We looked at the tech sheet that Shane Ganzel had amended for his '67 RS/SS Camaro and saw the near-perfect scenario. The perfect father-son team. It practically jumped in our face. Male bonding, Dad. Right some old wrongs. Just hang out. No wife. No kids. No family for the young guy to worry about yet. Lots of disposable income too, but probably a gallon or two of grief from his married friends whenever they feel like it. And yet all the stars seem to have gotten in line.

Here's the part you can't see. Shane's car has been here before, the willing mule for a Vortech supercharger tune-up tome (Dec. '07, "Spin Cycles"). This was not coincidental. Shane is an engineering senior buyer at Vortech. His car is nicely done. Handles like a spider. Goes like blazes. Editor H knows talent when he sees it.

"I got the car from my parents when I was 17," says the now 28-year-old son. "What they were thinking, I don't know. It was all my dad. My mom had no idea what she was in for. Building this car the past 10 years has been great. My dad and I built it together and have seen the changes it's gone through. I've had a vision for the car in my head and it has finally come true. The one thing my dad and I have always agreed on was that it had to be a driver."

From the beginning, the idea was to main tain a civil running weight-better than that, fightin' weight-because it doesn't take a mountain of power to move a 3,200-pound object. Something like 400 on both sides of the chassis dyno sheet will more than peg the joy meter. Shane would build the 383 engine around the super charger system, planting the right pieces for the possible job. Forged parts all around, smog-era compression ratio, stuff matched and systemized whenever possible, specially prepped blower carburetor, the works.

Methodical thinking at its finest. Supercharger: Vortech S-trim at only 6 psi. The proper cam phasing and optimized cylinder head flow tends to release a lot of power at modest boost. you do it this way, don't use the blower as a Band-Aid (or suffer the heat generated at 15 psi) to make it run like hell.

These days, most of us strive for "whole cars" fitted with stopping and steering sys tems commensurate with cranking linear like an RPG. Revamping an old suspension is a great way to peel off unnecessary weight too. Look how much less mass is involved with a modern control arm than with the old, stamped-iron clods (something certainly not lost on the oEs).

Shane's ride is festooned with it. Good stuff. Global West's suitcase of desire. Make your tub o' guts handle and drive like a lithe, modern sled. Do it for no other reason than the active safety that a powerful suspension always holds in reserve. Be adjustable wherever you can be. Just one safe catch would more than amortize the cost of the system, wouldn't it?

We appreciate Shane's ever-adaptable logic too. "The car had to handle, so I did the Global West control arms, Spring Specialties custom coils, Superior Spindles hardware, and QA1 adjustable shock absorbers. So then I had to do split-leaf springs and bars in the back. Then I had to do the brakes to complement the suspension, so I put big discs and four-piston calipers at each corner." Shane faithfully maintained the high-g theme with serious seat and harness, quick steering, double-overdrive six-speed, a little bit of blood in his eye, and yes, that blown 383.

"It had to have a great stance, have power, and handle like a bat out of hell," goofs our boy. "This car does that. I love being able to get in it and just cruise or hit a canyon or just watch the owner of a Viper as I pass him while lighting up the tires."

Motor/Transferral
Tell you, these freakin' 383s are tough to keep down. Costs about the same to build as a 350. Bumps torque so you can really tell. Tune 'em with a screwdriver. yes, they're a popular choice all down the line. Shane moonlighted the machining and balancing at the company shop. He punched the 4.00-inch bore 0.030 inch over. He teamed a Scat 4340 steel crank with matching 6.00-inch I-beam rods. The blower forgings riding them are 9.1:1 Probes attached by full-floating wrist pins. Then he turned it over to Dan Luce of Luce Racing Empire. Dan inserted the Isky hydraulic roller cam (285 degrees duration at 0.050 inch, 0.578 inch lift, 113-degree lobe separation), socked it to the crank with a Cloyes double-roller timing gear, referred a Melling high-volume oil pump, and closed the cellar with a Milodon 6-quart sump. The valvetrain includes Isky springs, stain less 2.02/1.60 valves, Comp Cams 1.6:1 stainless roller rocker arms, Isky one-piece chrome-moly pushrods, and Isky retainers, guides, and locks. Trading ferrous metal for Edelbrock Performer RPM CNC-ported aluminum shaved pounds off the Camaro's snout, and the Victor Jr. intake manifold was port-matched to the heads to get that good combo rollin' deep. Since the seals and shafts and a lot of other things in a carburetor prepared for forced induction differ from one that services a normally aspirated engine, Shane stationed a Mighty Demon 750-cfm blow-through car buretor right in the middle of the V-2 SQ S-trim compressor, a custom dis charge tube with a Vortech Maxflow Racing bypass valves, and a pressure bonnet. The air cleaner is a custommade S&B unit. Ignition timing is critical to a successful supercharged street application, and conservative is always better. Here, positive manifold pressure does not exceed 6 psi, and total timing tops out at just 30 degrees (MSD Digital 6). Noxious gases are extracted by Hooker Super Comp headers with 17/8-inch primaries feeding a 21/2-inch system modulated by three-chamber Flowmasters. No feeble automatic for Shane, either. A Viper double-overdrive (1.80:1 final) makes cruising effortless and simultaneously saves on the engine. Shane fab'd a custom shifter from Hurst mechanicals and mounted a Centerforce clutch assembly, while grunt ropes down a custom-length prop shaft built by Drive Shaft Masters in Torrance, California. That original 12-bolt has been amended for its new mission by Tom's Axles, an Eaton differential, and a u.S. Gear 3.73:1 ringand-pinion set.

INSIDE
Certainly the iconic Sparco Milano seats and Billet Specialties steering wheel steal the show, but a closer look reveals the optional factory-installed power window lifts (RPO A31, 4,957 units) and fold-down rear seat (RPO A67, 17,993 units). Shane's only concession to comfort is all aural. A custom-installed Kenwood head and CD player root through Pioneer components and 6x9-inch speakers. To maintain as much of the '67 flavor as he could, Shane left the guts unmolested, inserting Auto Meter meters in the original nacelles. Shane: "I have the original gauges and seats, and I can put the car back to original if I wanted, but for some reason I don't see that happening." That's our boy.

PROOF
Wheel output is 396 lb-ft at 4,300 and 420 hp at 6,100 rpm, and there's at least 25 percent more at a 10-psi boost threshold. As for empirical data, Shane's comeback on the performance is "12.20s spinning the tires" and "Top speed? Saw 130 once."

OUTSIDE
Another perfect fit for the perfect build: a body that had no wounds to minister and solid, imminently revivable original red. "I guess I'll eventually paint the car, since it is now the weekend fun car.

UNDERNEATH
Polyurethane body mounts, solid aluminum leaf-spring bushings, and Competition Engineering subframe connectors eliminate untoward suspension movement and foster the rigidity necessary for the handling characteristics Shane sought. Then he was able to apply lighter components and superior geometry found in the Global West upper and lower control arms, Coil Spring Specialties 630-lb-in coils, QA1 12-way adjustable shock absorbers, and a 11/8-inch antisway bar. He stuck a fast 12:1 AGR steering box in the midst of it all. By incorporating John Calvert's CalTracs bars and split-leaf springs, and another pair of QA1s, Shane would eradicate all traces of hooliganism at the back balonies.

FRICTION
Stance is as critical as camshaft choice. Shane blocked his Camaro out with big and little Boyds hoops, 17x8 and 18x9.5, respectively, posing Nitto NT01 competition-compound P245/45ZR17s and P275/40ZR18s. The larger wheels easily accommodate 12.5-inch Wilwood discs and four-piston calipers on each corner. Guess this could be serious. CHP

Ask Frank Serafine if he knows anything about interminably long, cold winters. He hangs in Rochester, New York, a perennial victim of lake-effect snow storms and the mentality required to cope with them. Where Frank's from, the stuff routinely piles on 12 or more feet thick. So must Frank come and go by scrabbling in and out of his second-story windows? No. Mostly, he prepares for the Big Whiteout by piling Chevy parts in his garage and stoking the furnace with old Ford ones-and tunneling through to where he wants to go.

Cabin fever never quite reaches high C because Frank's take on winter is that the Florida peninsula will continue to simmer regardless of the seasonal misery in Upstate New York. If it gets bad enough, his escape route is a given. On the other paw, Frank's 16 previous hot rods have taught him a thing or two about the build ethic. He's way beyond scrubbing stuff in an icy tub of solvent when it's below zero and the sun barely squints beyond the Arctic Circle.

Nearly four years ago, he bought a car that had already been scoured with gallons of someone else's sweat. For all intents, the seller figured his car was done. Frank took one look at the Kansas-based '63 Nova he found on eBay and deemed it ready for sacrifice. Though it was an immaculate as well as a numbers-matching example, it was completely stock, Blue Flame six and Powerglide bumbling along. Frank had a vision. He would terminate all that cheap crap and its ox-cart mentality with prejudice.

He and pal Jim Drake drove the car around for a couple of months then got down to business excising all the Nova's rejuvenated organs-drivetrain, suspension, and front clip-and began to install the mini-tubs. Jim got seriously ill and unable to continue, and Frank just went ahead with it. That is, Frank and his wife Cheryl just went ahead with it. His soulmate spent many hours planning the project, chasing down the stuff, and most importantly, assisting her husband in the garage.

Try this 10 years ago and it would have been messy, but the Nova is a kindred spirit, loved and embraced by the whole hot rod world, probably from the day we saw Bill Thomas' 327 Fuelie swap on the pages of a 1963 issue of Hot Rod. It would follow that the wherewithal for any area of the car is tended by an aftermarket overloaded with parts, pieces, and even complete systems ready to be bolted into place. So when Frank went looking for the contents of his newest suitcase, he was not thwarted.

The plan went something like this: We want a clean, subdued piece, sure, but one that oozes power and solidity from every corner, one with only the tips of its claws showing. We want function now, and not particularly form. We want reliability and the utmost drivability, and we want it all at the touch of a finger or two. To reside in that place, Frank finished the wheel tubs and made 2x2x0.083-wall frame connectors to bridge the gap between the front and rear of the unibody bastard, or more accurately between the four-link suspension and the Total Cost Involved (TCI) front clip. A Chassisworks dropped crossmember provides attachment points for the front of the four-link setup. Stitz Street Rods supplied the upper shock-absorber mounts.

Doing something about the abysmal front suspension was high on Frank's list of What To Change Immediately years before he bought the Nova. TCI supplied the basis for the Air Ride ShockWave apparatus, the lower control arms, and the front subframe. Frank included Mustang II control arms and spindles and installed a Flaming River manual rack steering assembly.

As spectacularly as Frank has violated the numbers-matching idiocy, he has just as spectacularly paid homage to the original. The Nova's rugged, simple mission is outlined pin-neat in the interior that is equally rugged, simple, and designed specifically for this car. Frank remembers.

