Fire & Smoke
The hallowed catalyst is a fully machined, four-bolt main bearing a 454-inch Rat fitted with an Eagle forged crankshaft, connecting rods, and 12-to-1 pistons, a firm bed for a staggering dose of the inevitable nitrous oxide. Steve Heath kept the Comp cam secrets to himself but was less selective about the valvetrain: Comp roller rocker arms, pushrods, hardware, and stud girdle; and Crane valve springs. The cast iron heads have been ported and polished and hold standard steel valves. The upper repertory system is composed of a Victor single-plane intake and a whopper 4500-series Dominator. The actor lurking in the shadows between them is a 225 NOS kit. Debris from the cylinder explosions is swept away by Hooker Super Comp headers through 21/8-inch primaries and then through a 3-inch system. Flame kernels are generated by an MSD 6 system. In the end, a 4,500-stall converter muffs the torque to the big Turbo 400 transmission that has been outfitted with a trans-brake and a Hurst gear changer. A steel driveshaft transfers said torque to a narrowed Dana 60 axle prepped with 4.56:1 gears and a limited-slip differential. At a 3,950-pound race weight, the Chevelle has tripped the quarter in 10.98 seconds at 122 mph.
Hot Seat
Evidently the interior had been finished by the previous toiler, so there's not much info on it. Beyond the hop-sack upholstery gripping the stock seats, panels, and dash pad, and the smattering of critical Auto Meters posted near or around the steering column, the interior looks clean but tame. A six-point roll cage stiffens the chassis, protects Steve, and forms attachment points for the five-point safety equipment. Gloved hands cosset a Grant Evolution GT steering wheel.
Friction
The period-correct Center Line Convo Pro wheels are 15x4 and 15x15. The leading tires are M/T 26x7.50 Sportsman Fronts and fast and bulbous 31x18.50 Sportsman drivers. Those two-piston caliper, 12-inch disc brakes front and rear are all but swallowed by the steamrollers.
Underlayment
This full-frame car was stabilized by a six-point 'cage to quell torsional and bending forces under the Rat's hammer. Steve hung the narrowed axle with ladder bars and Pro Active Components adjustable coilover shock absorbers. Bigger tubs made room for the big Mickeys. The front end is stone stock.
Sartorial
Aside from the wheelwell surgery, the all-steel Chevelle required no other attention save for swapping in the 4-inch cowl fiberglass hood. Stinger Professional Paint & Body Shop in Fontana, California, prepped the silhouette and laid on the Quasar Medium Blue Metallic.