'66 Nova Super Sport
Bill Pratz
Pennsville, NJ
SS Protocol
In '92, "Pennsville Bill" Pratz bought a heap. It needed a total rebop, including the floorpans, a reliable drivetrain, and a fresh, new inner sanctum. He built his street shark the right way. The honorable 383 little-block was produced by Speed-O-Motive to yield more than 400 hp with a Demon 750-cfm dual-feed, Dart aluminum heads, ceramic-coated headers, and an MSD distributor and 6AL box. He put the hex on cooling problems with a Griffin aluminum core and hooked all the accessories to a Billet Specialties serpentine belt kit. Bill moves the gears in the Muncie with a Hurst C/P shifter (Line-Loc, yes!) and sends the grunt to a Moser 12-bolt holding Richmond 3.55:1 gears. Ground speed is diluted by a CPP disc brake kit's slotted and drilled rotors. Ol' Bill finished it up with a Marina Blue basecoat and clearcoats.
'67 Camaro
Carlos Garcia Jr.
Albuquerque, NM
High Country Crusher
Here's a switch: Our man Carlos found this car in Ohio, not the arid environs of his southwestern home. When it was all over, he had a dusky jewel done over in DuPont Super Jet Black. Carlos gave no hints regarding the interior. No, this dude's all-motor 555 and the uncommon drivetrain take precedence. OK, the 9-inch fitted with 4.11:1 cogs, a Detroit Locker, and Strange five-spline axles isn't out of the ordinary, but when was the last time you saw a killer Jerico DR4 race box in anything? "I dig old-school," says Carlos. Though his car vibes race track, the motor's 10.5:1 compression lets it swill pump gas. It's got some tough cookies, too: Crower bottom end with Ross pistons under Victor rectangular port heads and a 1,250-cfm Dominator. The motor fires through an MSD setup and pushes the exhaust through 2 1/4-inch Hooker Super Comps into Borla cans. At a mile up, the car runs 10.60s at more than 130 mph, so at sea level it's good for high 9s.
'56 Bel-Air
Allan Gervais
Clifton Park, NY
See Ya Later, Alligator
Allan began the Tri-5's three-year trek to wellness by replacing all of the body panels, followed by a complete body-off rotisserie restoration. The hood got a custom bump and the wizened 265 got tossed. Soon a Boyd Motor Works (Mayfield, New York) 468 was rumbling up front and dyno-testing at 500 hp and 550 lb-ft. He put a beefed-up turbo 400 and a 12-bolt underneath to handle the grunt. Ceramic-coated headers and a 2 1/2-inch exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers make for a great sound. Rack steering and tubular A-arms make it hunker and handle. It's encouraging to see this old guy in such fine fettle, especially since it's the mid-year car rather than the all-too-popular '55 and '57 renditions. In a while, crocodile.
'69 Camaro
Glenn & Carol Price
Saucier, MS
Latter-Day ZL1
Glenn and his pals scratch-built the bitchin "Li'l ZL1" in 31 months. Rather than horn in a fat-block, Glenn swapped a Brodix raised-cam block and CNC 227 cylinder heads fitted with 2.10/1.70 stainless valves. The motor was built by McMurty Automotive in nearby Gulfport with an Eagle 4340 crank and rods swinging 10.3:1 JE pistons to make it a 454ci small-block. McMurty used a complete Comp Cams hydraulic valvetrain, a Stef's 6-quart pan, an Edelbrock CNC Super Victor, a Mighty Demon carburetor, MSD electronics, and coated Hedmans with a 3-inch custom stainless exhaust system by Klein Muffler (Gulfport). As a vicious road car, handling is assured by a complete Martz front clip, rack steering, drop spindles, and subframe connectors. DSE mini-tubs were installed by Richard Stephens Race Cars (Gulfport) to service the Martz four-link system that includes coilover shocks, a Panhard bar, and a splined sway bar. A Strange 9-inch with limited-slip, 4.10:1 gears, and 31-spline axles tucks up in there. Big Wilwoods hide behind Coddington wheels and 35-series Michelins. The Magnetic Red Metallic tri-coat color and bodywork were executed by Wayne McCarty and Son (Saucier, Mississippi).