Hot Wheels

Eaton Corp. is joining the search and recovery effort for “Chocolate Thunder,” a custom, $450,000 Ford Convertible displayed last year at the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. show in Las Vegas.

Built by Troy Trepanier's Rad Rides by Troy in Manteno, IL, the one-off '37 show car represents more than 8,500 man-hours of labor and features an Eaton-supercharged V-8 and limited-slip differential.

Rad Rides is offering $5,000 for information leading to return of the car and/or arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. After highlighting the Eaton booth at the SEMA show, the car toured North American car shows in a 32-ft., Eaton-sponsored trailer towed by a Ford F-Series pickup.

The vehicle and its support rig were stolen early in the morning of April 6 from a parking lot in Brockville, Ont., Canada. Authorities have no leads and fear the car, one of three stolen that week in Brockville, is headed out of North America for sale on the black market.

Contact Rad Rides at 815-468-2590 with any information.