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CONTENTS
The Road Les Traveled
FORD GT:
Look but don’t sell! ...pg 14
SKYLARK GS: 1972 Buick Skylark GS Rest-Mod ...pg 28
ALSO INSIDE:
Starting Lines-------------------------------------------- 4 1970 Dodge Charger --------------------------------- 18 1963 Ford T-Bird ---------------------------------------------- 24 Resto-Mod Chevelle --------------------------------- 28 1964 Chevy Impala ---------------------------------- 33 Parts Store------------------------------------------------ 42
Les Murguly’s incredible 1970 Plymouth Cuda...pg 8
Your Online G-Body Parts Specialists w w w . B C G B O D Y. c o m s a l e s @ b c g b o d y. c o m AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE
STARTING LINES
Vancouver to Host 2022 FIA Formula E World Championship Car Race The City of Vancouver is officially set to host an ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race next year after Vancouver city council voted unanimously in support of a multi-day event that will include a conference on climate change and sustainability. The event is set
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition Hits Final Estimated Range of 418 Kilometres
F
ord recently announced that the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition has completed certification and range labelling process and has achieved the EPA-estimated range of 418 kilometres, which is a significant increase over the estimated 375 kilometres the regular model has. The Mach-E GT Performance Edition provides 634 lb-ft. of torque and an impressive 0-100 km/h time of just 3.7 seconds. It will feature Pirelli summer tires and a MagnaRide damping system which will both work together and provide excellent handling and control in addition to the amazing acceleration. The starting MSRP of the 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is $82,995. to take place over the 2022 Canada Day July long weekend and will be set in the East False Creek neighbourhood of downtown on part of the former site of the Molson Indy events which took place from 1990 to 2004. The event is reportedly expected to provide Vancouver with a major boost in its economy by providing $80 million in value and also bringing thousands of jobs to the city.
MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
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Langley Good Times Cruise-In
Volume 19, Issue No. 4 August / September 2021 Second Class Mailing Agreement #40050183 Publisher: Dean Washington dean@rpmcanada.ca Associate Publisher: David Symons david@rpmcanada.ca Managing Editor Jordan Allan jordan@rpmcanada.ca Distribution Manager: Brenda Washington brenda@rpmcanada.ca Copy Editor: Gerry Frechette gerryf@rpmcanada.ca Advertising Sales: Elaine Fontaine elaine@rpmcanada.ca Contributing Writers / Photographers: Jordan Allan John Gunnell Cam Hutchins
Muscle Car Plus Magazine is published six times per year by RPM Media Inc. 2506-2789 Shaughnessy Street Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 0C3 TELEPHONE: (604) 629-9669 FAX: (778) 285-2449 TOLL FREE: 1-888-500-4591 EMAIL: info@rpmcanada.ca WEBSITE: www.rpmcanada.ca
Pick up your copy at your local Performance Shop or at the following participating locations:
After a year off due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the Langley Good Times Cruise-In is set to return Saturday September 11th in downtown Aldergrove in the To w n s h i p o f Langley, in what is one of the largest such shows in North America and right in the heart of the collector car area of B.C. As always, several charities are the recipients of the funds raised through the show that will also include great food, prizes and much more. For more information please go to www.langleycruise-in.com
EG Auctions Red Deer Fall Finale Collector Car & Memorabilia Auction EG Auctions is proud to announce they will be running their 14th annual Fall Finale Collector Car & Memorabilia Auction in Red Deer, Alberta at Westerner Park September 10-12. On Friday, viewing doors will be open at 3pm with the auction beginning at 5pm while Saturday sees doors open at 8am and the auction beginning at 9am. Finally, Sunday sees doors open at 9am with the auction beginning at 10am. There will be over 200 collector cars and 100 pieces of no reserve memorabilia on the block and the event will also see special guests WWE Superstar Bret “Hitman” Hart and Mike Hall and Avery Shoaf of Rust Valley Restorers make appearances as well. For more information please go to www.egauctions.com
24th Annual BC Classic & Custom Car Show WE’RE BACK! BC’s longest running indoor custom car show returns to the Abbotsford Tradex for a special event October 15-17 for three days of ‘Cars, Stars & Guitars! Presented by Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies, University Of The Fraser Valley and Stone’s Speed Shop, the 24th annual BC Classic & Custom Car Show will feature hundreds of muscle cars, hot rods and customs including ‘The Anvil’, JF Customs Ridler Great 8 award winning ’64 Acadian. Meet celebrity ‘car stars’ Mike Hall, Avery Shoaf and Connor Hall from the hit TV Series Rust Valley Restorers and also be sure to check out the pro-street burnout contest with driver’s competing for a share of the $2,500 cash prize! Vehicle entry and commercial vendor applications are welcome. For more information please visit www.bccustomcarshow.com.
MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Lots of Joy Les Murguly’s Hemi-powered 1970 Plymouth Cuda
W
hen most young fellows are playing with Hot Wheels and BMX Bikes, Surrey’s Les Murguly was busy dreaming about the day he would be able rip around the neighbourhood in a crazy wild 1970 Cuda.
When is a Cuda not a Cuda? In 1970, after an extensive overhaul, the new-for-1970 Plymouth Barracuda was released with a small base engine of only 198 cu. in. along with the more luxurious Gran Coupe. But although similar on the outside, the Cuda had the bigger, more aggressive engines, starting at 340 all the way up to the mighty 426 Hemi with dual four-barrel carbs. Chrysler was building a better “Mustang” or pony
Story and photos by Cam Hutchins
car, cars which followed the idea of being smaller than the outright “muscle cars” and not having four-door versions of themselves. The original Barracuda came out in 1964 as a souped up version of the Valiant, and then a stand alone 1967-1969 version that was still based on the Valiant platform, but with quite different body work. Still, the Valiant was offered as a four-door, and the Dodge dealers did not have a Dodge version Barracuda to sell. For 1970, Chrysler remedied this, by offering a new sister car of the Cuda for Dodge to sell, the Challenger.
The cars were moved from the Valiant’s A Platform to the existing B platform of the large, but very cool Charger and GTX, muscle car versions of those staid family cars, Belvedere and Coronet, which were offered as four-door sedans and station wagons. This newfor-1970 car, referred to as the E-Body, took the existing Chrysler B platform, shortened it and widened it, and offered it as a two door and convertible, and Chrysler figured they would sell a ton of new cars. The widening of the Challenger and Cuda was key to allow Chrysler to sell the big block engines that were all the rage. “Were” all the rage, is the key part of that statement. Cars are designed well in advance of when they will hit the market, and the market had definitely cooled on the desire for big blocks. Whether it was safety and insurance premiums that are to blame, or just insurance companies’ eagerness to avoid covering these rolling claim generators. The biggest of the big blocks, the 426 Hemi and the 440, did not sell well. Although we see Hemi Cudas at almost every cruise night, the mighty dual-quad 426 Hemi was incredibly rare in 1970 and 1971. For 1970, the Plymouth Barracuda sold only 289 backed by fourspeed transmissions and 377 with automatics. The Challenger sold slightly less at 191 backed by automatics and 169 four-speeds, with only nine of these cars with either tranny, being convertible. The 440 did much better in the Challenger but still only 4,600 or so were built and it came in four-barrel or three two-barrel versions. The Cuda sold a measly 2,770 440 cu. in. engines with the two types of carburetor set-ups which reflects the over-all ratio of big blocks sold as Cudas, which sold approximately half as many cars as the Challenger did in 1970. For the 1970 model year, almost 49,000 Cudas, and the smaller engine Barracudas were sold, while the Challenger sold pretty near 77,000 cars. The cars sold better in 1971, but in 1970, Ford sold 190,000 Mustangs, but dropped a massive amount and sold less than 150,000 in 1971. But the Mustang slogged on, for better or for worse, until today, and Chrysler killed the E-body after 1974.
10 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
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Which leads us to this Hemi-powered 1970 Cuda monster that owner Les Murguly tries to kill all summer long. 5,000 rpm clutch dumps are his way of saving the line lock for a rainy day. Murguly grew up in South Surrey and remembers a certain owner of a High Performance parts outlet, George Duda with a grey 1970 Cuda, and then it was grey and red and the young Murguly just loved it. Duda was constantly flogging his 440 Cuda on city streets near where Murguly grew up, even popping the front wheels in the air, and a younger Murguly grew up wanting to do the same. To be fair, Murguly was young, and probably Mr Duda was driving the posted speed limits at all times and the car just looked fast... of course, yeah that’s it! Murguly learned all he knew about driving on the streets in Mopar muscle from Mr. Duda, and Murguly drove a 1969 440 four-speed Roadrunner to high school, and for the last two months, it was a full-time open-header car! A sheet metal worker by trade, Murguly knew where his skills lie, and knew he needed help to create his vision of the ultimate street Cuda. Visiting the shop where his boss has his toys built, Murguly knew B&N Hot Rods in Maple Ridge were up to the task. Murguly wanted a really great street car that would be comfortable on long drives, look incredibly cool and do burnouts at the drop of a clutch. At this time, he was scouring the internet looking for the perfect candidate for his Dr. Frankenstein-like quest for power. He did not start with a pristine Big Block car, but found a clapped out race car in Penticton in 2015 that fit the bill. It had one seat, a running 440 and no interior, and it was perfect. Starting life as a 318 cu. in. Barracuda, this little E-Body had no idea it would one day become the ultimate “E” Ticket ride, to coin an old reference to the best rides at Disneyland, back in the day. B&N Hot Rods got the car in 2015 and started cutting it up to create Murguly’s vision. The 440 was just not going to cut it in Murguly’s mind, so he knew of a friend in the interior with a brand new “World Products Hemi” block and brand new hemi heads and pistons. This friend figured he was not going to build the Hemi, so was willing to trade Murguly’s 440 for the parts he had. Murguly never even took the block and parts home and went straight to Jim Richmond at Richmond Engines to have his big-powered, naturally-aspirated 528 cu. in. Hemi built. 12 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