Drivegear
For a bona fide street crawler, the motor would do best with a nominal compression ratio that could slurp regular-grade fuel and be happy to churn out more grunt than raw power. Second only to the 350 in small-block popularity, Frank's current 383 was machined and built by Farmer Automotive in Webster, New York. Farmer exposed a late-model, one-piece rear main seal cylinder case, decked the block, and put the dished-dome hypereutectic pistons 0.005 inch in the hole. Combined with the 72cc combustion chambers in the Dart Iron Eagle Platinum heads, the compression ratio is a roll-over 9.5:1, enabling the motor to run trouble-free. Farmer bored the block 4.030 and laid in a Scat 3.75-inch 9000 Series crankshaft hugged by forged Scat rods sprouting 7/16-inch stainless steel fasteners. On the bottom end, Farmer specified a Canton 6-quart pan and a Melling high-volume pump to move the lube. For cam gear, a hydraulic roller would suit perfectly. The Comp grind features 230/236 degrees duration at 0.050 inch and 0.544/0.520 lift. The 7.200-long Manley pushrods (0.080-wall) have their work cut out, pressing on Comp Pro Mag 1.5/1.6:1 rockers, Comp valvesprings, and 2.02/1.60 valves. The intake system is typical and honorable: a Performer RPM Air Gap casting and a Holley HP 750 fitted with mechanical secondary throttle bores. A Summit ball-milled cleaner contraption perches on top of it all. Part of the TCI legacy is the 13/4-inch tube headers specific to the calling, in this case spiffed with Jet-Hot coating. An MSD 6AL box and a Pro Billet distributor tend to the cylinders. A stealthy Proform electric water pump circulates it through an Alumatech core. Master Car Parts in Rochester, New York, put up a custom-built alternator and surrounded it with a compact March midmount serpentine-belt pulley system. On Farmer Automotive's pump, the stroker motor made 485 lb-ft at 4,300 rpm and 470 hp at 5,800 rpm. For the back end, Phoenix Transmission in Weatherford, Texas, built the 700-R4 overdrive automatic (3.06, 1.62, 1.00, 0.70:1) and preceded it with a 9.5-inch torque converter (3,000 stall) of its own design. Ancillaries include a B&M Quicksilver shifter and the all-important (Hayden) fluid cooler. Fleet Pride in Rochester built the tough driveshaft, and Frank hooked it to the 9-inch (3.70:1) that he'd prepped (narrowed 5 inches) for arrival.

Interior
Impossibly crisp, impossibly stock signature is quietly blitzed by a Classic Instruments speedo, tach, and quad cluster, ultimately propped by an EZ wiring harness. There's action under the dashboard too: Frank snuggled a Lane Industries (Rochester) wiper motor kit up in there. Then he hid the Air Ride control panel in the ashtray. A Custom Autosound USA-2 head pumps through JL Audio horns. Meanwhile, poppy Frank clings to a stylish Grant 14-inch Elite steering wheel and tries to keep his butt stuck to the original code 707 Saddle cloth and vinyl. There's a good measure of character in there that is germane to the Nova, still many years away from the corporate face.

Body
Says Frank: "All exterior paint and bodywork were completed before we purchased the car. We added aftermarket repro trim. We cleaned and painted the engine compartment and undercarriage using PPG basecoat/clearcoat products." Paint is original color code 962-Saddle Tan.

Chassis
The Nova's original "chassis" is a woeful thing, an accident waiting to tumble down. Brakes, steering, and location all suck in this car. Replacing the bad stuff with the good stuff is the only way to avoid mayhem. The TCI components, along with the sheetmetal wheel aprons, lend a feeling of neatness and spaciousness to the engine compartment. Not a fleck of schmutz anywhere. Thankfully, the firewall hasn't been shorn completely. The equipment that remains adds specks of dimension to Frank's nicely detailed engine. He connected the ends of the car with 2x2-inch rails, infused the tube-arm front suspension with Air Ride bladders, and nailed down the butt end with four parallel links and another brace of ShockWaves. Directional rotation is dictated by a manual-box Flaming River assembly pointing TCI Mustang II spindles. A dropped transmission crossmember helps tighten up the Nova's wiggly undercarriage.

Wheels & Brakes
Frank had no compunction over escaping the 15-inch wheel plague, either, and his choice of 17s made way for a healthy influx of braking performance. Wilwood four-piston slammers hug 13-inch front and 12-inch rear rotors. Frank formed and installed all the brake lines. Road gear consists of Intro Hammer 5 hoops, at a modest 17x7 and 17x8, and flypaper-sticky Kumho P205/45ZR and P255/ 50ZR rubber.

'67 CAPRICE
Paul Langone
Chicago, IL

When Paul first purchased this Caprice from its original owner in 2003, it had a lazy 283ci small-block with a Powerglide transmission. Paul was quick to add a ZZ4 350 crate motor with L98 aluminum heads and a factory HEI ignition. With a 700-R4 and 3.31:1 gears in the rear, he ran a respectable 14.46 at 94.50 mph. Rounding out the car--besides overall classic appeal--are upgraded suspension and brakes. And get this: So far, Paul has already endured three Power Tours with no repercussions. Paul can't wait for his Vintage Air, and a supercharger is in play for the near future.

RETRO Z06
'57 CORVETTE
Bob Kahl
Palmdale, CA

It's not often that we feature vehicles in the Tri-Five era, but this one was just too unique to pass up. The pristine body is stock, but this Vette sports an all-new Z06 powerplant and a six-speed transmission. A 9-inch four-link rearend houses the 4.10:1 gears, and power disc brakes bring the '57 to a halt--it's even got A/C!

FIREHOUSE CHEVELLE
'70 CHEVELLE SS
Darrell Trumpower
Culpeper, VA

Darrell's '70 Chevelle SS isn't powered by its original 454. Instead, a pump-gas Shafiroff 540 big-block gives the Chevelle its go power with the help of twin 600-cfm Edelbrock carburetors, manifold, and RPM cylinder heads. An MSD ignition provides the spark, while the ATI trans commits power through its 4,200-stall converter to the 4.30:1 gears with an Eaton posi unit. Currently, the Chevelle sits on Performance Suspension upper and lower control arms. Plans include a ladder-bar setup with coilover suspension.

LUCKY LUKE
'72 CHEVELLE
Luke Volkmann
Denver, CO

After Luke landed his Chevelle in a ditch at 55 mph from a botched wheel replacement (by a friend), he wanted to turn his luck around and start fresh. All the bodywork was redone and sprayed with a thick coat of PPG Gunmetal Gray. To get the big-body Chevelle moving, he dropped in a 406 small-block, which pulls fuel from a Holley 750-cfm double-pumper on top of a Street Dominator intake and Dart cylinder heads. Hooker headers and Flowmaster piping help expel the fumes, while the Turbo 350 transmission and 3.55:1 gears make cruises a cinch.

Z06 EATER
'69 CORVAIR
Mike Meyers,br>Wood River, IL

This unique Corvair lost its original six-banger and was replaced with the heart of a '98 LS1 with a 4L60E transmission. Mike has owned the car since he was 14 years old and has logged well over 7,000 miles on it since its completion. 4.10:1 gears and a 12-bolt rearend propel Mike to an amazing 11.82 at 114.5 mph in the quarter-mile, but still manages to get 16 mpg on the highway. CHP

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Kids today tend to cycle through their first car with reckless abandon, but Jeff Knox of Chapel Hill, tennessee, was the polar opposite. He's owned his pride and joy since he was 15, when he acquired it for a paltry $1,000. What we didn't know was that Jeff originally used to roam the streets of Southern California. And as all young drivers eventually learn at some point, Jeff willingly acknowledges the first time he discovered the art of smoky burnouts. "Burnouts are cool as hell at 16," says Jeff. "i'll never forget when my dad bought my first set of tires. Let's just say my friends and I burned through them in less than three months and he wasn't very happy about it."

Over the years, Jeff's nova has seen myriad combinations, including junkyard engines, transmissions, rollcages-you name it and this car's seen it. "i've traded, bought swap-meet parts, and rigged 'til I could rig no more. Every time I put it together, I would end up taking it apart again; I was never satisfied, knowing The car could always be better."

Fast-forward 18 years and some things have changed. These days, all burnouts are left for the track, and the nova is significantly faster. He even holds an nhra license to jockey his latest 598ci big-block rendition down the tarmac. Of course, we still had to ask what his latest iteration had led to, and Jeff says he considered going for a Pro touring type of build, but in the end, "I decided to run in the national muscle Car associations true Street class, which requires all cars to be street legal and insured, and they have to make three back-to-back passes after a police-escorted cruise. Not only that, but I wanted to build the baddest all-steel (minus the hood), Dot-tire'd, nitrous big-block nova on the planet, and I still wanted to pick up my boys from school or take my buddies on a really quick beer run."

Speaking of Jeff's buddies, he wants everyone to know the car would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of his friends, who helped out with everything from the paint and body to the wiring. Jeff's still looking for that elusive 7-second run, but until then, the 30-mile nmca true Street cruise he participated in has already certified him as a true 8-second street contender with back-to-back passes at Memphis motorsports Park. And true to his word, when we called Jeff for a follow-up, we could hear the big-block rumbling on his way to pick up his sons from school.

Powertrain
The 598ci big-block lurking under the hood, built by tyree Smith of ty-tech Performance, would look at home in a Pro Stock car, and while it hasn't been on the dyno, Jeff estimates nearly 1,000 hp on nuts alone.

Within the confines of the merlin block is a diesellike 15.7:1 compression locked In place with a motor- and mid-plate. The Brodix BB-2 xtra cnc m2 aluminum heads house 2.30/1.88-inch intake/ exhaust valves.

And with nearly 10 liters under the hood, any power adder would seem like throwing gasoline on a fire. A nitrous Pro-flow fogger is good for a 550hp shot and works in conjunction with a nitrous Pro-flow plate sandwiched under a 1,050-cfm Stage 3 Dominator from the Carb Shop for an added 250hp hit. The nitrous is judiciously applied by a two-stage controller discreetlywired into the glovebox.

Transferring the power is an andy mayes (of mayes Performance, eagleville, tennessee) 'glide with a Denbear Superglide case along with a transbrake and a 1.76 Low gear.

Interior
For the interior's soft parts, Jeff told auto trim Design in nashville, tennessee, he wanted it to look stock-well, as much as possible. To do this, they started by molding a loop-style carpet to conform to the custom floor and even managed to retain the bow-type headliner between the 'cage and the roof. All trim components were acquired from Year one, while the original dash, door, and sail panels were refurbished. Look close, because the aluminum Kirkey race seats have the right shade of blue to match the factory colors. Once seated, Jeff can reach overhead to a well-integrated trick switch panel, which keeps the dash looking sano with the Covan insert and the suite of auto meter Ultra-Lite gauges. An aerospace Components Pro eliminator shifter is on hand for gear changes, and the leather-wrapped Grant wheel is held to the stock steering column with a matukas quick-release to simplify entry and exit.

Body
To maintain as much of its original character as possible, the nova was stripped to bare metal and coated with Sherwin Williams 2K primer, four basecoats of ascot Blue, and three coats of clear, then the rally stripes were applied in a Diamond Silver Deck. The real distraction on the street are the 'chute, the spoiler, and the 6-inch Glasstek hood, which merges cleanly with the windshield and is the only concession to fiberglass.

Chassis
For structural integrity, matukas motorsports cut out the floorpans to make room for the 25.5 'cage and grafted the bars into the stock subframe, boxed the control arms, and fabricated a home for a pair of afco coilovers. The fab ricated 9-inch rear houses a set of 4.10:1 gears and 40-spline, gun-drilled moser axles. Suspension of choice is a matukas ladder-bar suspension. The result is a wellthought- out combination that flat-out hooks! According to Jeff, "It's exceptionally smooth and a blast to drive. I just do a light burnout through the beams to heat the tires, hold her steady after the launch, and it'll literally drive itself down the tarmac."

