Build 'Em Big
Your Shop Talk in the Feb. '10 issue hit home with me. I own a '94 Caprice Classic with BMR adjustable rear control arms, Speed Tech front lower A-arms, and lowered 2 inches all around. I also have 3.42:1 gears, an Eaton posi, and Impala SS wheels with P245/60R17 (soon P275/R40 on rear) tires. I'm still deciding which shocks to go with, but I will be ordering a set of BMR front and rear sway bars soon. So, yes, I hope you decide to showcase B-bodies in upcoming issues.

Harrison Root
Via emailinline_mediumwraptextright28028887/hotnews/1004chp_april_2010_chevy_high_performance_letters1004chp_02_o+april_2010_chevy_high_performance_letters+chevy_camaro.jpgTrue

There is no denying that there are fewer custom/tuner car enthusiasts involved in this segment of the collector car hobby than five to eight years ago. However, the people who are still involved today are just as, if not more, passionate about their vehicles and the hobby than ever before. Carlisle Events, one of the world's largest presenters of car, truck and motorcycle events is dedicated to continuing to offer an event that allows custom/tuner enthusiasts the opportunity to compete, show and celebrate their passion. The fourteenth year of the Carlisle Performance & Style event will motor back to the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds May 8th & 9th. Carlisle Events bills Performance & Style as, "more than a car show" but rather a "motorsports and lifestyle celebration, that plays host to over 1,500 of the hottest, loudest, fastest and most tricked-out cars, trucks and SUVs on the East Coast."

Making A Comeback
It's been a case of nightmares and fairy tales, but truth be told, we've been having a tough time this year on the 275 drag radials. Several years ago we teamed up with Artis Houston and dropped in our 598ci big-block into his ultra-clean '71 Nova. While it proved to be a serious learning curve, we eventually succeeded with a record-setting pass and a win at the '07 PSCA finals.inline_mediumwraptextright32182884/hotnews/1004chp_1971_chevy_nova_track_problems1004chp_01_o+1971_chevy_nova_track_problems+muscle_car_launch.jpgTrue

Prolong(r) Super Lubricants offers its industry-leading Engine Treatment and Booster System to protect gas and diesel engines from the two leading causes of engine wear: damaging friction and heat.

2010 Camaro
It seems my December '09 editorial has generated quite the number of emails recently. This is definitely a great thing and I'm glad to see so many are getting into the modern era muscle car. After all, we all have one thing in common-we want to see the Camaro stick around for years to come.
-Henry Dinline_mediumwraptextright31939341/hotnews/1003chp_chevy_high_performance_letters1003chp_05_o+chevy_high_performance_letters+2010_chevy_camaro_ss.jpgTrue

Nothing Is Free
I know I've written this before, but it hit me again: The most expensive parts you will ever get are the ones you get for free. Many times your buddy will help you out with some very cool parts-but they end up being completely wrong for your application and you spend a ton of money to use them. This time, the heads, manifold, headers, and wheels were free so I thought I was safe on this one, but I found a new way to break a lot of parts.inline_mediumwraptextright31900308/hotnews/1003chp_free_parts_cost1003chp_01_o+free_parts_cost+2002_chevy_impala_engine.jpgTrue

Sema '09
I seem to have a habit of doing this, but I'm currently 32,000 feet in the air as I'm writing this month's editorial and making my way back to California. This time, I just completed a three-day stint at the '09 SEMA convention and I have got to say, what a show it was and I had the most incredible time.inline_mediumwraptextright26685374/hotnews/1003chp_2009_sema_convention1003clt_01_o+2009_sema_convention+2010_chevy_camaro.jpgTrue

Letters
LS Decoded
Wow. After all these years I finally have a guide to refer to for the "L" series engines. I'll no longer have to ask the seemingly stupid questions. Thank you.

Barry Dukes
Baltimore, MDinline_mediumwraptextright26162882/hotnews/1002chp_february_2009_chevy_high_performance_letters1002chp_03_z+february_2009_chevy_high_performance_letters+sean_haggai.jpgTrue

The Life Of A Small-Block
The small-block has now been around for 45 years. Yes, it has been through four generations of design, each with its own benefits for specific projects. The old-school group will always be a Gen I small-block crowd-that's a lot of our readers-who still enjoy the regular 355 and 383 builds that fit their comfort level and budget. The pieces for the Gen I small-blocks are plentiful, and you can build decent, reliable power at decent prices.inline_mediumwraptextright26073386/hotnews/1002chp_chevy_small_block_evolution1002chp_01_z+chevy_small_block_evolution+custom_rims.jpgTrue

Improved For Fun
A few weeks ago, we were out at Fontana, California, testing the suspension and brakes on a '72 Nova. Actually, this is the first time we've had access to the facilities in awhile and even though the corner carving bug had already made its impression on me, this little excursion only sealed the deal.inline_mediumwraptextright31477005/hotnews/1002chp_1972_chevy_nova_suspension_break_test1002chp_01_z+1972_chevy_nova_suspension_break_test+handling_test.jpgTrue

