jay and thankyou Chris ......that rear view of the "Valeno" as it left the shop illustrated the balance of the wheels to bodywork perfectly !
I can relate in a very small way. I make hand forged knives using a coal forge I built and a Trenton anvil that is over a hundred years old. Once for fun I kept track of the hours verses the price of the knife and I think made $1.60 an hour. Lol. For me it’s a hobby that I can do without a huge cost. It is the process of creativity that is important to me. Thanks for the video Jay.
What a genius. He is truly an artist to have designed a Viper into an Italian looking vehicle. I had driven a 2004 Viper in Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, and you could feel greatness in taking curves. The ten cylinder motor forced me to sit with my legs pointing to my forward-left. The roof had bubble shaped sections to allow my helmet to just touch the ceiling. But with the new body, the headroom showed plenty of room for the heads of both occupants. Jay, keep up showing these hand-builds.
Jay, thanks for having this incredible passionate craftsman back on your youtube channel. I first saw him on here five years ago or so, and it's so great to see him bringing his son into the craft!
The shot of this car pulling out of the shop was fantastic. With the rear shape and those wide tires. That is my favorite angle on this car, the view from the rear.
That is a beautiful car and the engine compartment looks very nice. It's really clean without a bunch of stuff flopping about. I hope you feel very proud on this build cause you have knocked it out of the park. My hat is off to you.
I love that he used the original exhaust, windscreen etc and also used left over walnut from his shop for the steering wheel. It's resourceful and smart and he's not just throwing money at it.
Lofting was carried from ship building to aircraft. When I came into the aerospace industry in the early 1980’s, they were still using these techniques. Airplane drawings still used terms like waterline, butt line and station line. Now, it’s X, Y, and Z.
Thanks, I didn't know that car. A really phenomenal redesign and I'd never guess it was originally a Viper. So many unusual design queues yet done so professionally: the huge windows in the bonnet, the high tail with a rear window you can't really see through then a tail window... really tall behind the driver, the front end looks like it could be a regular production Alfa and yet still challenging
Another fabulous car. The rear reminds me of the Shelby Daytona. Incidentally, the rifle you mentioned was made by the Shiloh Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company in Montana. They are a family business and handcraft their rifles. So maybe Chris could build a custom truck with a Sharps rifle on the back window, though I'm not sure how the CHIPS would feel seeing that rolling down the road in California.
This guy builds amazing bodies. This one is like if a kid from the 70’s was to draw his dream sports car. I see Maserati, cobra, jag, Aston and maybe even a little stingray. Such an amalgamation of classic lines, very interesting, very cool.
I think you mean 60s. The 70s were starting to do wedge shapes in Europe, and ugly bricks in America. The 60s had the curvy European cars. All the cars you named were 60s.
Definite Maserati/Bizzarini/TVR vibes. Also some Pininfarina and Zagato in there too. I just love everything about it. the 275 gtb/4 vents, the cobra daytona kamm tail. This is just too wonderful I love every project that Mr. Runge comes up with,
The car is so beautifully reshaped I had no idea it started life as a viper... Only after it was mentioned did I start seeing the very subtle shape of the doner car.
Myron Stevens the builder of the Miller cars used 0.063" thick 3003 aluminum alloy for his cars. He was so good he just built his cars by eye and gas welded the panels together. Somewhere a video was made of his techniques when he was 85 years young. The work Chris did on this car is amazing.
Wow stunning looking car 👏👏 every angle I see a different car!! . The front scoop Ferrari. The front grille Aston Martin the rear a Shelby. Love the polished finish 👌
32:25 - Yes! Many years ago I polished a pair of aluminum bicycle hubs and its exactly as he said. I wanted mirror shine and the only way to get there was to stop at 800 and then go ahead with the polishing. Turned out beautiful.
You have know what alloy you have and what it's heat treat is. If it's annealed for shaping, it's soft/if it's forged or tempered/hardened it's hard. Soft cast metals or shaped sheet aluminum you stop sooner, finer grits will remove the peaks off the valleys and nothing will fold over and fill in polishing.