Wheels & Brakes
Matukas motorsports sliced up a pair of 15x12 Weld alumastars to make room for the double bead locks out back to keep the mickey thompson P295/65R15 et Street Radials from spinning on the rims. Up front, the skinnies are wrapped around a set of 17x4.5-inch Welds. And while popping the 'chute is the sexiest way to slow down, Jeff relies on aerospace Components to grab the discs on all four corners.

Letters
Small-Block Power!
In the past, I've made a request for all of you to send in anything, from images to hot tips. Well, they're coming in by the armful, and that's a great thing, so please keep them coming. This month was especially difficult to pick from, but every once in a while, you get one letter that just really stands out. In this case, a reader I had the opportunity to interact with some time back was nice enough to follow up on his killer small-block. As always, if you have something to say, let me know, and if we print it, I'll swap ya for CHP goodies. -HD

Letter Of The Month
Last May, I responded to your small- vs. big-block test with the dyno results for my relatively inexpensive 412-cid SBC (654 hp and 576 lb-ft, 475 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm). At that time, you expressed interest in my project, and I'd like to bring you up to date.

The engine went into my mid-engine hillclimb race car, a '68 McKee F5000. I consider 2007 a shakedown year, as I am still trying to get used to the surfeit of power. I competed in seven hillclimbs and generally finished in the top four. I suspect those placings will improve in the coming year, even though the old F5000 lacks the ground effects found on the top cars. I'm one of those stubborn anachronisms who still think they can win a finesse-handling event with more power.

The McKee's dry weight is just over 1,400 pounds. All that power goes through two Hoosier Oval Asphalt 16-inch slicks, and despite the sticky tires and decent antisquat rear suspension, I find that acceleration is a tricky thing on our narrow mountain courses and cold tires. I finally added a huge 5x5 sprint car wing to get some downforce for the rear tires and keep the front wheels on the ground during spirited acceleration up the more than 20 percent grades.

First and Second gears get me up to 95 mph in 3 seconds, although I am using just the primary side of the Dominator. At just about 100 mph in Third gear, there is enough downforce that I can feed in a lot of throttle, and once into Fourth, I can mash the pedal to the floor. Only two hills (Giant's Despair and Duryea) and my test track (NHIS) accomodate the Fourth-gear blasts. Fifth gear is good for just over 155 that I hope to try at both hills next year.

I was somewhat disturbed during the hard Third and Fourth gear charge to discover I would lose my visual acuity. Everything took on a gray hue, and detail became quite blurred. Keep in mind that unlike a dragstrip, a hillclimb is held on a regular public road with telephone poles, trees, boulders, walls, and people lining both sides. Sometimes it feels like skydiving down an elevator shaft. After several runs, I was able to consciously force my eyes to adjust, and things would come back into proper focus. A visit to my eye doctor confirmed that my experience was a normal reaction to abnormal acceleration in such close proximity to so many objects.

I must admit the ride has become addictive-I am hopelessly hooked on it. I am able to accelerate hard uphill in Third gear as low as 2,400 rpm and still average more than 630 hp between 6 and 7 grand. The engine's wide powerband makes the data academic, as most of the time I'm just trying to avoid wheelspin. It seems like I can instantly attain any speed I dare just by stepping down on the right pedal, without fussing with the gearshift.

The most interesting statistic is that in 2007 I used less than half the fuel I used in 2006. While a BSFC of 0.35 suggests a very efficient engine, I suspect the real reason for the economy is that I was afraid to use the throttle.

Next year, I should also be road-racing the car against other F5000s and Can-Am cars. I look forward to seeing how it stacks up against the latter's big-blocks.

Many thanks for the fantastic engine buildups in the latest issue of the magazine. As old and as jaded as I have become, I can always look forward to learning something new with each issue.
Bob D'Amore
Arlington, MA

P.S. I also use a milk crate for tools-no sense sending in a picture, as yours is the same.

Readers' Rides!
Want to show off your ride to everyone in our Bow Tie community? Then head over to our Web site and check out our new monthly contest, or you can type in ideofthemonth.chevyhiperformance.com/index.html for a direct link. Here, you'll be able to submit photos and tell us all about your combination and everything else we need to know. By submitting your info, not only do you have a chance to win a CHEVY HIGH PERFORMANCE shirt, but it'll put you in the running for an online article. What are you waiting for? Get online and strut your stuff! -HD

1,455 HP = 10 GS
Congratulations to Jesse Nelson of Mountain Iron, Minnesota. His '70 Chevelle took Second Place in Dynomax's Power to the Wheels dyno tour competition during the SEMA show in Vegas. This Chevelle laid down a mind-numbing 1,455 hp to the rear wheels through Dynomax mufflers! Not only can Jesse put down some major power, but he also planted a fat $10,000 check in his bank account. -SH

Rooster Call
Sean Haggai
I can't help it sometimes-it's that whole lead-foot disease I've been diagnosed with. Plus, with my new daily driver, I am hard pressed not to open up the throttle and boost on open roads, especially Mulholland Canyon here in L.A. On my way into work, I lay the pedal down and blast through the pass. It's early and dark, about 5:50 a.m., and the canyon pass I commute through is almost always absent of any traffic. It makes hitting those apexes a habit...one I need to restrain myself from.

I'm flying, and I mean literally on the brink of catapulting off the edge of the road. I'm dipping through both lanes of a two-lane canyon pass with blind curves. Luckily, I can see the headlights coming-It's an LAPD black-and-white. My heart murmured, my jaw dropped, and I quit breathing for a second. I stood on the brakes with both feet; I'm sure the rotors were glowing by then and looked like red neon Frisbees. Oh crap, I thought, that's it-they got me. I screamed past them-it was already too late. Let's face it; I was doing Mach 1 through school-zone-like territory. The light bar flipped on as he vanished around the corner.

Suddenly, my rearview mirror morphed into a crystal ball, about to reveal my future. Would he bust a 180? Would I see the squad car screaming up behind me, lights and sirens blazing? How was I going to sweet-talk my way outta this one? To my amazement (knock on wood), the cop never turned around. And I never heard "Watch your head" as I was placed in the back seat of his cruiser. Phew-close call! So what did I do when I came to realize I was in the clear? Two quick downshifts, my turbo spooled back up, and I was off hitting the apexes-again. I got out of that one.

But before long, my tires were back to screaming for dear life as I slammed back on my brakes, the ABS light blinking and the pedal pounding away at my feet. Traffic was backed up in the canyon. A car had just rolled and was on its roof. Tow trucks, paramedics, and cops were already on scene; at that point I realized how lucky I had been. Not only had I avoided a ticket, but I could have put my new car on its pretty lid.

Be careful out there and keep the top side up. Don't push your luck.

Oversteer
John Nelson
It's just after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend as I write this latest column, which of course, should have been written just before said weekend. So it goes in the time-warped world we labor in. It's November 2007, and we're finishing up the March '08 issue, which most of you will read sometime in January. Even so, it seems like an appropriate time to reflect and be thankful. Not that I want to get maudlin about the whole thing, mind you.

For instance, I'm thankful that a race car driver, two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, is in the finals of Dancing With the Stars. I think it's pretty cool that a guy who's run 200-plus mph around the Brickyard can also perform a flawless foxtrot. You may scoff at this B-list celebrity dancefest. I'm just saying that I respect the skill and dedication it takes to do the things they do. Could a gearhead be taking over the dance world? Go figure.

I'm thankful that Van Halen was able to get David Lee Roth back in the fold and put on a rockin' show, even if they did leave Michael Anthony out of the festivities. Those of you who read my monthly scribbling (and I'm thankful for you) know that I'm a just a little hung up on the '80s, and although you can't go back in time, you can relive some good music and memories.

I've seen a lot of grenaded engines-and even taken pictures of some of them-over the past year, and I'm thankful that none of them have been mine. The corollary to that is that I'm thankful for the people I get to work with, the ones who make these stories possible: builders, tuners, and the aftermarket. They're the best, and they make my job possible. Of course, now I've probably put a jinx on the whole thing, but that's the risk I'll take while I'm feeling thankful.

Still on the subject, I'm thankful for the people I work with, the rest of the CHP team, who are also the best, even when I'm making their lives harder than they should be. Somehow, we all make it happen each month, and you guys keep reading, a fact that I'm also thankful for.

Last but not least, and maybe getting just a bit sappy, I'm thankful for the family and friends that believe in me and support me, come hell or high water. They make me thankful to be here, and thankful to be alive.

When it comes to performance upgrades, we all want to make the number; if we're talking stopping distances, we want that number to be small. But it's too easy to focus on the end product rather than the nature of the improvement. For example, we often evaluate braking prowess in terms of simple stopping distance--how rapidly, measured in feet, does the vehicle decelerate from 60 mph to zero? And of course, we were looking for substantially shorter stopping distances when we called on Performance Online (POL) to outfit a big-block-packing Chevelle with its 13-inch big brake kit up front, accompanied by 12-inch rear discs to replace the factory drums, and the necessary master cylinder/prop valve combo to run it. And while we did cut our stopping distances, the fact that we converted this A-body from manual to power brakes by installing a Hydroboost hydraulic brake assist unit taught us that the effort it takes to stop short can be as important as stopping distance itself.

Our subject for this experiment, Jeremiah Becker's '66 'Velle, was fresh out of the paint booth when it graced the cover of our Mar. '07 issue. Becker's ride is actually well-endowed when it comes to suspension, since it's outfitted with a Hotrods to Hell Centerdrive Truckarm rear system, tubular front control arms, and a tall B-body spindle setup. Becker had also added some pretty good rolling stock to his ride, specifically Nitto NT555 Extremes, 245/45ZR17 up front and 285/40ZR17 out back. The braking setup, however, was not particularly high-zoot. The front package included the big single-piston B-body calipers, but these binders were backed up by the factory rear drum brakes and activated by a manual master cylinder. Even so, we actually got a stopping distance of 158 feet out of the old A-body in baseline form.

But it's not always about the bottom line. While we got the most out of the rear drums and B-body front discs and came up with a decent 60-0 number, it took maximum effort to achieve that figure: back arched against the back of the seat, left leg trying to drive the pedal through the floor, driver limping away afterward. More normal braking efforts--think a guy who's just pushing the pedal hoping to stop in a hurry as opposed to someone concentrating on maximum effort--produced considerably longer distances. The setup also faded when subjected to hard use. This is in no way a slam on the brakes our guinea pig came with; the old-school setup was actually pretty effective. Our results simply illustrate the nature of operating a power brake system as opposed to a manual setup. "You need line pressure to stop," says Performance Online's Jim Chadick. "And with a manual system, all you've got to provide it is your leg."