Cool Trick
Have you ever tried something and you just couldn't believe it worked? I've been drag racing for way too many years, and this one really opened my eyes. As you all know, we've been trying to race Stock Eliminator for a couple of years now. Making enough power to push our '80 Malibu wagon into the 12s with a very restricted 305 is tougher than it seems. When we started this project, I never thought that making enough power was going to be the issue. Making the chassis work correctly or getting the rolling resistance down to make the car quick was what I thought was going to be the tough part.inline_mediumwraptextright32183478/hotnews/1004chp_april_2010_performance_qa1004chp_01_o+april_2010_performance_qa+face_of_editor.jpgTrue

Lemons Race
Congratulations to the CHP team for a valiant effort at the 24 Hours of LeMons. Given the team's penchant for diagnostics we're guessing that the LT1 has been torn down and you know that a weak spring in the oil pump did the engine in.inline_mediumwraptextright26921143/hotnews/1001chp_chevy_high_performance_letters1001chp_02_z+chevy_high_performance_letters+sean_haggai.jpgTrue

Tuning In The 21st Century
Carburetor tuning has always been up to the driver and his/her senses, to determine how a car behaves and performs. We can use vacuum gauges to get the idle side of the carburetor correct, but the main circuit of the carb can be quite tricky. What does a lean bog versus a rich bog feel like? Can you easily determine which direction the jetting needs to go? Since fuel changed back in the '70s to unleaded mix, we can no longer read the spark plugs for mixture; most unleaded plugs look completely white when the fueling is correct. The best way to set up the main jet calibration has always been at the dragstrip. Tuning the jetting for maximum mph in the quarter-mile is what the engine wants, but with ever-changing weather conditions between the density altitude and wind conditions, some jetting changes will only yield small changes in mph, which can then be skewed by a shift in the weather.inline_mediumwraptextright25692404/hotnews/1001chp_carburetor_tuning_and_reader_questions1001chp_01_z+carburetor_tuning_and_reader_questions+performance_parts.jpgTrue

Year Of The Camaro
Recently, I had a rather interesting conversation with a good friend at GM. We're both obviously excited over how strong Camaro sales have been-kicking the Mustang to the curb for the first time in years. Also, the overwhelming response to the new Camaro is a positive movement on a number of levels. Consistent sales mean demand, and that demand will only help secure the production of our favorite hot rod for years to come.inline_mediumwraptextright26177261/hotnews/1001chp_fifth_generation_camaro_performance_options1001chp_01_z+2010_chevy_camaro+engine_swap.jpgTrue

In our October '09 issue, I shared my mishaps towing our LeMons Camaro to Reno, Nevada. As usual, I asked for your stories and the responses have been rather impressive. Seriously, a few of them were downright hysterical and I wish I had the room to share all of them with you-maybe I'll add a couple more next month. Now, for those of you who have never pulled a vehicle; read up because there's a lot to be learned here. -Hinline_mediumwraptextright25374332/hotnews/0912chp_chevy_high_performance_letters0912chp_02_z+chevy_high_performance_letters+rooster_call.jpgTrue

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

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

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

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

Office Space
Next month begins my 10th year in the print business. Even more profoundly, I'm proud to say that I've been with the same company since I graduated from college. While this may not seem like a great feat to some, I beg to differ-I can't tell you the number of gigs some of my close friends have been through. Granted, everyone has a reason for coming and going, but in my circle of buds, I'm one of the few who have stayed firmly rooted.

Backyard Follies
After getting off work I decided to change the shifter in my '79 Malibu from a column shift to a floor shift. Being in a hurry, I drove the car on the ramps, forgetting to chalk the wheels. I got under the car to undo the linkage, and as soon as I turned the ratchet I heard a clicking noise. Realizing what I did, I scurried out from under the car as quick as I could, but it was to late. While I managed to get my head out in time, the front wheel got my shoulder. I was in serious pain, but I wanted to finish the job-and I did!

Our New Home Track
As you all know by now, the Mac family is back in Southern California. After a 15-year stint in Northern California, we have a new home track to figure out. Up north we had one of the toughest tracks in the nation to dial because of changing weather conditions, especially the wind. Infineon Raceway (it will always be Sears Point) is in the beautiful microclimates of wine country, Sonoma County. From the staging lanes you could look out over San Francisco Bay and have the hot winds blast down from Sacramento Valley to the north. Atmospheric conditions would range throughout the year from 500-feet-below-sea-level corrected altitude to the mid-3,000-foot range. The conditions are things you can easily measure with weather stations, but what you can't read with instruments are the subtle changes that create big performance differences. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, the track would leave you scratching your head!

Tow Tactics
I just returned home from my first 24 Hours of LeMons race in Fernley, Nevada, and while you can read all about it in this issue, there's a little piece of the story I want to elaborate on. No, it doesn't have anything to do with the event-the tow up was an adventure in itself.

Edelbrock is excited to announce the launch of its all-new foundries services website: http://www.edelbrockfoundry.com. Edelbrock has created this website to showcase their foundry capabilities, specializing in sand-cast and permanent mold aluminum castings for automotive and industrial markets.

The past couple years we've been dedicating our November issue to you by showcasing the top readers' rides and creating our Local Heroes edition. While we were originally a bit hesitant to stray from our usual core tech pieces, it has become one of the more popular yearly rituals. So if you missed the opportunity in years past, then here's another chance to grace the pages of Chevy High Performance.