Just a drop-dead gorgeous car! Jay is the perfect host for bringing art like this into the public eye... and when he is impressed with the design and build, you know that you have done it right. I look forward to seeing more of Chris Runge's work in the future!
Not to detract from all that fantastic work but if Jay could have rolled out his Viper as a comparison, some of the points made about the build would have been interesting. Mr. Runge is a true master. I hope his son will be able to carry on with his ideas and build and paint his creations. Such true talent. Jay A big thanks for bringing such talented and interesting people to share their Art. Be it 2 wheels or 4.
Runge! This is the coolest body work ever! I remember being 13 and seeing the Dodge Viper being introduced at the auto show at the convention center with my buddy in Washington DC, The Dodge guys gave us kids all of the paraphernalia about the car, and it was a fun day, I never thought I would see that trumped like this!
@@garycamara9955 I'm confused: he's going to live forever? That's... quite a talent. And I'm sure you can absolutely hand build an identical panel a decade into the future. Absolutely.
@@tim3172 Well, if you can afford one of these types of builds, then you can afford to have it's dimensions digitally scanned (hopefully by someone that knows what they are doing, unlike the guy Chris used), so that once Chris dies you can send the dimensions of the panel that gets damaged to another metal worker that does what he does, and they can make another one. Is it going to be expensive? Sure, but the car is easily 6 figures in the first place, so while that would be expensive, it's not impossible. Also, 3D printing is coming along very well, so while it may not be with the same material, you could probably print something that is at least the right dimensions in the future for much cheaper than it would cost to get something handmade. I can't imagine repairs for this would be any more crazy than the cost of repairs on any of the million $ + hyper cars, and Chris even said he has an 18 year old son that he is teaching the craft to that will be taking over eventually. His son even helped build parts of this car, and I doubt the owner will outlive the 18 year old that helped make this car.
I have a real idea of how much work it is. I work in a fab shop with aluminum. I run a C&C and do hand fab. This is not only a crazy amount of work but it's also art. 👏👏👏
The car is beautiful! I use Blingmaster Clear sealant polish after there other polishing compounds, I have a lot of aluminum on my Norton and polished during restoration 3 year ago and it still shines brightly.
This interesting hand-made car is not bad looking absoultely awesome but kind of mixing many different things from different brands.. so ok, he started on the Viper underneath but body style: Front Ferrari 1956 -410 Sport prototype, the side Alfa Romeo TZ specially those side triangular mesh vents and the rear it reminds me of Daytona Cobra.. not bad at all but to be really honest driver (the person behind the wheel of this thing) really need to drive it carefully not to smash it since is a one-ff build.. specially in US with so many road-rage, not care, driving on red, not give way at stop.. etc i would be really stressed out & nervous on this one..
I would be absolutely petrified to drive this on the open road, and Chris is so calm 😅 Just an unbelievable job Chris and I love that your son is doing this work with you. Thank you for this one Jay, the respect for Chris is obvious
Absolutely beautiful, it shows that there are still people with a passion for perfection . Jay, make sure you send him that polish . Who knows could be a great business colleague in the future
Hopefully one day you extend an invitation to Luc De Ley who is still down in Corona, CA doing the magic his father did for decades (and he is just as talented). Recently he built a brushed finished sportscar of his own with help of Foose and many other friends who have hung out at Marcel's over the years. It would be a great showcase of another talent to have upon your channel.
I love Jay's "Quigley Down Under" movie reference. One of my favorites. The rifle was a Sharpe's I believe. Even 150 years later, still more accurate than many modern rifles.
That car is beautiful J as usual you outdone yourself again faithful fan 70 years old and I never get tired of your shows keep up the great work wolf 🐺 Lynn Massachusetts
I have to agree. Anything only 2 doors already has a head start. I'm about ready to start a protest on why car makers take perfectly great cars and ruin them with back seats and extra doors wasted mass to lug around.