For all our talk about braking effort and quality as opposed to bottom-line numbers, it was always a given that we would get out and measure before and after braking numbers. For this experiment, we utilized one of Tesla Electronics' G-Tech Pro SS performance meters. It would almost be easier to tell you what this device doesn't do rather than spell out what it does do. It's powered by a car's cigarette lighter or power port and attaches to the windshield with a suction cup. Brake testing is a snap. When performing a normal acceleration run--which is literally as easy as pressing a button and waiting for the signal to start--the unit flashes a red light when the vehicle hits 60 mph, allowing the driver the option of hitting the brakes or continuing on for a full quarter-mile run. The unit's triaxial accelerometer senses when the vehicle is speeding up or rapidly slowing and measures accordingly; the accelerometer also measure handling g-forces on three axes and can display the figures in real time. With a bit more setup, the G-Tech Pro SS can sense and display engine rpm and measure horsepower and torque, and it even has built-in sequential shift lights. This model goes for about $200; the RR model, which has even more features and can upload its data to a PC, is about $300.

QUICK NOTES

WHAT WE DID Upgraded a '66 Chevelle with better binders from Performance Online

BOTTOM LINE Shorter, more consistent stops with much less effort

COST (APPROX) 2,500

It was a given that we'd be upgrading the brakes themselves when we showed up at Performance Online, ditching the old B-body discs for a pair of 13-inch platters clamped by two-piston PBR calipers and excising the drum rears in favor of 12-inch discs with matching PBR calipers. We also knew we'd be swapping out the master cylinder and prop valve, converting from manual to power assisted brakes. The easiest route would have been to install a typical engine vacuum-fed power brake booster unit behind the new master. The problem, as Chadick points out, is that the booster has to see enough vacuum to boost to be effective. POL considers 15-22 inches of engine vacuum to be the optimal level. The mondo-cammed 396 in our test bed was only pulling 5 inches at idle, which just isn't enough for the job.

The solution was to install a Hydroboost hydraulic brake assist unit in place of the typical power booster. Rather than relying on engine vacuum for its boosting capabilities, the Hydroboost relies on hydraulic pressure from a car's power steering system to provide assistance in braking efforts. In this case, that meant that Becker had POL convert his Chevelle to power steering before we arrived on the scene to document the brake installation--the Hydroboost system was then plumbed into the new system as part of the brake conversion. It took some extra effort and expense on Becker's part, but was it worth it?

Taking it solely by the numbers, absolutely. The new binders cut 10 feet off the Chevelle's 60-0 stopping distance, taking us down to 145 feet. Fade was nonexistent--our top-three average was 147 feet. But there's also the nature of the improvement to consider, and suffice it to say that the effort it takes to make this thing stop has been significantly reduced. Pedal response is immediate--when we say these brakes really bite, we mean it in a good way. We quickly learned to develop a light touch on the pedal--that was all we needed to produce consistent, short stops.

This is the front brake we found as we got to work on Jeremiah Becker's '66 Chevelle. Given that B-body spindles and disc brakes were installed in between the Hotrods to Hell upper and lower control arms, this Chevelle was in better brake shape than when it rolled off the line, but it still had plenty of room for improvement. Performance Online's Mike Wheeler capped the brake line to keep fluid from getting all over the works before doing anything else.

Wheeler wanted to use the ball joints and tie-rod ends already bolted into the '66, so he eschewed the pickle fork and relied on a dead-blow hammer and copper mallet instead. The ball joints were released by loosening--but not removing--the castle nuts, then striking the spindle with the dead-blow hammer until it dropped. For the tie rods, a copper mallet was inserted so that the tie-rod end could be hammered out without damaging it.

Now you can stop this thing hard-without limping away.

Wheeler had already unbolted the sway bar from the spindle, so all that remained was to extricate the spindle/rotor/caliper assembly. Wheeler placed a jack under the lower control arm and lowered it until the loosened top ball joint was free; he then lifted the works up and off the lower ball joint (which had also already been loosened).

POL's big brake kits rely on the tried-and-true PBR 38mm dual-piston aluminum caliper. These calipers were first introduced on the '96 Corvette Grand Sport and have been a staple for brake swappers ever since. They're a full floating design, lightweight yet rigid, and feature fins to help disperse braking heat. POL loads them up with Raybestos HP brake pads. Ceramic pads, polished calipers, and braided-stainless lines are available as options; we went for the upgraded hoses.

The difference between the old-school one-piston caliper and the considerably more modern two-piston PBR unit is striking, but we took this shot to highlight the modifications necessary to adapt a factory spindle to the big-brake configuration. POL utilizes a special fixture that allows it to cut off the old caliper ears and correctly drill the new holes for attaching the caliper cage, properly aligning the caliper every time. Stock height and drop spindle setups are available.

Much as we'd like to get into an extensive explanation of how the new brake system is installed, it really isn't necessary. POL's big brake kits come fully assembled: The hub, bearings, studs, drilled and slotted Raybestos HP rotors (we upgraded to zinc plated), and calipers are all in place on a powerdercoated caliper for your application (setups are available for Tri-5s, '58-70 B-bodies, '62-79 Novas, '67-81 Camaros, and '64-72 Chevelles). All Wheeler had to do was bolt the new spindle into the spot just vacated by the old setup, reattach the swaybar, and hook up the stainless brake line. Looks good, yes?

After repeating the front brake swap on the driver side, we moved out back. The car is equipped with Hotrods to Hell's Truckarm rear suspension, as you can see, but the car's original 12-bolt rearend and drum brakes (albeit with really long studs) are equally in evidence. The downward force created under braking with a Truckarm setup allowed this Chevelle to make the most of its non-power drum binders; still, there was room for improvement.

PARTS LIST
ITEM			PRICE
13-inch big brake, front setup			1,000
12-inch rear disc conversion			750
Hydroboost w. master cylinder/prop valve combo			450
Hydroboost line kit			250
TOTAL			$2,450
BRAKING IT DOWN
		BEST	3-STOP AVG
Manual disc/ drum combo		158 ft.	166 ft.
POL power 4-wheel discs		145 ft.	147 ft.

To complement our new mondo front binders, we chose one of POL's 12-inch rear disc conversion kits. This setup is also based on a Corvette-spec, internal parking brake rear caliper, and grabs Raybestos HP rotors. POL's Chadick calls the combination a matched caliper system: "They're all Corvette items, and they're engineered to work together." Given our results, we'd add that they're made to work well together.

Installing the new rear disc setup means that the old binders must first be excised, which of course means the Chevelle's C-clip axles must be removed so that the drum backing plates could be removed. The POL rear disc conversion kit comes with concise directions for installation, but we ended up improvising a bit. In most cases, the caliper mounting bracket would be placed so that the caliper sets to the rear; the Truckarm setup wouldn't allow it, so we faced the calipers forward; it works either way. Note that the rotor is firmly bolted to the axle using a couple of lug nuts (1). This is critical, since the caliper mounting bracket must be shimmed (2) so that the rotor is centered and parallel to the brake pad surfaces.

Once the caliper was properly aligned with the rotor and bolted into place, it was simple to plumb the brake lines and attach the new emergency brake cables. The POL kit comes with new hard lines that run from the center T-fitting out to the axle ends, where they make the connection with the brake hoses (arrow).

While we were primarily interested in improving this Chevelle's rear brake performance, it's fair to say that the new setup is a considerable upgrade in the looks department as well. This shot also shows the e-brake cable setup (arrow). The slotted cable ends connect to the activation levers on each caliper; the other end attaches to the factory parking brake equalizer near the front of the car. The cables were adjusted for proper tension at the equalizer, and voil, we had working e-brakes.

Once our new upsized four-wheel discs were locked into place at each corner, we turned our attention to how we would activate the new arrangement, namely with a new master cylinder and proportioning valve and the leg-saving advantages of a pressure booster. The manual master cylinder and combination valve combo the car originally came with was designed to work with a factory front disc/rear drum combo and isn't up to the task of operating our new system.

In this case, our quest for a new power-boosted master cylinder system started with a changeover to power steering, done at POL before we arrived to document the brake install. POL's setup is based on a standard ratio, GM 800-series power steering box (as found in later A- and G-body vehicles) and the appropriate Saginaw power pump. Space constraints in the big-block-filled engine bay necessitated use of a remote fluid reservoir; this unit from POL is pretty slick and makes fluid level checks a snap. Small-block guys could probably use a traditional pump/reservoir duo. The conversion goes for about $580.

So why all the hoopla about power steering in a brake upgrade story? A typical brake booster uses engine vacuum to multiply the force your foot applies to the master cylinder, which creates vital line pressure. In this case, since engine vacuum is in short supply in this big-cammed Rat, Becker chose a Hydroboost to provide power assist capabilities for the new brake setup, and this unit relies on the hydraulic pressure in the power-steering system rather than engine vacuum. We preassembled the pieces of our new master cylinder/booster combo for this shot--the lines for the Hydroboost are in the background.

The Hydroboost unit bolts in just like a typical vacuum booster--in most cases, it actually takes up less space. The blue canister on the side of the unit is an accumulator, aka nitrogen reserve. This canister stores hydraulic pressure from the power-steering system, providing back-up assist power for up to three brake applications if the engine stalls.

The system was rounded out with a POL master cylinder/proportioning valve combos. Wheeler filled the master cylinder and let it soak for an hour before bench-bleeding it--an overnight soaking is even better. Chadick recommended a master with a 11/8-inch bore; with the amount of power assist provided by the Hydroboost, he was concerned that the brakes might be too sensitive if a 1-inch bore was used. It was a good call.

The final step was to install the extensive line kit for the Hydroboost--in short, the power-steering pressure line runs to the booster and on to the steering box; the return lines, one from the Hydroboost and another from the power steering gear box, "T" together and run back to the pump. The extra effort here paid off big time at the brake pedal--we got immediate and powerful stopping action without having to use nearly as much leg muscle, stopping shorter, easier, and more consistently. CHP

GET THE HOOKUP
Performance Online
714.278.0098 · performanceonline.com

Tesla Electronics
310.452.0030 · gtechpro.com

Edelbrock 555CI Street-Pounder
Edelbrock wanted a ton of horsepower in a street-friendly package, so eight-time Pro Street world champ drag racer Pat Musi was drafted to help develop and hand-build this 555ci street pounder.

To make a ton of power yet retain reliability on the street, they started with a Dart Big-M block. The package also includes a Scat crank, JE pistons, and Eagle H-beam rods. Of course, Edelbrock's own Victor 24-degree cylinder heads, Victor 454-R intake manifold, and 800-cfm Thunder-series carb are used in combination with Crane Gold-series rockers and a roller camshaft mated with an MSD distributor and a Moroso oil pan. And the added bonus to this killer deal? How about 650 hp and 650 lb-ft with a warranty. That's right, Edelbrock will warranty this big-block crate motor for two years with no mileage limitations.

Price: $12,800
Edelbrock
Torrance, CA
800.416.8628
edelbrock.com

Stop It!
13-Inch Brake Kits
Classic GM vehicles were known for their high horsepower and ability to shred the tires with the blip of the throttle-not for their ability to halt quickly. That's changed with Performance Online's 13-inch cross-drilled and slotted rotors. They feature full floating aluminum calipers with dual 38mm pistons, all of their assemblies are clearanced for proper fit and function, and they come with spindles. These kits are available in stock height or with 2-inch drop spindles. Performance brake pads, bearings, seals, hubs, brake hoses, grease caps, spindle nuts, mounting brackets, and all the necessary hardware are included.

