In the world of custom cars, the possibilities are seemingly endless. But if you give an out-of-the-box thinker like Bienville Studios’ JT Nesbitt the challenge to come up with a custom that’s never been seen before, chances are that the possibilities won’t only seem endless, they’ll actually be endless.

Images: Bienville Studios

Take for example Nesbitt’s Magnolia Special. This unique ride may look like a unique but “standard” custom hot rod, but in reality it’s anything but. See why in the Roads & Rides video above.

Conceived as an idea in 2008 and started in 2009, the Magnolia Special is a unique example of when art meets purpose.

Wanting to create a dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle that was like no other on the planet, Nesbitt went to work creating the Magnolia Special first around the alloy core, composite-wrapped tanks that would hold the vehicle’s natural gas supply, and then around the performance and drivablility he wished the car to have.

The result is the unique ride you see here, complete with an inline-6 engine featuring a 3.6-inch bore and 4.2-inch stroke for low-end torque, 12.5:1 compression pistons, and special short duration, high lift camshafts, all to take complete advantage of the 130 octane-equivalent natural gas it would be using.

Backing this unique ride’s engine is a 5-speed transmission, which spins a Posi-traction rearend with 3.00 gears and eventually a solid rear axle. Under the car, you’ll find a 4-link rear suspension with a Panhard rod and adjustable coilovers. Up front, the car makes use of a double A-arm multi-link setup with coilovers and rack and pinion steering. All four corners are equipped with alloy calipers and disc brakes.

The one-of-a-kind body that the Magnolia Special employs is a custom hand-formed design specifically for the project. Everything from the door hinges, hood latch, and interior instruments are also custom made.

While some may doubt the survivability of a CNG vehicle for long drives, the Magnolia Special put all the naysayers in their place in the fall of 2011, traveling cross country from New York to Los Angeles in 89 hours with no chase vehicle and only locally-sourced natural gas.

A truly unique vehicle, the Magnolia Special shows just what can be accomplished if one thinks out of the box. And with environmental concerns, as well as state and federal regulations constantly working toward a cleaner planet and less gross-emitting vehicles like old classics, who knows, this could be the way of the hot rod in the future!