@fishhuntadventure when you have go design a car to meet frontal hit, offset frontal, t-bone on both side, rear end, rear end offset, rollover, pedestrian hit, driver and passenger safety inside the cabin etc you really cant go vintage on a design.... thats why new camaros look nothing like first gens
In all honesty there was always great craftmanship in the USA Jay, in the early 70s I saw a stunningly build wooden speed boat in Greece my boat a 10-foot 6 Zodiac my pride n joy with my 25HP Archimedes outboard after approaching this beautiful boat said to the bloke Riva? No, he said then I said But Italian right? nope he said American the craftmanship on the wood work under the sun was Just Stunning i honestly was shocked, as them days I believed only Italy would build wooden boats to that high quality I I had that boat I would have kept it in my living room as a works of art but getting it wet for me would a been a crime it was that good
Chris, this is art on wheels in the true tradition of the best Detroit had to offer over the years. But yours is sumptuous in comparison to any of them. Hell, just learning to use an English Wheel properly is an art in itself. The lines are exquisite in the European style. I'll stop there because I could rave for hours. Please extend thanks to the owner of the car for allowing you to share it with us via Jay's Garage before he even drove it. And thank you so much Jay for presenting it to us. Congratulations and thank you to a master craftsman, Chris. Your works are each unique unto themselves and that sells my point right there. Pay it forward, dude. Best from Ottawa, ON!
Looks great. Yes, it is a Viper underneath but the car has to come from somewhere. I mean unless you run some crazy operation like Koenigsegg and can actually build a whole car from scratch. Tinkering with the body for all those hours is just amazing.
That was excellent! When Chris was explaining to Jay how the front fender was made from pieces welded together, notice how Jay said he could see the welds. This is artistry of this car. Chris could have polished out all the imperfections and it would have looked like every other car that is stamped out of a machine in a few seconds. In person you can see right away that this is a hand made car. The panels all show the imperfections of hand work like an exquisite painting shows the brush strokes of a master. In our modern society we have been trained to think that perfectly smooth and unblemished is perfection when most of it is just polished turds.
Personally, I cringe at those welds still left. I'm a perfectionist and seeing this car (although beautiful) roll trough the light at the Jays shop just shows how much imperfections, dents etc there actually are. I like Chris and his work, but he has so much to learn. 5k hours also seems ridiculous.
@@Horst_BWow at least you have realistic expectations for things in life. If you're such a perfectionist I would expect your grammar to be perfect with zero errors. Maybe not such a perfectionist after all 🙄
Everything about this video is excellent. Jay looks great, Chris is obviously having a great time and the talent displayed is world class art. Had a great time watching this today. Thanks Jay!
Nice build. Personally I like paint but the finish on this is very nice. I wonder if it's possible to laser in a racing style stripe or sand in stripes keeping with the all metal finish? Good one Jay. Cheers 🇨🇦
It's a shame a Viper had to die, but it's an acceptable loss, since this beautiful, handcrafted aluminum body was built around its skeleton. Outstanding work.
Think of the Viper as the caterpillar that went through a metamorphosis that resulted in this beautiful butterfly. Or, a Viper that shed its skin to reveal its new body. Such a great car got even better!
So many awesome things about this car ,, but that dashboard ,, wow ,, that's a serious contender for the " Dash of the year " award and as always if it weren't for Jay Leno's Garage, we wouldn't even know cars like this existed let alone vicariously being able to take one for a drive.
The rear quarter panels, and the shark gills are outrageous. Just beautiful. Runge is talented.
Agreed. And he shows up in a comfortable shop-type jacket and t-shirt. Nothing pretentious. Nothing to prove. No loud talk, no puffing himself up. His salesmanship is in the metal.
The blunt end reminds me of the old Marcos of the sixties in the UK
Pretentious is the word
@@mikeb3172 Cite an example of his pretense.
@@mikeb3172 there's always at least one of you.
Thank you Mr. Leno for another great history lesson. The young man is truly keeping this lost art alive.🙏🏽
It is really fun seeing these two get together and talk about custom cars. Making drivable art out of dreams, focus, and hard work.
I wish the Dodge Viper team would leave a comment on this page with a thumbs up. It would be cool for them to see what is capable if Dodge had a hand forming design re-body team instead of having to build for the mass market
Gentleman is not just a simple "car builder" . . . he's truly an artisan.
Pure genius! 😉
Bonkers! Absolutely bonkers. A genuine work of art. 50 years from now, when everybody's being driven around by AI flying cars, the owner of this car will feel rightly smug.
