KEVIN LYONS HISTORY WITH AUTOMOBILES
Our founder Kevin Lyons was introduced to cars at age four by his Mom and Dad through toys and art. By adolescence, he began modifying GM muscle cars which lead to building welded tube-chassis supercars from complete scratch which became a bit more challenging than restoring or customizing pre-existing cars. The images below document some of his solo engineering and build accomplishments that lead to the beginning of Lyons Motor's.
Kevin's mother always knew to steer him in the direction of what he loved cars and art. Age 5 1965
Kevin in his first car was a fire truck . Age 5 1965
Starting at a early age cars not pets were a major influence on Kevin. Age 5 1965
Kevin always took a photo with newest car he could find. 1966.
"What do you want I'm busy" from the Longshoreman who instilled in his sons"if you want it go out and work for it.
Get down on the ground and do it yourself...At 85 years old (2010) installing running boards on his new Arcadia. Note: the creeper he's laying on previously owned by his father Duke Lyons Sr. Now a Lyons Motor Car heirloom.
Blueprint for improved chassis design for Kevin's Lamborghini build project.
Hand fabrication means making every structural part from scratch. 2002
Proud moment driving one of his 430 HP rolling chassis to neighborhood alignment shop.
This running chassis only weighed 1000 lbs
Rolling and driving chassis, hand fabricated including the sand cast wheels.
Their Father and son projects were amazingly successful. Of course built from scratch creating blueprints.
This reveals some incredible engineering, Kevin always positioned his mid mounted engines facing rearward with transmission in front and differential mounted offset in the rear.It's now a patented drivetrain layout for Lyons Motor Car.
Kevin's Father. He wired it so he needed to pose with it.
2001 Lamborghini Diablo uses 300ZX headlights
Detail of offset rear diff and axles set up for all of his drive train designs. 355:1 gears
Very lonely task
NO TRANSAXLES NEEDED
Dual stainless cells TIG melded and baffled.
The mechanical and electrical genius Duke Lyons admiring his sons work with a stern nod. 6 figure masterpieces engineered in his father's back yard. 2007
All gauges, stainless bezels done in Adobe Illustrator by Kevin Lyons
2" analogs.
Note Accessory belts facing rearward.
1978 Olds 442 a 11 flat quater mile muscle car with 560 HP 600lbs torque 455ci engine.
A show winner at Carlisle.
Some said, if he built this in his backyard by himself, imagine what he could do with crew and engineering team.
Problem Kevin's friends told him it's still a "fake" Lamborghini that upset him.
This is the photo Kevin took at Jacob Javits Center in 2001. He originally set out to duplicate this actual car after the man in the suit stereotyped him and said you can't afford this one don't touch. His result is on the next page.