Bryan Millhouse tells it from the heart. No hesitation, no stumble, no searching for words. It's mantra. It's gospel. He's lived every minute of this and it is part of him. His entire hot rodding career has been no different. And this is a good story, too. A family story, a story with a very happy ending.inline_mediumwraptextright25809473/featuredvehicles/1001chp_1966_chevy_nova1001chp_01_z+1966_chevy_nova+front_view.jpgTrue

1971 Nova
Mike Cosculluela
Vandalia, OH

Mike Cosculluela and friends began a four-year project to create a one-off Nova from one that had only 40,000 miles on the clock. Mike still has the original GM paperwork and grease pencil markings. To set his ride apart from the rest, he added a 383ci stroker motor and carbon fiber throughout the Nova. Does the hood look familiar? It's a custom designed L88-styled carbon-fiber piece. Mike continued the carbon-fiber theme into the interior, and shaved numerous pieces off the Nova for a sleeker look. The signal lights were donated from a '69 Camaro and mounted into a custom fiberglass front bumper. Towards the end a Zendergruen Green was applied along with a Yenko SS matte black stripe to create a truly great looking street car.inline_mediumwraptextright26522407/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1971_chevy_nova_ss0912chp_01_z+1971_chevy_nova_ss+front_grill.jpgTrue

It's one of the most outstanding exterior features on vintage muscle cars and was used to help distinguish one model from another: body accent trim, or brightwork. From a full-on restoration to a Pro Touring build, if the body trim is anything less than spectacular, it can distract from the overall appeal of your finished ride.inline_mediumwraptextright26513392/tech/paint_body/trim/0912chp_1964_chevy_chevelle_body_trim_restoration0912chp_01_z+1964_chevy_chevelle_body_trim_restoration+professional_metal_restoration.jpgTrue

'78 Malibu
Bobby Orr
East Northport, NY

Is a late-'70s G-body considered a muscle car? You betcha, and with 625 hp on tap with a nitrous unit, it more than satisfies the requirements. Even though Orr was a Ford guy, he's swapped back over to the right side of things. The 360ci small-block sports 10.5:1 compression through the use of forged internals and domed pistons with a set of massaged cast-iron cylinder heads. Orr's keeping the cam specs secretive, but he did tell us that the power gets transferred through a Turbo 350 that's ratcheted with a Hurst shifter. Out back a 9-inch Moser takes the rest of the abuse and is paired to a set of 31-spline axles and an Eaton posi unit.inline_mediumwraptextright25374227/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1978_chevy_malibu0912chp_01_z+1978_chevy_malibu+advanced_nitrous_system.jpgTrue

'68 Camaro
Jason Olivers
Corona, CA

Remember your first project car? Luckily for Jason, his Camaro has a great stance and for the time being, he's kept his Camaro mostly stock. For power, Jason added the basic bolt-ons, namely a high-rise Edelbrock intake manifold along with a matching 700-cfm carburetor. To keep things cool in the SoCal heat, he opted for an aftermarket electric fan. Boyd Coddington Junkyard Dog wheels roll in with 17x8/17x9 front/rear combo with Kumho rubber filling each fenderwell. Jason hasn't had the opportunity to run down the tarmac yet, but says he has an Edelbrock Performer cam waiting to be installed for a bit more power.inline_mediumwraptextright30733671/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1968_chevy_camaro0912chp_01_o+1968_chevy_camaro+side_shot.jpgTrue

On day three I thought my luck was changing. I actually found an auto repair shop that also sold tires and it was open early on the Sunday before Memorial Day. It took the owner a while to find another tire the correct size, but he eventually did ($170) and I was back on the road. Unbeknownst to me however was that in my haste to get back on the road, I didn't secure my drag tires onto the trailer properly. You guessed it; later that day as I'm driving down I-40, a pretty girl pulls next to me to let me know one of the tires had fallen off my trailer. I pulled over and found one of the drag tires missing and the other about ready let go. As I'm securing the remaining tire, another driver stops to let me know he saw my drag tire on the road and tried to describe to me where it was. So I turned around and drove back a few miles and after searching for about 30 minutes, I found it, strapped it down and resumed my journey.

