If you have ever wondered what sorts of things magazine editors and their buddies do on the weekends, ponder no more. The dedicated Chevy High Performance staff uses those precious weekends to practice what they preach each month. Whether it’s at a dyno, in an engine-building room, or in the garage, there’s continuous Chevrolet tinkering going on.
One recent Saturday morning, we invaded Editor Jeff Smith’s backyard and uncovered what happens behind the scenes of CHP. When we arrived on location, the streets were lined with classic Chevys of all models and years. It seemed as if the magazine opened up and we drove right in. While unloading the camera equipment, we were greeted by several of Jeff’s friends who where there to help out for the day. Ed Taylor, Chevy High ’s engine-building wonder, was there to lend a hand, along with Bob Mehlhoff, Kris Shields, Kevin Doyle, Don Swanson, Jim Peterson, Valerye Roberts, Mark Stielo, and Automotive Detailer Frank Saenz. We thought to ourselves, what kind of project could possibly require so many people? As we walked past a few Camaros and around a Rat on the floor, there sat a ’66 Chevelle beside an enormous Craftsman toolbox and air compressor. On this particular Saturday, Jeff and his friends were going to have a strip party. The kind of party where a Chevelle loses everything, including its body. During the deconstruction instructions, Jeff mentioned something about steak for lunch. The mention of meat suddenly changed the disassembling crew’s demeanor into something resembling a pack of wild animals waiting to feast on their Chevelle prey.
When the clock struck 9 a.m., the crew went to work. Every nut, bolt, and washer found its way to a designated bag and tag person as the Chevelle came apart in quick order. By 10, the sheetmetal laid in the grass, and by 11, the engine and interior were gone. As the clock struck noon, lunchtime had arrived and the Chevelle sat completely disassembled. Sharing lunch under the sun with some of your best buddies and a million-piece puzzle Chevelle is what hot rodding is all about.