Comparing this man with Marcel is is a huge compliment. Glad he can carry on this superb metal craftsmanship. Thanks Jay.
8:15 "I told my son, go ahead. Make the other half" my heart lit UP when I heard that! 😊
Oh yeah! This man is passionate and skilled and cares a lot about the quality of his work, but he had the confidence in his son's skills to know that the youngster would not mess it up. That speaks volumes about both men and their working relationship.
Having seen this car and his others over the years I am so excited to see him on here. His builds are masterpieces alone. And he brings them to local shows!
Beautiful car and he seems like such a nice guy, deserves all the praise he gets! My favorite of his so far.
Local being Minnesota? Or somewhere else now. Specifically what shows since I go to most in the Twin Cities and haven't seen a Runge.
He was on here a couple years ago. At the time I thought maybe Jay would commission him to build a car. When he started building the Ve"leno" with an American engine I assumed it was being built for Jay. It now looks like my assumption was incorrect.
I love how Jay 'learns' from different guests, he never acts like he knows everything or condescending...he is not fake. Jay then lets the person talk & 'educate' Jay about something. So real & down to earth.
I heard Enzo Ferrari started out building one car at a time. His shop looked like a sculptor's studio. That's what this car brings to mind. When many people say something is truly beautiful, they are often referring to something that is obviously handmade with small imperfections visible here and there. It somehow makes the object a little bit more human. In a world where most things are mass-produced and more and more perfect all the time, it's refreshing to come across something handmade.
You heard wrong, he hated the customers. Only thing he ever loved was racing.
Yep. He used the road car business to go racing.
Hi Jay. Thankfully we still have a few mastercraftsmen in the UK who can still use an "English Wheel " . I'm 70 but as a 20 year old l wanted to learn the craft and went to a local shop to learn . I worked for 2 weeks with no pay . Charlie , the master panelbeater , said l had what it took but the boss only wanted me to make fuel tanks ! Chris was spot on with the annealing process . Well, 50 years later l can make some pretty tricky parts for my "e"type restoration in steel but will always feel cheated that l was not given the chance to do what l craved to do . Thanks Jay and thankyou Chris ......that rear view of the "Valeno" as it left the shop illustrated the balance of the wheels to bodywork perfectly !
I can relate in a very small way. I make hand forged knives using a coal forge I built and a Trenton anvil that is over a hundred years old. Once for fun I kept track of the hours verses the price of the knife and I think made $1.60 an hour. Lol. For me it’s a hobby that I can do without a huge cost. It is the process of creativity that is important to me. Thanks for the video Jay.
What a genius. He is truly an artist to have designed a Viper into an Italian looking vehicle. I had driven a 2004 Viper in Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, and you could feel greatness in taking curves. The ten cylinder motor forced me to sit with my legs pointing to my forward-left. The roof had bubble shaped sections to allow my helmet to just touch the ceiling. But with the new body, the headroom showed plenty of room for the heads of both occupants.
Jay, keep up showing these hand-builds.
It doesnt look italian, it looks like a Shelby, it very much looks american.
@@Ardonn 60s Italian.
@@Ardonn at first I thought it was a Shelby. Or someone's spin on a Shelby. 😂
Reminds one of Christian von Koenigsegg, doesn't it? I hope he's that good.
You drove an electric V-10?
"The ten cylinder motor forced me........."
ALL Vipers had V-10 engines, that run/ran, on gasoline...??
This is why I watch this channel. Exceptional design and workmanship. A real piece of automotive art.
All the way from England, this is some of the most beautiful metalwork I have ever seen, congratulations to Mr Runge for such a wonderful creation.
Jay, thanks for having this incredible passionate craftsman back on your youtube channel. I first saw him on here five years ago or so, and it's so great to see him bringing his son into the craft!
The shot of this car pulling out of the shop was fantastic. With the rear shape and those wide tires.
That is my favorite angle on this car, the view from the rear.
That is a beautiful car and the engine compartment looks very nice. It's really clean without a bunch of stuff flopping about. I hope you feel very proud on this build cause you have knocked it out of the park. My hat is off to you.