Price: up to $1,000
Performance Online
Fullerton, CA
800.638.1703
performanceonline.com

Rev It Up
Solid Rolller Lifters
Cutting weight is always a good thing-especially in your valvetrain. Comp Cams' solid roller lifters for Gen IIIs are 14 grams lighter than their original design and allow for carefree upper-rpm revving. Thanks to an enhanced, pressure-fed oiling design to the roller axle and bearing, Comp Cams ensures longevity, and the lifters can be purchased individually or in sets of 16.

Price: $606 / SET
Comp Cams
Memphis, TN
901.795.2400
compcams.com

Nascar Tech
SRP Professional Pistons
Build your own Nextel Cup-style engine with SRP's new Professional line of pistons, developed with NASCAR technology. Using 3D computer modeling to achieve an efficient design, the U.S.- manufactured SBC pistons consist of lightweight forged side reliefs (FSR), high-quality wrist pins, and precision CNC-machined ring grooves with high-performance piston rings.

Price: $630
JE/SRP pistons
Huntington Beach, CA
714.898.9764
srp.com

March To The Beat
Serpentine Kit
It's now possible to get all of your accessories in one highly styled, low-cost serpentine system. March Performance has a one-piece billet aluminum bracket system that will provide a mounting location for your alternator, A/C, and power steering. It features a CNC construction that's machined out of 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum. And with its clear powdercoat, it'll help eliminate those hard-to-reach polishing places. Each system includes a Power Master alternator, an A/C compressor, a water pump with pulleys and covers, and all brackets and mounting hardware. Available with a power steering pump for $300 more.

Price: $1,200
March Performance
Naples, FL
239.593.4074
marchperformance.com

This is the way to do a box Nova right, boys and girls, especially the one with the sleekest, sweetest sheetmetal ever arranged on an X-car. These coupes are good-looking, sure; but surely, they ain't got a shred of substance. No handling power. Won't take a big engine without a major frontend hack. Brakes work better when you drag your feet. Handling? Wheeled washtubs. But man, they look good, don't they? Aftermarket comes to the rescue. Compared to the old Nova, one with the right updates has adapted envelopes of hellish power but still looks stock on the outside. It all works like a champ. So why isn't Bo Harden tired of this car yet?

It is no longer a car. It has become a fixture in his life. He's owned the Nova for more than half of his 38 years, tending it like a child, giving the best stuff imaginable. The Nova has naturally followed him into adulthood. The Nova is here to stay. Though it vibes badass right in plain sight, the Nova's impulse is subdued by the Artesian Turquoise pigment, the rollcage mostly tucked away from sight, and those big back tires that look like they just fell on the car. It's kind of like stealth implied. Yup, your eyes see me but your head is looking at me in a completely different context. Novas were ingrained in the young Bo. You could say he was brainwashed by 'em. His grandparents had them, "so I always wanted one," crows Bo. Granddad laid Nova Number One on him with a stipulation: The motor couldn't get any bigger than a 283.

"I found this car locally. The gentleman had five from which to choose. I picked the '66 SS because it had a Turbo 350 with a shift kit, new silver paint, and a 262ci V-8 from a '75 Monza. I rebuilt the frontend and did the interior over. By the end of my senior year in high school, I'd built a 283 and a 10-bolt Posi. Six months later, I had a 355 with a tunnel ram on it. "I drove it that way for two years," Bo continues. "Then I built the 406 that's been in it since 1991. I stopped driving the car every day because I lost my license for too many tickets. Guess that's why Dad didn't want me to have a fast car."

We'd guess that Dad's reasoning, however, was deemed pathetic and completely lost on Bo. "On a 150-shot, the street tires spin but it still clipped a high 11," Bo confides. The no-bite situation got him hot for a mini-tub job. With slicks, it ran 12.20s on the motor.

In 2003, 20 years to the day after he got the Nova, Bo blew it apart again and completely redid all the systems except for the bullet, because he wanted "everything to be new all at once. If I could find N.O.S. or new parts, I bought them. It's all new, from brake lines to wiring harness."

And so it was. Bo stuck a coilover front suspension in the Nova, thus freeing up lots of useable real estate and blessing the car with enviable handling characteristics to go with the much improved braking power. The frontend swap also stiffened the car, bringing parity to the eight-point rollcage and the subframe connectors. All the right stuff for this unibody. Though braking is curtailed by wheel diameter, at least the binders are discs all around.

"I've had a bunch of offers from people wanting to buy it," Bo says. Then he explains that he couldn't do something like that because it was his first car and it is quite irreplaceable. Amen, Bo. (But if you do, please call me first!-RM)

DRIVEGEAR
Tommy Scoggins in Monroe, Georgia, built the 406 small-block with a '70 400ci cylinder case that Ewing Automotive in Snellville had machined to spec along with all the rotating parts. Tommy used a stock crank cut 0.010/0.010 and put TRW 10.5:1 flat-top pistons circled by Sealed Power moly rings on the stock 400 connecting rods. A Comp Cams solid roller shoulders 254/265 degrees of duration at 0.050, but the lift number is a secret. Tommy sunk it in the block with a Comp timing chain and covered his tracks with a 6-quart Moroso oil pan. The ported Dart II angle-plug cylinder heads were built with 2.05/1.60-inch valves, Crane roller rocker arms, and Comp retainers and pushrods. An Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake accepts a 750 Holley that now flows at least 930 cfm. Phasing the ignition, an MSD distributor, Blaster coil, 6AL box, and timing control, which is required to help manage the NOS Cheater 150-shot. Fuel delivery is by a brace of Holley black pumps, Mallory fuel filters, and AN-10 lines from the 12-gallon fuel cell. You'll notice how uncluttered Bo's engine compartment is, an image heightened by the backswept Hooker Super Comp fenderwell headers that dump into a 3-inch system monitored by Flowmaster cans. Cooling the small-block in those torrential Georgia summers is left to a big Be Cool core and electric fans as well as a CSI water pump. Bo hiked up to Buford to see Steve Howard about the transmission. Steve built the Turbo 400 with a Turbo Action manual shift valvebody and gave it impetus via a TCI 10-inch converter with a 3,500 stall speed. He gave it longevity with a B&M cooler and oil pan and hooked it to an aluminum prop shaft. The ultimate twist is absorbed by a Fab 9 axle and a spool "differential" spinning 4.56s.

CHASSIS
Before he touched anything else, Bo had HR Race Car Products in Comer, Georgia, attack the frame and all it encompasses. HR stretched the factory wheeltubs 2 inches and notched the rear of the car to accept them. They hung a narrowed (10 inches) Fab 9 axlehousing with coilover shocks and located it with a four-link setup. A Flaming River rack steering works with 2-inch dropped spindles. When the HR crew installed the Heidt's frontend assembly, they introduced more favorable geometry to the system, chopped off ugly fat, and gave it lighter, more efficient components. No more wishing, hoping, or dragging feet.

WHEELS & BRAKES
This '60s Nova carries '73 Chevy 11-inch discs in front and GM 10-inch rotors in back, all of it neatly tucked behind 15-inch race wheels. The skinnies are 15x165 metrics on Weld 3.5-inch-wide forgings. Drive wheels roll out on P325/50R15 BFG g-Force tires and 10.5-inch-wide Weld Draglites.

INTERIOR
Rollin' Relics in Madison got the interior assignment. This rendition includes Year One seat covers and door panels in the stock shade of turquoise. As a matter of fact, stock abounds here, right down to the AM squawkbox. Wiring is stock. The dashboard is stock. The Auto Meter Ultra-Lite gauges and the shoulder harness are not. Dig that skinny stock steering wheel.

BODY
The PPG two-stage Artesian Turquoise tends to lull the viewer into a false sense of security. There's no bling, no red to inflame, no flames to urge. It's charming and sedate-the only thing hinky is the Glasstec 4-inch cowl hood, and that sort of blends in anyway. Bowers Collision and Customs in Lawrenceville did the job. CHP

Get Your Car In CHP!
E-mail: Send photos and info to chevyhi@sourceinterlink.com.
Digital photos must be 300 dpi at 5x7 inches.
Mail: CHP Rides, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048

OEM-Plus
'69 Z/28 Camaro
Charles Page
Columbus, OH

Charles bought this Z/28 Camaro back in 1971 for a mere 1,300 clams. It only needed a left front fender, a grille, a bumper, and a new clutch. Fast-forward five years and it received a fresh coat of paint and hadn't seen the rain since '72. What's crazier? It still has the rear sneakers that he purchased in 1976. Charles admits his Camaro doesn't get driven much these days; it's got less than 50k on the clock. But the Muncie four-speed 302 will clock 12.33 at 110 mph on the track. Not bad for stock trim.

Working Man's '67
'67 Chevelle
Brian Young
Jefferson, TN

When you use the best, good things happen. Brian's '67 is a prime example of how even the working man can drive a sweet ride. His Merlin 540 is stuffed with an Eagle crank and rods, SRP pistons, and AFR heads with Jesel shaft-mount rockers. A Moroso pump and pan control oil flow while the 1,050-cfm carb fuels the fire. Out back, a fortified 12-bolt with 4.11:1 cogs and Moser axles transfers the 700 hp and more than 640 lb-ft of torque to the wheels.

Auto-X Z28
'91 Camaro Z28
Jason Mayher
Bismark, ND

It's too bad we couldn't list all of this Camaro's mods-it's got a ton. Even with 62,000 original miles on it, Jason isn't afraid to throw his third-gen through the cones at local autocross events. His rebuilt 355ci features a complete Eagle rotating assembly with Crane Gold Race Rockers sitting on AFR heads, and a TPIS Bigmouth intake and runners are fed by a Holley throttle body. For autocross duty, a C5 big brake upgrade with braided-stainless lines stops the corner carver in a hurry. 1LE sway bars, BMR strut bars, and polyurethane bushings with P275/ 35R18 BFGs aid him through the turns.

Hot Nova
'70 Nova
Mike Cosculluela
Englewood, OH

Mike Cosculluela's '70 Nova is sure to grab attention in his hometown. Not only does it have a custom hot rod-style flame paint job, but it was also fitted with fiberglass bumpers front and back along with a cowl hood. The worked-over 327ci small-block is backed by a Turbo 350 transmission, and a set of 3.73:1 cogs out back gets the rubber spinning: 16x7 and 17x8 Torq-Thrust American Racing Wheels on all four corners.

Budget 'Maro
'69 Camaro SS
Timothy Land
South Portland, ME

Like most of us, Timothy Land was on a budget, and while this car took him five years to complete, it was obviously time well spent. Tim began with a frame-off restoration; the wiring, fuel and brake systems, suspension, and interior were scrapped and replaced with original GM products. He dropped in a built 427ci small-block with GMPP aluminum heads and manifold. To get the Camaro moving, a Turbo 350 transmission was installed and mated to a Hole Shot converter and backed up with an Auburn-geared 3.55:1 10-bolt.

Many an owner's first experience with an Internet purchase leaves something to be desired. Either the object is smaller than the image led you to believe, or it's not the quality you thought you were paying for. Without a money-back guarantee, you've probably learned a valuable lesson. Terry Bradley's first experience purchasing a vehicle from photos on the Internet was a lesson he will not soon, if ever, forget.