It's typical for these aging cars to have components that are either barely functioning or practically turning to dust. Case in point, the factory brake lines found on our project El Camino were in no condition to use. While a portion of the rear brake lines were present, the lines to the front were completely missing. Additionally, the lines that were left behind had been rusted through and the end-fittings were completely unusable.inline_mediumwraptextright26515180/tech/chassis/brakes/0912chp_stainless_steel_brake_lines_upgrade0912chp_01_z+stainless_steel_brake_lines_upgrade_chevy_el_camino+performance_brake_kit.jpgTrue

"I can relate to this class more than anything else," said one fan to another as the Vortech Xtreme Street category rolled into action at Route 66 Raceway (Joliet, Illinois). The category is one of the most exciting in the NMCA series thanks to the lack of wheelie bars and true 10.5-inch tires. The racing is also tight thanks to a formula of rules that lets racers get wild but not out of control like some of the Outlaw-style categories out there. The rules allow for limited nitrous-injected or centrifugal supercharged small-block or big-block combos. Chevy High Performance joined Vortech Superchargers as one of the major sponsors of Xtreme Street in 2009 and we dropped into Joliet to check on the happenings of our favorite category.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe ambassador of the class, Bob Curran, smokes the hides of his '96 Corvette Grand Sport. It boasts a 399ci small-block Chevy from famed engine shop Fast Time Motorworks. Curran runs a single Edelbrock direct-port nitrous system. Curran has chosen to run a FAST XFI fuel injection system, which he was still sorting out at the event.30700806/eventcoverage/0912chp_nmca_vortech_xtreme_street_highlights0912chp_01_z+nmca_vortech_xtreme_street_highlights+1996_chevrolet_corvette_grand_sport.jpgTrue

'70 Chevelle SS
Stuart Goldman
Lindenhurst, Il

Following through on your dreams is what it's all about. Take for example Stuart Goldman's Cranberry Red '70 Chevelle convertible. Stuart found his pride and joy in Arizona and had it immediately shipped to Illinois where the rebuild began. Powering the Chevelle is an L34 small-block with a rebuilt M21 four-speed transmission. Stuart refurbished the interior with bucket seats and even replaced the aging dash. As for the paint, the red was overhauled and buffed out to perfection. Now fully restored, the Chevelle runs strong and Stuart loves cruising the local digs to show off his dream come true.inline_mediumwraptextright30809670/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1970_chevy_chevelle_ss0912chp_01_z+1970_chevy_chevelle_ss+l34_small_block_engine.jpgTrue

The only thing most hot rodders care about is going straight, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. However, with 500hp street machines becoming the norm rather than the exception, those turns come up a lot quicker than they did just 10 years ago. Even for enthusiasts that aren't interested in road racing their muscle cars, the last thing you want when hammering through your favorite backwoods road is sloppy steering and a raggedy suspension. Rebuilding a car's underpinnings is just as much about safety as it is performance, so to find out how to do the job right we solicited the input of Brian Entrot of Performance Suspension Technology.inline_mediumwraptextright30722925/tech/chassis/suspension_steering/0912chp_how_to_rebuild_a_high_performance_suspension_system0912chp_02_z+how_to_rebuild_your_suspension+performance_suspension_technology.jpgTrue

It was Round 2, and we were back at Rubio's Auto Body in Sun Valley, California, to put the finishing touches on project Brutus. The Rubio's experts had teamed up like an army of ants and pushed the build through what seemed an endless gauntlet of welding and replacing panels. When we left off ("Uncovered," June '09), the El Camino sat with the majority of the bodywork and welded panels completed. To recap what was done: We removed the old orange paint, revealing the El Camino's true colors. Rot had worked its way into just about every crevice. Some panels-the hood, front fender, and rear deck-were so far from repair they had to be replaced with reproduction pieces through the help of OPG. Other stretches of metal were cut, replaced, and filled. The rest of the good panels were sanded down and awaiting primer.inline_mediumwraptextright30698799/tech/paint_body/paint/0912chp_chevy_el_camino_rat_rod_flat_black_paint_job0912chp_01_z+chevy_el_camino_rat_rod_flat_black_paint_job+custom_paint_job.jpgTrue