I knew he'd be on with this unbelievable car. Great job Chris!!
Nice work. Can’t hide things when you don’t paint it.
I remember seeing Marcel and his sons on American Hotrod. True craftsmen!
I've been wondering what Chris has been up to in the last few months. He's gotten much better, a true master.
He has a UA-cam channel if you want to keep up with his work.
@@andrewesau51 already a fan.
Why he does not use German spelling for the name? Like Kristofer or something.
@@tatianaes3354 because he's from Minnesota.
@@andrewesau51 exactly, and i say that as a german. A man's name is his name. Spell it and say it the way you see fit.
I love that he used the original exhaust, windscreen etc and also used left over walnut from his shop for the steering wheel. It's resourceful and smart and he's not just throwing money at it.
He said it’s aftermarket exhaust.
@@graemediesel2936 the headers or whatever I can't remember what he said
I like all of Runge's cars. He's a rare talent.
Ive been following Chris for a long time. Its good to see his cars progress over the years.
same here. Can't wait for each and every new project.
For me, this is true art, idea, shape, craftmanship and finish Donezk by one artist! Perfect
Lofting was carried from ship building to aircraft. When I came into the aerospace industry in the early 1980’s, they were still using these techniques. Airplane drawings still used terms like waterline, butt line and station line. Now, it’s X, Y, and Z.
Cessna (Textron Aviation) still uses those.
Reminds me of the 2010 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato which was also Viper based. Love Runge’s cars.
Thanks, I didn't know that car. A really phenomenal redesign and I'd never guess it was originally a Viper. So many unusual design queues yet done so professionally: the huge windows in the bonnet, the high tail with a rear window you can't really see through then a tail window... really tall behind the driver, the front end looks like it could be a regular production Alfa and yet still challenging
This is by far the most aesthetically pleasing modern hand built cars ever! Absolutely and completely gorgeous!!! Man, what a sexy beast!!! ❤❤❤
Another fabulous car. The rear reminds me of the Shelby Daytona.
Incidentally, the rifle you mentioned was made by the Shiloh Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company in Montana. They are a family business and handcraft their rifles. So maybe Chris could build a custom truck with a Sharps rifle on the back window, though I'm not sure how the CHIPS would feel seeing that rolling down the road in California.
This guy builds amazing bodies. This one is like if a kid from the 70’s was to draw his dream sports car. I see Maserati, cobra, jag, Aston and maybe even a little stingray. Such an amalgamation of classic lines, very interesting, very cool.
I think you mean 60s. The 70s were starting to do wedge shapes in Europe, and ugly bricks in America. The 60s had the curvy European cars. All the cars you named were 60s.
@@EstrogenGhoul -- He probably meant a kid in the 70's because if you're born in the 60's, then you're a kid interested in cars in the 70's
Definite Maserati/Bizzarini/TVR vibes. Also some Pininfarina and Zagato in there too. I just love everything about it. the 275 gtb/4 vents, the cobra daytona kamm tail. This is just too wonderful I love every project that Mr. Runge comes up with,
The car is so beautifully reshaped I had no idea it started life as a viper... Only after it was mentioned did I start seeing the very subtle shape of the doner car.
Myron Stevens the builder of the Miller cars used 0.063" thick 3003 aluminum alloy for his cars. He was so good he just built his cars by eye and gas welded the panels together. Somewhere a video was made of his techniques when he was 85 years young. The work Chris did on this car is amazing.
Wow stunning looking car 👏👏 every angle I see a different car!! . The front scoop Ferrari. The front grille Aston Martin the rear a Shelby. Love the polished finish 👌
32:25 - Yes! Many years ago I polished a pair of aluminum bicycle hubs and its exactly as he said. I wanted mirror shine and the only way to get there was to stop at 800 and then go ahead with the polishing. Turned out beautiful.
You have know what alloy you have and what it's heat treat is. If it's annealed for shaping, it's soft/if it's forged or tempered/hardened it's hard. Soft cast metals or shaped sheet aluminum you stop sooner, finer grits will remove the peaks off the valleys and nothing will fold over and fill in polishing.