The vehicle for sale description read: This '71 Chevy is a "bad boy" equipped with a 390hp TPI LT engine, runs smooth, and is fast. Features include power steering, A/C, and aluminized exhaust from headers to rear of truck. Great condition from bumper to bumper-no rust anywhere. Terry states, "What the description should have read: The floorboards, rocker panels, and cab corners are rusted through, but cleverly filled and painted to look like new. The truck was wrecked and the frame bent-and the body mounting holes had been elongated so that the bed could be bolted to the frame and aligned with the cab. Many other problems have been hidden or disguised."

It's hard to believe these extremely poor conditions, among others, were discovered hidden under the layers of fresh paint on his '71 Chevrolet Cheyenne when Terry took it to his home in Waverly, Kansas. But like many truck owners, Terry decided to do the right thing. The right thing was to take his truck down to the bare chassis and start over with reliable parts installed by an experienced shop. The experienced shop was Hot Rods by Rohrer's.

The entire rebuilding process was accomplished in a relatively short time period, considering how far the '71 Chevy Cheyenne had to go. Terry wanted his truck to be something extra special and insisted the paint "pop" when viewers saw it. Plus, it had to stand out in a crowd. We think this was accomplished perfectly, and show judges seem to confirm this fact. Terry's truck has been selected for an award at each of the shows it attended this past summer.

Terry is now looking forward to many years of enjoyment in his professionally built and beautifully finished '71 Chevy Cheyene. He states the restoration experience has made him new friends-and he would like to thank everyone who was involved with the process . . . with the possible exception of the previous owner

Those authentic American Racing wheels from back in the day say it all. Dennis Sewell thrives on real '60s speed equip-ment, musclecars, and most importantly the correct look. So when this factory L78 SS 396 Chevelle hit the classifieds, he had to have it. After a quick call to the owner, who lived 350 miles away, Dennis and his musclecar buddy Frank Saenz fueled up a car hauler and headed north on California's I-5.

Just after 10 that morning they stood in the driveway next to the Garnet Red Chevelle. The road trip proved rewarding when they found this pristine example fitted with a solid-lifter Rat, a Holley carb, an aluminum intake, rectangular-port heads, and an M22 transmission. Dennis told us, "The matching-numbers 375-horse 396 looked great, but the original chambered pipes were shot and sounded like an old set of glasspacks. This made such a racket at idle I could hardly hear what the seller was telling me about the car." When the engine finally stopped, the two struck a deal.

Dennis is no newcomer to the musclecar scene. The baby boomer parks the '69 Chevelle next to his flawless '66 big-block El Camino. With Frank's help the '69 SS 396 now has better-than-new looks. Of course those worn-out chambered pipes came off, in their place a new set of throaty Dyno-Max mufflers and pipes. Frank spent weeks under the SS 396 hood detailing and painting the engine and compartment. Around the car, Dennis replaced many worn trim items with new parts to achieve stunning looks.

Dennis tells us it's his back-in-the-day machine when he rows the four-speed shifter, throttles the L78 to over six grand, and feels the pull in the seat. Just like in 1969, it takes the right stuff to do that.

Engine
For '69 the special high-performance L78 396 engines featured an 800-cfm Holley carburetor, a solid-lifter camshaft, big-port cast-iron heads, an 11:1 compression ratio, a Tufftrided steel crankshaft, and forged pistons. Back in the day these cars didn't need a lot of throttle to barbecue the stock, skinny bias-belted tires, in any of the four gears. The 50-state A.I.R. system is packed away.

Paint
Garnet Red paint covers the Chevelle's long hood and short deck. The optional landau vinyl roof nicely separates the classic lines of the car. The black side strip is the same as the factory issue.

Interior
Inside the Chevelle you'll find a console,a four-speed shifter attached to an M22, a tilt wheel, factory gauges, bucket seats, and power windows. This combination of performance and luxury items was

Chassis
The chassis of an SS 396 included heavy-duty suspension, a 12-bolt rear axle assembly, power front-disc brakes, and, like all other A-bodies, a full perimeter frame. That rear sway bar is a factory item measuring 0.875 inch in diameter. It's also the same part number that Chevrolet first installed on the '65 Z-16 396 Chevelle.

Wheels & Tires
Mint-condition-and real-American Torq-Thrust wheels manufactured during the '60s are hard to come by. All four measure 15x8.5 inches and are fitted with Good-year P215/65R15 radials. Tucked away in Dennis's shop are the original 14-inch SS 396 rims.

When you were a high school kid, you had to have wheels, but even if you didn't, you always knew someone who did and became their best pal whether you liked them or not. The four O'Conell boys had it made. Jim was the oldest and therefore held the ticket to the universe-a white '65 four-door Chevelle with a red vinyl gut. They shared it for nearly a decade ('70 through '78). It carried them to school as well as every game, dance, and party. They never forgot the camaraderie. Or the car.

By modern standards, that saloon had nothing going for it, except that it ran and took them wherever they wanted to go. It was a spartan sled, no air, no power anything, bench seats, and three-on-the-tree-but the boys did find cultural enrichment by hanging an eight-track tape player under the dashboard and sinking big speakers in the doors.

Two years ago, Jim began his search for lost youth. A year later, he found that fuzzy photograph in his mind and bought it sight unseen, save for the images online. "I didn't want the vehicle because it would be rare but because it was the same make and model that I'd shared with my brothers. I was pleasantly surprised at how great the body was. It was blue with a blue interior. I thought I'd give it a coat of white, make it drivable, and tool it around on Sunday afternoons." But Brian Dean at Ultimate Customs (ultimateva.com) in Dulles, Virginia, took one look and planned radical moves.

"He quickly convinced me to give it modern technology that would keep me interested once the nostalgia wore off. Wow, was he right! Corvette engine, automatic transmission, power everything, leather, big brakes and suspension, 18s, state-of-the-art sound system, and a lot more detailed stuff. Everything on the outside says 1965 but the vehicle is present day," says Jim.

Though the White Bomb is show-car neat and lavishly appointed, it was built strictly as a driver, with low maintenance and reliability as its priorities.

Builder Brian attests, "The exterior was to have an old-school appearance with a touch of modern muscle, and we wanted the engine compartment to retain the uncluttered look of the '60s."

For the interior, Brian retained the column-shift steering post, factory gauges, factory radio, and so forth, but also has it vibe a comfortable, more luxurious feel. One look says he engineered success. We're not fond of a red gut, but the way this one's been done casts some doubt about that now. As for that cultural enrichment thing, the powerful audio/information center is off the hook. Brian says the sound quality is amazing because of the high-end components and the flawless and quite hidden installation. The leather-lined trunk is cool touch. It looks great but is still rugged enough to swallow four sets of golf clubs.

How'd the boys like it? "When I got the car back, I had my brothers over for a showing. They all thought they were seeing a ghost," Jim chortles, "Except that the original 'Velle never looked like this. Seeing the car brought so many memories for all of us. We reminisced late into the night over more than a few Heinekens. Although, if we really wanted to relive our youth, we would have found some cold cans of Schlitz."

Drivegear
Given the new curb weight (about 3,100 pounds) and its new mission, the engine didn't need to be a hellion, but it had to be down for reliability as well as feel sprightly under Jim's right foot. The motor's a 350hp 5.7L out of a '00 Corvette and is untouched, save for a Camaro throttle-body conversion, a Camaro oil pan (and pick-up) that clears the crossmember, and Hummer H2 exhaust manifolds and heat shields. Brian strung a 2.5-inch ceramic-coated exhaust system from the manifolds to the Corvette cats, the custom H-pipe, and back to the Magnaflow mufflers. A custom-built isolation box and K&N filter nestled inside the passenger-side fender sprouts a 311/42-inch intake tube that becomes one of the engine's focal points. The fuel system gathers a Walbro 255- lb/hr in-tank pump and a Corvette inline fuel filter and regulator assembly that fill custom-bent stainless steel lines complemented by AN fittings.

A custom four-core aluminum radiator with a built-in transmission cooler lurks behind a one-off shroud and a single SPAL 16-inch-diameter puller fan. The external power steering cooler and billet overflow tank were powdercoated.

Transferring the power is nothing less than a 4L60E (from a '99 F-body) to feed torque to the powdercoated 10-bolt axle stocked with an Eaton True Trac differential, Richmond 3.91:1 gears, and stock axles.

Chassis
Removing the body from the frame afforded an excellent opportunity to sandblast the rails clean and powdercoat them in satin black. A notch in the front crossmember provides clearance for the A/C compressor. Overlooking nothing in the chassis prep, Brian broomed all the heavy suspension members and put up some sensationally sleek Global West upper and lower wishbones from its G-Plus Kit, 1-inch lowering springs, QA1 adjustable coilover shocks, a 111/48-inch antisway bar, and polyurethane bushings in all the joints. In back, Global tubular lower control arms, adjustable upper arms, 1-inch lowering springs, QA1 shocks, and a 1-inch antisway bar keep things under control.

The Chevelle reacts a lot quicker now with its Flaming River power steering box as abetted by a Corvette power steering pump, a Flaming River collapsible steering shaft with Borgeson joints, and a Flaming tilt steering column with the shifter on the column, just like the old days.

Interior
When the chemically stripped body arrived at Ultimate, Brian savaged the insides with sound deadener, laying Dynamat all over the floor, the inner firewall, the doors, and the roof. He pieced the interior together with remolded factory seats that he covered in custom red leather. He replaced the 40-year-old lap straps with retractable thee-point safety belts, installed seat belts in the rear, hand-stitched the door panels, and plopped a Billet Specialties 15-inch, leather-wrapped Classic steering wheel on top of the Flaming River column. For some flash down low, he hung Lokar billet aluminum pedals above the ACC carpet and floor mats. Jim ogles that factory SS gauge package beneath the factory repo dashpad. Finally, Brian dyed all the panels and trim to match the interior.

Woe be that dastardly eight-track contraption, now just a bad memory. Big stuff here: an Alpine head unit with CD and MP3, Sirius satellite radio, and an iPod hookup. Ultimate flush-mounted Boston Acoustics 5-inch Pro Series speakers in the front doors and 611/42-inch speakers in the package tray are balanced by a JL Audio 10 W-3 subwoofer captured by an airtight enclosure in the trunk. They concluded the arrangement with a JL 300 X4 amplifier working with a JL 250 X1 amp. The head unit and iPod were mounted in the glovebox, and Jim changes them up by pointing the remote control at the original radio in the dashboard. A Painless 18-curcuit harness manages everything, including custom-fab'd power window regulators, power door locks, and a keyless entry system.

No more hot August nights for this boy, either. Jim thought air conditioning was indispensable and got proactive with Vintage Air. The compressor is mounted low on the engine, and custom dash vents and a modified A/C box direct air beneath the dashboard factory style. All hoses leading from the engine compartment have been hidden.

BodyLuckily, the car was completely free of rust, so Ultimate disassembled the structure and had it chemically stripped before laying down the PPG '06 Corvette Arctic White. The shell was finished off with 3M undercoating as applied with a Schutz gun. The chrome is all new, the glass is tinted, and the fenders proudly display LS1 badges.

Wheels & Brakes
The brakes are just as serious as the suspension, no less than 13-inch slotted rotors front and rear squeezed by PBR calipers fed by custom-tweaked stainless steel lines. Billet Specialties 18x8 Roulette rims, with powdercoated accents, post Michelin Pilot Sport P225/45ZR and P255/ 40ZR rubber.