A matched set of chrome-plated stainless steel Magna-Kool hoses and lines kit are the perfect high-tech way to finish any engine compartment. Spectre Magna-Kool hoses are manufactured from high-grade stainless steel, will never discolor or corrode, and resist temperature in excess of 250 degrees. Chrome-plated end covers add a clean, uncluttered look. Complete kits include upper and lower radiator hoses, two heater hoses, fuel line, and vacuum line for $99.95. Kits are available for most domestic applications.

Spectre
800.821.4868
www.speedbyspectre.com

'65 Impala
Scott Liggett
Los Angeles, CA

We take a lot of heat for the lack of Impalas and what better way of turning that around than by showcasing a California-grown B-body. Within a budget friendly state of mind, Liggett pieced together a 4-bolt-main small-block and added a stroker crank to create a 9.8:1 compression 383ci. It's no slouch either with a set of Edelbrock Victor Jr. cylinder heads and a Comp valvetrain, including an XE288HR camshaft. Scott slams a four-speed NP440 with a Hurst shifter and 11-inch clutch to a 10-bolt with an Eaton posi unit. A CPP front disc conversion hangs on each corner as well as Energy Suspension components and KYB shocks. Scott boxed the A-arms for strength and added an adjustable UMI Panhard bar for additional suspension tuning.inline_mediumwraptextright30731199/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1965_chevy_impala_ss0912chp_01_z+1965_chevy_impala_ss+aftermarket_head_lights.jpgTrue

Here We Go Again!
We're finally settled down in our new Southern Californian home, and the immediate renovations to support a gearhead like myself are just about complete. Storage for race cars, trailers, and parts-and working space-can be tough to come by. We were lucky enough to find a house with enough space, and with a little imagination (money), we made it all work. Our realtor loved me and my wife, Lisa, because we could pull up in front of a house he wanted to show us and not even get out of the car: "That won't work to fit all my junk!"inline_mediumwraptextright26489794/hotnews/0912chp_chevy_performance_q_a0912chp_01_o+chevy_performance_q_a +engine_art.jpgTrue

To Good Friends Recently-on July 22, 2009 to be more precise-I lost a dear friend. This was a whole new experience for me, something I wasn't entirely ready for. I had originally decided to keep this to myself, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to share who he was with the world.inline_mediumwraptextright26489131/hotnews/0912chp_remembering_your_good_friends0912chp_01_o+remembering_your_good_friends+rear_bumper.jpgTrue

Cooler Power

Second-Gen Camaro Radiator And Core Support Combo
Fans of long-nose second-gen Camaros are crafty individuals and stuff everything from big-inch monsters to LS engines in the bays. Knowing the importance of keeping things on the cool side, AutoRad's complete aluminum radiator and core support system is an all-in-one cooling solution. Not only is the core support crafted from 0.125-inch aluminum, but the unitized system is completely bolt-in and comes ready to drop in. All radiators are made from 0.090-inch aluminum, have ribbed headers, and vacuum-brazed cores. Two rows and 1-inch tubes (optional 11/2-inch tubes) come standard. Upgrade to the dual fans with an aluminum fan shroud and the combination will prevent even the most powerful engines from overheating. Optional assemblies are also available in brushed, polished, or powdercoated finishes and all components come with a 2-year warranty.inline_mediumwraptextright30724647/tech/additional_tech/other/0912chp_december_2009_chevy_performance_parts0912chp_02_z+december_2009_chevy_performance_parts +aftermarket_camaro_radiator.jpgTrue