Just a drop-dead gorgeous car! Jay is the perfect host for bringing art like this into the public eye... and when he is impressed with the design and build, you know that you have done it right. I look forward to seeing more of Chris Runge's work in the future!
Not to detract from all that fantastic work but if Jay could have rolled out his Viper as a comparison, some of the points made about the build would have been interesting. Mr. Runge is a true master. I hope his son will be able to carry on with his ideas and build and paint his creations. Such true talent. Jay A big thanks for bringing such talented and interesting people to share their Art. Be it 2 wheels or 4.
One of the most beautiful cars I’ve seen for some time.. Well done!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Really beautiful, it does look right out of a vintage Italian custom shop. I especially like that every scoop and vent is serving a purpose.
Runge! This is the coolest body work ever! I remember being 13 and seeing the Dodge Viper being introduced at the auto show at the convention center with my buddy in Washington DC, The Dodge guys gave us kids all of the paraphernalia about the car, and it was a fun day, I never thought I would see that trumped like this!
Absolutely LOVE when you have these type guests! Fascinating….
This car is an absolute beauty. Amazing talent.
My God. Chris's level of craftsmanship is unbelievable
They didn’t even talk about the ‘hard’ stuff like windlace and glass. And I wonder about aerodynamics with the boat tail motif.
I wouldn’t say unbelievable because people have been doing this for over a century
@@paulchedzey7276 i'm sure you are fun at parties. It was just an expression of appreciation for what he does
@@fishhuntadventureI love the boat tail motiff
Jay is so cool man. How he appreciates cars. He keeps that "American" mindset alive. I think he appreciates that the most. Beautiful car. Right on.
As ridiculous an idea to do a V10 car, that coachwork is truly impressive. I'd be scared to death what repairs would entail if the body is damaged.
If you build it you can fix it.
@@garycamara9955 I'm confused: he's going to live forever? That's... quite a talent.
And I'm sure you can absolutely hand build an identical panel a decade into the future. Absolutely.
@@garycamara9955 If it bleeds, we can kill it
@@tim3172 Well, if you can afford one of these types of builds, then you can afford to have it's dimensions digitally scanned (hopefully by someone that knows what they are doing, unlike the guy Chris used), so that once Chris dies you can send the dimensions of the panel that gets damaged to another metal worker that does what he does, and they can make another one. Is it going to be expensive? Sure, but the car is easily 6 figures in the first place, so while that would be expensive, it's not impossible. Also, 3D printing is coming along very well, so while it may not be with the same material, you could probably print something that is at least the right dimensions in the future for much cheaper than it would cost to get something handmade.
I can't imagine repairs for this would be any more crazy than the cost of repairs on any of the million $ + hyper cars, and Chris even said he has an 18 year old son that he is teaching the craft to that will be taking over eventually. His son even helped build parts of this car, and I doubt the owner will outlive the 18 year old that helped make this car.
He probably provides surprisingly reasonable replacement panels, for being hand formed on an English Wheel, if a car gets damage.
Chris is so talented! His cars are fantastic; handmade in 2023! Incredible
Remarkable custom. It reminds me of a silver version of Cars Lightning McQueen
This is art! Absolutely uniquely beautiful.
I have a real idea of how much work it is. I work in a fab shop with aluminum. I run a C&C and do hand fab. This is not only a crazy amount of work but it's also art. 👏👏👏
My goodness…. Just beautiful!! Amazing to see this level of craftsmanship skillset kept alive!!
The car is beautiful! I use Blingmaster Clear sealant polish after there other polishing compounds, I have a lot of aluminum on my Norton and polished during restoration 3 year ago and it still shines brightly.
Car works all day long man!!
The width, the stance, the overul look for days!!
Excellent job. Anyone else see Disco Volante in this? The lines/metal above the wheel arches? The upswept tail? Pretty epic!
Beautiful! You can’t help admire this mans skill. Thank you again Jay , you’re the best.
His comparison to a vintage warbird is spot on.
That is stunning! What a craftsman. Jay, take a road trip to his shop for us one day. That might be fascinating to see.