When most people hear the word Illinois, they quickly think of Chicago, and suddenly their heads fill with thoughts of blues, L-trains, and footlong kielbasas. In a state with such one-word associations, it is difficult to make an impact on anyone outside your own area code, unless your name is Ditka or Jordan. So how does an Illinois native outside the city limits of Chicago go about making a statement to the nation that does not include sausages, Da Bears, or the blues? For Jim Crowder, the solution was simple: a custom classic truck.

Four hours and nearly 300 miles southwest of Chicago in the town of Kane, Illinois, Jim set out to show the nation that a hot rod enthusiast from the Land of Lincoln can make a splash in the custom world. Jim's plan of attack was to create a one-of-a-kind pickup truck that made its own impact on all who encountered it, but first he had to decide what to work with. Jim's previous creations shared a common theme: they were all '53-56 Ford pickups and panels. So for this project, he decided to break into the next generation of Fords and paint his masterpiece on the canvas of a '61 Ford F-100.

Jim wanted to maintain the classic '61 Ford look, but style it with its own unique flair. First, he needed a steady foundation on which to base his truck. With options that seemed limitless, it was a matter of deciding which route to take. On the one hand, he could stick with the time-tested standard Ford frame, or fabricate a custom undercarriage. Since the original frame was a proven foundation and in good condition, Jim decided to anchor his Ford on the original chassis, but add a few modifications. First, he elected to ditch the stock straight-axle and upgrade to independent suspension. He chose to go with a Volare front clip. Besides the added driving comfort of modern-day vehicles, the Volare clip also allowed him to bring the truck two inches closer to the pavement. Out back, he used the 9-inch rearend with a 3.53 gear ratio. To transform his chassis into the attention-grabber it aspired to become, he slapped on a set of 17-inch Boyd Stingray shoes and wrapped them in Sumitomo rubber.With the project well underway, Jim's next decision was what to stick under the hood. Jim opted for a '80 351 Windsor that he handed off to Gene Copeland to bring to life. Gene threw in an Edelbrock carburetor and intake manifold and a set of Hedman headers for maximum breathing. He also added a Lunati Voodoo camshaft and a Jackson geardrive. Even though the Windsor is an impressive motor on its own, it still lacked that one unique defining feature Jim was looking for. To create this, he took it into his own hands and fabricated a custom air cleaner to transform his Windsor into a one-of-a-kind. Backing the Windsor is a Ford C-6 tranny.

After introducing the Windsor to the modified frame, it was time to bring the Ford's exterior up to par. First, he made some modifications to the body itself. He shaved the handles and added a bed cover. He also reworked the tailgate and roll pan. Next, it was time to spray the Ford with a color that could do it justice. Jim needed a paint scheme that would transform his Ford from a hopeless contender to the main-event feature. He chose to shoot the truck himself with his weapon of choice, PPG Sunset Orange and Silver. He also mixed up some custom paint to lay down the mild yet striking flames.

On the inside, Jim went with the same mentality of custom meets Ford. He built a custom armrest and kick panels and installed new door panels. He also threw in a Lecarra steering wheel and a custom instrument panel with VDO gauges. He stuck with the stock bench seat to help maintain the truck's original flavor, but it too was recovered in black Naugahyde.

With his vision complete, it's safe to say Jim has made the statement he was striving for, and he has served as undeniable proof to all of us that there is much more to Illinois than just Chicago.

Performance Monster
'79 MALIBU
Todd Geisler
Westminster, MD
Landing 9.47 at 140 mph in the quarter-mile doesn't come without a laundry list of help. Under the hood is a 454 bored 0.030 over to 461ci, plus hardware such as JE pistons, Eagle H-beam rods, a Melling high-volume oil pump, an Edelbrock intake manifold, a 1,000-cfm HP Holley carb, Jesel rockers and pushrods, Crower lifters, and an ATI SFI balancer. The car also features Hooker headers, a heavy-duty Denny's driveshaft, Mark Williams 35-spline axles, Strange disc brakes, and Mickey Thompson drag tires. The front suspension is mostly stock, but with Moroso coils and QA1 double-adjustable shocks. Out back are Wolfe Race Craft double-adjustable lower control arms and an antiroll bar.

The General's Own
'70 Camaro RS/SS
Matt Hiatt
Longview, WA
Matt got lucky and knows the bio of his RS/SS 396: It was owned by a Chevy rep who took it to the track on the weekends. That guy grenaded the original engine, but now it has a 454 with World Merlin heads, TRW forged pistons, Edelbrock 600-cfm carbs, a B&M Competition TH400, Moser axleshafts in the rear, and a Hurst shifter. Other add-ons include MSD electronics, two trunk-mounted Optima batteries, Flowmaster exhaust and ceramic headers, a Be Cool aluminum radiator, Global West springs and bushings, and KMC rims wrapped in Yokohama rubber. "It's a little quicker than it came from the factory," says Matt.

Saving The Pennies
'69 Camaro Z/28
Peter Dentice
Seaside, Ca
We've all had a high school fantasy-maybe yours involved Farrah or Jessica Alba. For Peter, it was the '69 Camaro-but he couldn't afford it then. Now he's the owner of this X77 Norwood Z/28 that's still pretty pure, save for the occasional spot of chrome. It's got American Racing rims, and he switched from LeMans Blue to Candy Blue and had the center caps machined to match the emblem. Peter hopes to install the original GM 2x4 cross-ram he's got sitting on a shelf-"That would make the car worth upward of $100,000."

Camaro Man Walking
'73 camaro
Rob Morell
San Bruno, CA
After high school graduation, Rob wanted to treat himself to a '69 Camaro...but sky-high prices resulted in this '73. It already had a 383 stroker with a roller cam and ported heads, so he immediately put it on the strip and street. Now there's a Dart small-block 408 with a Barry Grant fuel pump, a Kryptonite crankshaft, BigStuff3 EFI, Pro Topline ported-and-flowed 235cc heads, and an 88mm snail from Precision Turbo, which produce what Rob estimates at 1,200 hp with a tune by Don Bailey. He also runs an RS frontend, a TH400 with a transbrake, a Ford 9-inch with 3.50:1 cogs, and a custom-narrowed stainless steel gas tank.

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."

Red Hot
'69 Chevelle
Randy Blythe
Baytown, TX
Randy says it took him three and a half years to finish this Chevy, and that's with help from the family (wife Anna and sons Randy Jr. and Travis) and friends. For the complete body-off resto, he dropped in a Shafiroff 540ci Ultra Street engine and bolted up Lemons headers, a BG fuel system, a TH400 transmission, and a Moser 9-inch with a Detroit Locker. But wait-there's more! Randy invested in some Auto Meter gauges and 311/42-inch Borla mufflers, while underneath he added a pair of Chris Alston's adjustable control arms and QA1 shocks.

Tag, You're Not It
'69 camaro
Donn Taylor
Porterville, CA
Donn says 327 tags were on it when he bought it, so he is assuming the second owner thought it would sell better than the correct 307s. It was originally a "no" car-no gauges, no tach, no A/C, no power steering, no power brakes-although one coveted item Donn does have is the Protect-O-Plate. It now has a 355ci four-bolt with off-the-shelf heads from JEG's, Hooker headers, a Currie 9-inch, and disc brakes. The interior is still original, as is the four-speed transmission, although he's been eyeballing a Keisler five-speed.

Old-School Kickin' It
'55 chevy
Larry Cramer
Brookings, SD
When Larry bought this, it had been fairly neglected mechanically, which would cause some potential buyers to run away. But he saw the custom interior and decent paint and body. Everything else could be taken care of in his garage, such as the rebuilt front suspension with poly bushings, a ball-bearing idler-arm kit, and a sway bar with stainless steel power brakes and performance pads, while the rear also has poly bushings, a sway bar, and traction bars. The 350ci was bored 0.060 over to 360 ci and balanced and blueprinted, then given Speed-Pro flat-top pistons for 10.35:1 compression, and a Comp Cams cam. Larry then added aluminum Edelbrock RPM heads, a Holley carb, a K&N filter, an MSD ignition, Hedman headers, and more.

Surprise!
'63 nova
Chance Kelly
Braymer, MO
Chance's parents, Bob and Tammy, sent in the photo. When Chance was 14, he bought two cars-one for the drivetrain, the other for the SS body-and did a ground-up restoration after school and on the weekends with some help from his father and uncles, and within two years-voila. It has a 350 small-block, fenderwell headers, a 'Glide transmission with brake, and a 12-bolt Posi-traction rear. Those are Weld Pro Star wheels with BFG T/As out back and Mickey Thompson Sportsmans up front. Inside, the seats, door panels, and headliner are now red, and outside, that's a redo of the factory Artic White with Dupont clearcoat. Hey, Chance, you're in Chevy High.

Chevelle 2.0
'69 chevelle SS
Dale Iwanski
Stevens Point, WI
When Dale and his wife were dating, they had a '68 Chevelle and a '70 Boss 302 Mustang. They married and dumped the Ford, then about a year later, so long, Chevelle. It took a while, but the Chevelle hankering kicked in again and they found this stock, numbers-matching SS 396. It had the M21 four-speed, a 12-bolt rear, and the same drivetrain as the '68, so their yearning for days gone by was pacified. It does the car-show circuit and street duty.

Budget racer
'69 chevelle
Dennis Knight
Peralta, NM
How many of you can say your mom drag-raced? That's what we thought. Dennis can, and his mom passed down the Chevelle bug, so he got a '69 two-door-which was a pile. But for $2,300, Dennis and his dad envisioned a street machine that could be just as happy on the dragstrip. Of course, to keep costs down Dennis would have to build it himself. But he was up to the task, and the car is now powered by a 465hp 383 stroker bored 0.030 over, and it utilizes a Holley carb, an Edelbrock intake manifold, a Lunati cam, RPM mufflers, and a Hooker exhaust. It rides on Goodyears, a PST frontend rebuild kit with Superior 2-inch drop spindles, and a Hotchkis rear with KYB shocks. So far, it's run a best of 12.23 seconds at 113 mph!

Teacher's Pet
'70 Camaro RS
Steve Kornick
Buffalo Grove, IL
When this RS came into Steve's life, it was nothing more than a shell with the front clip off-sans engine and trans. But he jumped at the chance to bring the real world to his job as an automotive instructor and teach his students how to blend old and new. Steve did the body and paint, while the grasshoppers got busy on the Hotchkis springs, PST sway bars, Painless wiring, Auto Meter gauges, Scat seats, and other components. There's an LS1 drivetrain from a '98 Camaro SS, including disc stoppers. Its stance comes from Western Chassis 2-inch drop spindles, and the KMC Hot Wheels rims are 16- and 17-inch front and rear, respectively, with BFG represented at all four corners. There's also NASCAR-type side exhaust. Steve, A+.

Heavy Hauler
'91 Silverado
Daniel J. Alvarez
Mobile, AL
Daniel picked up this ex-work truck and instead of lugging cement rocks, it now hauls arse, thanks to a 383 small-block making 420 hp and 450 lb-ft, and he's shifting at 5,200 rpm. It features GM Vortec heads, an Edelbrock intake manifold, Hedman headers, and DynoMax racing mufflers. He's even bolted on a billet grille, a smoothie bumper, billet step plates, and BFG P275/60R15 G-Force radials on all four corners, with 2-inch drop shackles and 2-inch drop spindles. Rollers of choice are 15x10 Ultra Solid Deep Dish wheels.