L76
Used primarily in light-duty trucks, the L76 is essentially an aluminum block variant of the LY6. Major differences include a higher compression ratio and a slightly larger cam, which boosts output to 366 hp and 376 lb-ft. Like the LY6, the L76 utilizes variable valve timing, but ups the ante even further with active cylinder deactivation. Interestingly, the L76 also powers the Pontiac G8 GT. The car version of the L76 drops variable valve timing and features an LS3 intake manifold, which sacrifices some hp while picking up some torque.inline_mediumwraptextright30695169/tech/engines_drivetrain/shortblock/0912chp_performance_chevy_ls_engine_comparison0912chp_13_z+performance_chevy_ls_engine_comparison+gmc_suburban_l76_engine.jpgTrue

If you recall from our November '08 issue ("A Monster is Born"), Steve Brulé of Westech Performance built a superb naturally aspirated 12:1 496ci big-block. We made good use of its internals too with a solid rotating assembly starting with a Lunati 4.125-inch stroker crank and 6.385-inch I-beam rods. The bores were then plugged with 48cc domed Wiseco pistons and topped with a heavy breathing pair of cylinder heads from AFR to create 12 points of compression. The AFR 325 as-cast lungs we installed flowed 385 cfm on the intake and 285 cfm on the exhaust at 0.700 inch of lift. At the center, we chose a high-lift Comp piece to deliver 274/280 intake/exhaust degrees of duration at 0.050 inch of lift and pulled out a matching set of solid roller Comp lifters. When all was said and done, we planted the mule on Westech's 902 SuperFlow dyno for testing. The bored and stroked combination churned out 780 hp and 658 lb-ft worth of stump-pulling force without even breaking a sweat.inline_mediumwraptextright30701481/tech/engines_drivetrain/shortblock/0912chp_chevy_big_block_zex_nitrous_perimeter_plate_install0912chp_01_z+chevy_big_block_zex_nitrous_perimeter_plate_install+aftermarket_power_adder.jpgTrue

Rick Matthews owns a Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealership in Brooksville, Florida, and his business success has afforded him many cars, some of them exotics, all of them expensive to buy or restore, but none quite as hellacious as this '69 SS Camaro. In his modest office, we talked about the ones that used to do it for him, and why he'll never do them again.inline_mediumwraptextright30728259/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1969_chevy_camaro_ss0912chp_01_z+1969_chevy_camaro_ss+side_shot.jpgTrue

Fifty-one-year-old Scott Maki had envisioned doing a body-off resto on his latest Camaro, one of several second-gen cars he's had over the years. Maki's like most of us: got the tools and the savvy but definitely not able to throw every living dollar at a wanton, insatiable desire. He has five kids to look after. No, he'd be doing it the way real hot rodders take ownership, just him, a few close friends, and the skin off their bones.inline_mediumwraptextright26520352/featuredvehicles/0912chp_1973_chevy_camaro0912chp_01_z+1973_chevy_camaro+on_the_road.jpgTrue

35 Hot Classic Chevy Muscle Cars...

Long Timer
I am a longtime reader and subscriber to Chevy High Performance and a lifelong gearhead. Your magazine is great! I thought I would tell a story that spans a few years. I was a teenager through the muscle car era of the 1960s and early '70s, and I used to drool over the SS Chevelles, Z/28 Camaros, SS Novas, and all the BOP go-fast cars. My first car was a '65 Mustang convertible (yes, a dreaded Blue Oval, but it was cheap back then).

"I purchased the vehicle ... in Virginia Beach, Virginia, thinking I was going to restore the car to original condition. I later found that any numbers the car had either disappeared or didn't match," confesses Joe Frole. "I was crushed! No harm done, though, I thought. The car was still worth the $6,000 I had paid. At that point, I had to find something to make the car respectable. My vision needed to change drastically. Actually, I was a little worried."

National Parts Depot's 4th Annual All-GM Oktoberfest Show is Saturday October 3rd 2009 at the beautiful Silver Springs Park in Silver Springs, Florida. All vehicles with GM powerplants are welcome to enter.