Looks fast standing still! That's how it's supposed to be!! Love it!🐦🐦✌️❤️
This interesting hand-made car is not bad looking absoultely awesome but kind of mixing many different things from different brands.. so ok, he started on the Viper underneath but body style: Front Ferrari 1956 -410 Sport prototype, the side Alfa Romeo TZ specially those side triangular mesh vents and the rear it reminds me of Daytona Cobra.. not bad at all but to be really honest driver (the person behind the wheel of this thing) really need to drive it carefully not to smash it since is a one-ff build.. specially in US with so many road-rage, not care, driving on red, not give way at stop.. etc i would be really stressed out & nervous on this one..
@@poplaurentiu4148 Jay knows how to drive ..
@@stillnotwoke No doubt but still a one-off is a one-off..
Mister Runge, you are a GENIUS!!!... 😉👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Serious body design, serious craftsmanship, and seriously good looking! Probably seriously expensive!
Yes for sure
The shape is bland . No tension
Beautiful. Chris seems like such a genuine and good guy. Thank you, Jay Leno, for your show.
I would be absolutely petrified to drive this on the open road, and Chris is so calm 😅 Just an unbelievable job Chris and I love that your son is doing this work with you. Thank you for this one Jay, the respect for Chris is obvious
Stunning car , quite a craftsman. Thank you so much for showing; always appreciated.
Absolutely gorgeous car! A great achievement!!
Absolutely beautiful, it shows that there are still people with a passion for perfection . Jay, make sure you send him that polish . Who knows could be a great business colleague in the future
Amazing dedication and production. Couldn't have picked a better car to do it with also
Thank you for featuring a detailed look at modern hand craftsmanship!
Hopefully one day you extend an invitation to Luc De Ley who is still down in Corona, CA doing the magic his father did for decades (and he is just as talented). Recently he built a brushed finished sportscar of his own with help of Foose and many other friends who have hung out at Marcel's over the years. It would be a great showcase of another talent to have upon your channel.
Beautiful car and craftsmanship. Great to see handmade cars of this quality.
I love Jay's "Quigley Down Under" movie reference. One of my favorites. The rifle was a Sharpe's I believe. Even 150 years later, still more accurate than many modern rifles.
Laura San Giacomo 👌😵💫
@johnnygeorgopoulos4072 Yep, back on the day she was a hottie. Kind of like Cameron Diaz around Something about Mary days.
It's the subtle things...love the way Jay asked, "Can we open the hood?" A true car guy...
Jay Leno, thank you for this episode. I have now discovered another amazing builder and UA-camr
That car is beautiful J as usual you outdone yourself again faithful fan 70 years old and I never get tired of your shows keep up the great work wolf 🐺 Lynn Massachusetts
I do love your work Chris.
Always on top❤
Just amazing work. The body really works well on the Viper chassis. Very beautiful artwork. The gated shifter is chef’s kiss
Car looks better style wise than any factory car made today. Bravo !
I have to agree. Anything only 2 doors already has a head start. I'm about ready to start a protest on why car makers take perfectly great cars and ruin them with back seats and extra doors wasted mass to lug around.
Looks better cause it dont meet any safety standards
@@Greg-io1ipyessir, my sentiments exactly!
@@1DEADBEEF1good point!
Never mind that saying it looks better than ‘most any factory car isn’t that much of a complement lol
@fishhuntadventure when you have go design a car to meet frontal hit, offset frontal, t-bone on both side, rear end, rear end offset, rollover, pedestrian hit, driver and passenger safety inside the cabin etc you really cant go vintage on a design.... thats why new camaros look nothing like first gens
In all honesty there was always great craftmanship in the USA Jay, in the early 70s I saw a stunningly build wooden speed boat in Greece my boat a 10-foot 6 Zodiac my pride n joy with my 25HP Archimedes outboard after approaching this beautiful boat said to the bloke Riva? No, he said then I said But Italian right? nope he said American the craftmanship on the wood work under the sun was Just Stunning i honestly was shocked, as them days I believed only Italy would build wooden boats to that high quality I I had that boat I would have kept it in my living room as a works of art but getting it wet for me would a been a crime it was that good
An astounding achievement.