Cool & Unusual
'84 Camaro Z28
Lynn A. Henninger
Milwaukee, WI
This car's theme is all about daring to be different, hence those Shelby side scoops molded to the roof pillars. "I hope you like her, as her generation doesn't seem to get much respect," defends Lynn. The Camaro gets motivated by a homebuilt 406ci with Edelbrock heads, and to fit the Holley 750 and Edelbrock RPM Air Gap manifold, a lot of trimming was done underneath. There's also a beefed-up 700-R4 trans with a B&M ratchet shifter and 2,300-stall converter, four-wheel discs, a Posi rearend, and American Torq-Thrust "originals." Lynn cut out the hood louvers for improved breathing, and there's a 4-inch rear spoiler.

It Might Be Finished
'97 Camaro Z28
Darin Blackburn
Clover, SC
Darin's 30th Anniversary Edition LT1 cranks out 300 ponies with the help of Edelbrock headers, a Flowmaster exhaust, and a K&N air system. Phantom gauges keep him alert to the vitals, and additional exterior mods include an SS hoodscoop and 17-inch Eagle alloy wheels. With 115,000 miles on the clock, Darin notes, "I don't know if I want to add too much more to it. It runs and sounds great." Ah, famous last words.

For Work & Play
'71 Camaro
Brad Keeney
Greeley, CO
Brad describes his car as Corvette performance in a Camaro four-seat body, with an affordable, under-$30K budget. This daily driver has even made cross-country treks, with his fuel-injected, supercharged 383 sporting AFR heads and a hydraulic roller cam. The rest of the car got upgraded too, including every gauge you can think of, a six-point rollbar, BFG rubber with Center Line wheels, a Lingenfelter-tweaked 700-R4, and a widened track width. Brad says he's run 11.5 seconds at high altitude and gets no less than 17 mpg on the highway.

Formerly "A Mess"
'68 Camaro
Ron & Cindy Patterson
Liberty, IN
When Ron and Cindy bought this 327, it was three colors, had no center console or carpet, and was in "sad condition." Yet it fired right up. They stripped and repainted the skin and rebuilt the suspension and brakes. About 10 years later, they stripped and repainted again and gave the engine an aluminum intake, a four-barrel carb, and a new camshaft. Cut to seven years later and it was another strip show, but they also graduated to a '77 454 with beefy improvements like Keith Black pistons, oval-port heads, a Weiand intake, a Holley Dominator carb, and Flowtech headers. On the dyno, it made 641 hp at 6,500 rpm and 605 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm. Other changes included a Centerforce clutch, a Lakewood bellhousing, 4.56:1 gears, and a custom-built radiator. They drive it wherever they can.

Reunited
'69 Camaro Z/28
Robert Moore
Winter Haven, FL
Robert bought this gem in high school-only to sell it after a year. But 14 years later it was his again, "as an absolute heap." Highlights of his three-year rebuild including new sheetmetal and N.O.S. parts, mini-tubbing for 390/4017 M&H Racemaster and P245/70R17 BFG rubber, a Harwood fiberglass hood, BMR upper and lower tubular A-arms with Moroso springs, and a 540ci Merlin big-block pumping out 812 horses on the dyno. With a full-race TCI TH350 trans, a Ford 9-inch rear stuffed with Moser splines, a Detroit Locker, and a Strange centersection, we doubt he's letting go this time.

Pro Functional
'55 Chevy
Chuck Grant
Houston, TX
From its Euro look to the '90 Corvette independent rear suspension, you're seeing Chuck's sweat and skill front and center. This automaker sampler is not discriminating-utilizing Porsche electric mirrors, BMW 7 Series 18x8 and 18x9.5 wheels, and '95 Chrysler 10-way adjustable leather seats. But the powerplant pulling this sled is the 345hp ZZ3 350ci crate motor, the '90 Corvette 700-R4 transmission, Hooker headers, a Holley 750-cfm carb, an MSD ignition, a Be Cool aluminum radiator, and aluminum/ stainless steel exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers. Also part of the creation are four-corner disc brakes, P235/45R18 and P255/40R18 Michelin Pilot Sport tires, and a Dakota Digital dash.

Simplicity
'67 Camaro
Buster & Joanie Jackson
Dalton, GA
The Jackson duo bought this '67 back in 1999 and haven't done much to it. However, what the team did do sure serves a purpose-especially that Vintage Air in the summer months. Buster swapped the six-cylinder for a 383 stroker with a Holley 750-cfm carb and Vortec heads. The car also has a Howe radiator, a 350 Turbo transmission, American Torq-Thurst 16-inch wheels, and Michelin Pilot Sport radials.

Show Boat
'67 Chevelle Ss 427 Wagon
Allan Strunk
Danube, MN
We always dig the back stories of our readers' rides, and Allan says his was originally built in 1967 as a promotional show vehicle. The 42,000-mile wagon has a 400hp 427 Tri-power, a four-speed transmission, a 12-bolt diff with Posi-traction, and power disc brakes and steering. For function, there's A/C, a roof rack, a tach, a power seat and tailgate window, cruise control, and a day/night mirror with a map light. For style, there's rally wheels and a woodgrain steering wheel.

126 Show Awards!
'64 Chevelle Malibu
James & Betty Stamey
Hickory, NC
James built his 'Bu from the ground up. The 300-horse 327 is mated to a Powerglide tranny and uses an Edelbrock intake, a Holley 780-cfm carb, and chrome -the valve covers, the water pump, the alternator, the air cleaner, and the chain cover. He also topped it off with braided hoses, an electric fan, rally wheels, and BFG T/A sneakers. The final step was to squirt it in a light royal blue hue-to match the blue crushed-velvet interior.

Without warning, something that has consumed Vinnie Saviano for all of his adult years is actually happening as the words come out of him.

"This has been a dream of mine, especially being a dedicated car-magazine reader for the last 30 years , so I feel it's a real honor to finally be in Chevy High. When I was about 12, I used to ride around on my bike looking at cars. I found a '69 Super Sport parked by the side of a gas station. I would sit on my bike and just stare at it and drool, dreaming of the day I could have my own.

"That day did arrive, in 1988. I was 21. My brother showed me a classified ad for a '69 Super Sport. When I pulled up and saw it, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the very same car I'd slobbered over! It was basically stock. It had a few dents and some rust, but it was very solid. I became the third owner. At the time, I was heavily into drag racing and I was obsessed with the movie American Graffiti. I wanted to be John Milner.

That's what young guys (and a helluva lot of old ones) crave-the speed, intensity, and the squishy-gut fact that it's happening on a public road. Several places on the Island are perfect for this big-rush activity. Civilians are not a concern and sometimes the cops even look away. Nowadays, with wife and family responsibilities weighing as heavily as his conscience, Vinnie's speed exhibitions are confined to the dragstrip.

Regardless of how many '69 Camaros we've met, Vinnie's could well be the epitome. The stance is perfect. The car is clean and simple and does all its work strictly on the motor. If we'd put a label on this Camaro it would be street-and-strip. Though the car appears tame, it relinquishes even the most basic creature comforts in the name of hard-core, and it ain't no gutted lightweight, neither (3,660 pounds). There's not a shred, or scab, or open space anywhere, and the back seat is still in place. What with those shades-of-the-'60s Cragar S/S wheels, it vibes time warp, and without the lines of a rollcage disrupting the visual image, the thing looks almost stock.

Where Vinnie runs, the whole car/street/drag thing is most cultlike. Undoubtedly, the regional dialects and accents infusing New York Metro sound coarse and altogether unsophisticated to ears west of the Hudson River. Behind the toughness perceived by the rest of the world (even over in Jersey) are people with big hearts, a standard of pride, and love of hobby that reaches beyond the normal car interest-lifestyle doesn't even come close. Vinnie's very proud that he drives his Chevy to the track and that it runs so well through closed exhaust and on pump gas.

It's likely you won't see the finesse. The motor appears an ordinary street bullet-until Vinnie cranks it and the sound swarms over you. You'd swear it was a big-block. It's got oil spray bars inside the rocker covers to keep the valvesprings cool. Those slick headers look store-bought but they're not. The sleeper mentality's goin' full-boogie here.

Finally, the Strangely Believe It category: "A coworker of mine was looking at the Camaro and he said, 'I know the original owner of this car.' He was sure of it because the appearance had not changed much from the old days. He said the guy had written his initials on the bottom of the console, so we looked. They were there. Eventually I met him and heard a very familiar story. He sold the Camaro (for $2,800) because it was time to buy a house." What goes around comes around.

Powertrain
Vinnie had JA Performance in Lynbrook, New York, develop a '70s-vintage 406-inch small-block (4.155x3.750) after legendary S&K Speed in Lindenhurst had tended to the machine work. S&K balanced, polished, and checked all clearances on the rotating assembly-Cola crankshaft, Lunati connecting rods, and Ross flat-tops that generate a 10.5:1 squeeze. JA oriented a 0.630-inch-lift, 264-degree-duration Comp Cams camshaft and chained it (straight up) to the crank with a GM timing set. Down below are a Moroso oil pump and 6-quart sump. To complete the long-block, JA gasket-matched the ports and installed Dart Pro 1 CNC aluminum castings finished with 64cc combustion chambers and 2.08-inch Manley intake valves. Hardware includes Crane 1.5/1.6:1 roller rockers, Comp Cams 955 valvesprings, and Manley pushrods, guides, retainers, and locks. A Victor Jr. intake manifold hosts a 750-cfm Holley worked over by Ten Speed in North Bellmore, New York, a 4-inch Super Sucker spacer, and a K&N element. Fuel comes up the old-fashioned way, pushed by an Edelbrock mechanical pump. Once fuel and air mix, they take marching orders from the MSD 6A ignition system set at 36 degrees total. Though those smoothie headers might appear to be ready-made, they represent MI Mike's subtle handiwork: 171/48-inch primary pipes that transition into a 3-inch system joined by nasty-bark Hooker Aero chambers. Mike also fabricated the rocker covers and the oil spray bars inside them. Fred at FB Performance Transmissions in Bayshore, New York, surgically implanted one of its 4STB-E three-speed full manual automatics (based on the 4R70W Ford) equipped with a transbrake as well as an overdriven top gear (2.84, 1.56, 1.00, 0.70:1). It has a 900hp capacity and uses electrical activation for the converter and OD lockup functions, but does not interface with the ECU. Vinnie flips the OD switch next to the Hurst Quarter Stick and the tranny goes fat for the freeway walk home. An FB 8-inch torque converter does the multiplication behind a gnarly 4,100-stall speed. Torque flies (yes, it does) down an FB driveshaft, and an oil cooler keeps the tranny juice on a low simmer. It all comes out the 12-bolt axle fitted with a 4.10:1 final drive (2.87:1 in OD), an Eaton limited-slip differential, and Moser 31-spline axles.

Inside
The beauty of Vinnie's Camaro is its simplicity. There's very little inside today that wasn't there 35 years ago. Every panel and stitch of upholstery is GM resto fare as applied by S/P Classic