Got Race?
'66 Impala
Richard Gabel
Fresno, Ca
The competition-ready 406ci features Dart Pro 1 ported heads, Wiseco pistons, 13.1:1 compression, a Holley 850-cfm carb, an Isky solid-roller cam, Crower lifters, a Brodix intake, a 4.155x 3.750-inch bore/stroke, and DynoMax headers, for starters. Other contributors to the Impala's best time of 9.989 seconds at 135 mph are an Art Carr converter, a 9-inch rear with 4.11s, a Mike's Transmission Ultimate 400, and ladder bars with coilovers. Heck, that NOS nitrous plate doesn't hurt, either. Richard says he's done about 99 percent of the wrenching himself and that you don't want to know how much cash he's spent over the years.
Camaro Obsession
'81 Camaro Z28
April Alderson
Eldersburg, MD
April has been a "Camaromaniac" since she was a kid, so when it came time to buy her first car-well, you know how it goes. "When the salesman showed me pictures of the '82s with the hatchback trunks, I told him that wasn't a Camaro and I wanted to order an '81." She nabbed this at the model-year cut-off date. "There aren't too many original-or close to original-cars left. I decided to leave this one stock or close to it," April explains. This means the 305, four-speed, and rearend are untouched, although she did slap on Flowtech headers and Flowmaster Delta 40s. There are a few bugs to work out, but otherwise all it has in its future is open highway.
Keeping It In The Family
'72 camaro RS/SS
Shane Newsome
Conyers, GA
Shane bought this Camaro from his grandfather in 1985, at just 17. Since then, he's added a few odds and ends to the 355, including a Comp Cams XE 274 bumpstick and roller-tip rockers, a Holley Street Avenger carb, 10.1:1 Speed-Pro pistons, Dart Iron Eagle heads, and DynoMax headers. All the spent stuff exits through a Flowmaster dual exhaust. The trans is a TH350, and the rear uses an Auburn Gear limited-slip with 3.42:1 gearing.
Must-Have Corvette
'72 corvette
Terry Smith
Seaside, CA
Terry spotted the Corvette at a car show and had to have it-the bad kind of had to. He'd owned a '76 and an '80, but the '72 convertible always was a coveted favorite. Terry did most of the upgrades himself, including restoration of the interior, exterior, top, and underhood. The car sports the original 350 with a mild cam and head work, a Flowmaster exhaust, American Racing 200S Daisy Mags, and stainless steel brakes. Plans include side exhaust and a hi-po motor. "This car and I are inseparable. My wife loves it as much as I do, but in a different vein."