And...Chris does not look like he'd have an 18 year old son.
A gorgeous car created by a master craftsman. Well done!
His son built the other side of the car, under his guidance. Imagine how good his son will be under such tutelage! What a fortunate young man.
Chris, this is art on wheels in the true tradition of the best Detroit had to offer over the years. But yours is sumptuous in comparison to any of them. Hell, just learning to use an English Wheel properly is an art in itself.
The lines are exquisite in the European style. I'll stop there because I could rave for hours.
Please extend thanks to the owner of the car for allowing you to share it with us via Jay's Garage before he even drove it. And thank you so much Jay for presenting it to us.
Congratulations and thank you to a master craftsman, Chris. Your works are each unique unto themselves and that sells my point right there. Pay it forward, dude.
Best from Ottawa, ON!
Looks great. Yes, it is a Viper underneath but the car has to come from somewhere. I mean unless you run some crazy operation like Koenigsegg and can actually build a whole car from scratch. Tinkering with the body for all those hours is just amazing.
Truly a work of Art. Thanks for sharing your journey. Cheers.
What a masterpiece of a car, Chris Runge is sucha talented craftsman and a true artist.
Another great day spent learning abouut the car industry. This is a very neat car.
Very nice work! I see a little Jaguar, older Ferrari, and the front grill looks very Aston Martin. The rear is almost Shelby Daytona.
Ditto
Chris is a legend ... simple!
That was excellent! When Chris was explaining to Jay how the front fender was made from pieces welded together, notice how Jay said he could see the welds. This is artistry of this car. Chris could have polished out all the imperfections and it would have looked like every other car that is stamped out of a machine in a few seconds. In person you can see right away that this is a hand made car. The panels all show the imperfections of hand work like an exquisite painting shows the brush strokes of a master. In our modern society we have been trained to think that perfectly smooth and unblemished is perfection when most of it is just polished turds.
Personally, I cringe at those welds still left. I'm a perfectionist and seeing this car (although beautiful) roll trough the light at the Jays shop just shows how much imperfections, dents etc there actually are. I like Chris and his work, but he has so much to learn. 5k hours also seems ridiculous.
@@Horst_BWow at least you have realistic expectations for things in life. If you're such a perfectionist I would expect your grammar to be perfect with zero errors. Maybe not such a perfectionist after all 🙄
Breathtakingly beautiful! Chris Rünge's dedication to handcrafting this masterpiece is evident in every stroke and every stitch.
Everything about this video is excellent. Jay looks great, Chris is obviously having a great time and the talent displayed is world class art. Had a great time watching this today. Thanks Jay!
Nice car. Nice guy. Nice Jay.
Mr Leno brings out the best in people again. Love you J
Amazing work Chris!
Chris is a Minnesota legend!
you gotta appreciate what he did with this
This is more than a car, absolute piece of art. Incredible talent!
Nice build. Personally I like paint but the finish on this is very nice. I wonder if it's possible to laser in a racing style stripe or sand in stripes keeping with the all metal finish? Good one Jay. Cheers 🇨🇦
Chris is keeping the flame. Bravo!
It looks like an Aston-Martin had a child with a Ferrari. Love the body work
I see Ferrari and Mercedes gt
ABSOLUTELY-----> OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!. 🙂
It's a shame a Viper had to die, but it's an acceptable loss, since this beautiful, handcrafted aluminum body was built around its skeleton. Outstanding work.
Think of the Viper as the caterpillar that went through a metamorphosis that resulted in this beautiful butterfly. Or, a Viper that shed its skin to reveal its new body. Such a great car got even better!
Jay this is one of those cars that you can’t stop looking at. Fantastic
The rivet idea is a good one, but I would have used aviation rivets instead of cheap pop rivets-
So… Flat instead of dimpled?
I was waiting for you to spotlight Chris again. He is a true artist. And his son will be a force in the years to come
HVAC technician makes a car.
So many awesome things about this car ,, but that dashboard ,, wow ,, that's a serious contender for the " Dash of the year " award and as always if it weren't for Jay Leno's Garage, we wouldn't even know cars like this existed let alone vicariously being able to take one for a drive.