The engine is impressive to look at and has a beautiful set of Hemi emblazoned valve covers on it. The mill is no slouch and will churn out 739 horsepower and 690 pound-feet of torque all day long, or as long as the tires hold up. Murguly refers to his overtime earnings as “Cuda Backs” that he uses to pay for his long list of parts he researched and bought for this project. To protect the big mill, a PRC (Performance Rod and Custom) radiator is used along with dual 13-in. fans with gambler neck. The rear suspension was cut out, along with the frame connectors put in by the drag racer. An Art Morrison triangulated four-link suspension with coil overs and a Fab 9 Dutchman braced differential with 31 spline
axles and 3:90 gears were installed. The crew at B&N Hot Rods built all the needed pieces that would be welded together to form a frame for the car. The front suspension is a Magnum Force Racing Tubular K crossmember with Viking two-way adjustable coil overs just like in back. No more torsion bars for this Mopar! The crew at Art Morrison were sure that there was no way a rear seat was possible with the rear end set up and the massive tubs used in Murguly’s Cuda. But they underestimated the crew at B&N Hot Rods and after
making some of their own parts to replace the Morrison supplied pieces, there is a back seat, of sorts. A piece of aluminum is mounted above the rear suspension and a bit of foam is glued to it and covered in leather. So there is a back seat, and if you play your cards right, you will never have to sit back there. The front buckets were found online as new pro touring seats but were cut and modified to better suit Murguly’s vision. The tubs are big enough to handle 20x15 tires when they are available, but for now, Murguly runs 20x13-in. Michelin Super Sport Pilot tires on VX3C Concave Series Forgeline three-piece wheels, 19x8.5-in. on the front. The centre barrel of the rear rims are all that have to be changed to accommodate the larger rear tires. The stopping is handled by 14-in. Wilwood brakes, with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers. A built Mopar four-speed transmission was not up to the task and was out of the car five times until the long two-year wait was over, and a new Passon five-speed tranny was sourced From “Gears and Rears” in Langley. The A-855 five-speed transmission from Passon Performance in rural Pennsylvania, is an exact replacement for the normal four-speed found in Mopars. Of course, Murguly’s modified floorpan did not require the smaller size of the Passon, but it is good to know the Passon A-855 uses 356 T6 aluminum alloy cases, heat treated for strength, and all gears and mainshaft are made of Aircraft Quality 9310 alloy steel, and will bolt right into place without modification. The weak link to all this greatness is always the clutch, but steps have been taken to lessen this problem by using a McLeod RXT Street Twin Clutch, or putting a big spike on the clutch pedal so Murguly starts to take care of it. The 3-in. exhaust system was handmade and tig welded by B&N Hot Rods and has to be twisted and turned to fit up over the rear axle, and was coated by Doug at Kool Coat. Improving the look of the car also saw a new tucked-up roll pan at the rear, and the rear flush-mounted bumper that tucks in tight had to be rebuilt again using three bumpers to make one flush-mounted bumper. The same process went into the front bumper. The car is a street rod so there is no roll bar, but there is Vintage Air, cooling and heating, power steering, a Barracuda “Tuff Wheel” with Rim Blow and a Barracuda Centre Cap on an Ididit steering column, NuRelic power windows and lots of engine sounds. The car has cup holders in the console alongside the carbon fibre handle factory pistol grip. There
is a new Rallye Dash, complete with Dakota Digital HDX series gauges that are modern interpretations of the gauges that came in 1970, but much more accurate. Outside temperature and a compass are added along with the usual Pro Touring gauges. The interior was done by Michelle at Inside Edge and Carl from Revive Upholstery at Inside Edge’s shop. Seven Italian leather hides have never looked better. The carpets are German square weave with Custom Cuda logos by Michelle, who also created the suede headliner. There are also factory-looking seat belts with aircraft buckles. The crazy stereo was installed in the custom console by Vic at Audiolines in Burnaby and is based on a JVC stereo that has the massive task of being heard over the engine. The car got painted in a two-tone paint job but was changed by Travis Brown at STR in Maple Ridge with a fade from grey on top to black at the bottom, and the hockey stick Hemi stripe is painted in Red Candy on both sides of the car. It won best paint at the big April Tradex car show and then test driving it to sort it out, they got rear ended and did lots of damage before even driving it five miles. The car left the shop at 3 pm on the 2017 May long weekend and was back at 6:15 pm after being hit by a Dually Pickup. The Cuda was back inside B&N Hot Rods for the whole summer of 2017 into 2018. It was decided that they might as well pull the engine, and changed the colour to body colour grey from black. This time was also spent finding two more rear bumpers to cut up to add to the bumper ends that were salvaged off the destroyed rear end of the car. On the good side, the rear suspension was not damaged and the rear end of the car got all newly found or fabricated sheet metal. The aluminum shroud in the engine compartment was also fabricated post-accident. For the past couple of years, the car has brought lots of joy to the Murguly household. A new garage has been built out back, and in there sits a sweet 1968 Hemi Charger awaiting the Murguly treatment. The Cuda has won lots of shows and brings lots of joy to all who see it and hear it. But that joy cannot be matched by the joy that the tire store guys, Michelin employees, and the guys employed full time to pick away at rubber trees, feel! They have an important job to do, to make sure there is always enough rubber out back for Murguly to paint the world black, two stripes at a time!!!!
AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 13
Look But Don’t Sell
2020 Ford GT Coupe Story and photos by John Gunnell How would you like to spend $609,489 for a great-looking muscle car and then find out you couldn’t sell it if someone offered you double that? That’s the case with the 2020 Ford GT. It’s guaranteed to be a very unique and rare car, because it will only be sold to a limited number of people. The buyers must verify to Ford that they will not re-sell the car for 24 months. Ford maintains a continued security interest for those two years and buyers authorize Ford and its dealers to note liens on the title documents for that period of time. The idea behind this is to avoid price speculation in the collector’s marketplace. Production of the Gen II Ford GT began in 2017 and will continue only through 2022. Each Ford GT is hand-assembled by Multimatic, Inc., in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Worldwide production of 2020 models was estimated to be between 221 and 235 cars. That’s on top of the 141 made in 2017; 200 made in 2018; and 250 made in 2019. Plans are to make 250 in 2021 and the same number in 2022, which will be the final year of production. Twenty-five percent of GT production goes to European buyers. 14 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Few Fords capture the imagination and dominate the racetrack quite like the GT, which is called a “hyper muscle car.” Its arresting design is enticingly futuristic and functionally aerodynamic. Its austere interior puts the focus on driving, with seats fixed in position and most controls mounted on the steering wheel. Its original mid-mounted twin-turbo V6 makes 660 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. The power is sent to the rear wheels
via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The engine’s thrilling soundtrack is accompanied by neck-snapping acceleration and otherworldly handling. The GT is built for the track—not the street. However, the sixfigure Ford is surprisingly docile in everyday situations. While only a select few may ever own one, its existence has enthralled enthusiasts. Ford squeezed even more h o r s e p o w e r f r o m t h e G T ’s twin-turbo V6 for 2020. The rise from 647 ponies to 660 was accompanied by a fatter torque curve, re calibrated engine management and revised pistons and coils. The Blue Oval’s halo car also got firmer damper settings, improved engine cooling and a titanium exhaust system that’s claimed to make even more pronounced sounds. Other The engine is located under this hatch. changes included a couple of fresh appearance packages. There was an updated Gulf Racing livery option to celebrate drive modes; and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. The featured the company’s 1969 Le Mans win. It could be paired with car- car also has the Re-Entry Theme ($30,000) that applies whiteleather to the dashboard and seats. Its options include Extendbon-fibre wheels. ed Colour Palette Paint 2-835390F red ($30,000); Frozen White Standard features of the Ford GT include its structural carbon overtop painted stripes ($12,500); 20-in. Satin Diamond Silver fibre passenger shell, body panels and active aero elements; Forged Aluminum Wheels ($2,500). Brembo brake calipers the mid-mounted 3.5-litre Ecoboost V6 GTDI engine; a 7-speed ($1,250); Painted Shadow Black Lower Body Trim (included); dual-clutch-automated manual transmission; front and rear in- Titanium lug nuts ($1,250); a Leather-wrapped steering wheel dependent suspension with variable ride height and selectable ($250) and six-point Harness Anchors ($2,500).
AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 15
Ultra-modern Ford contrasts with some of the classics at The Automobile Gallery. Unlike the supercharged V8 in previous GTs, the 2020 version is equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V-6 that is similar to the one found in the Ford F-150 Raptor. Pumping out 660 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque, the V6 is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While the last version had fewer ponies, it launched the rear-wheel-drive GT to 60 mph
in just 3.0 sec. and through the quarter-mile in 10.8 sec. at 134 mph. Piloting the GT is surprisingly easy. The car feels light and agile. Despite its performance potential, the ride isn’t as punishing as you’d expect; the suspension doesn’t get choppy
With all the cool of a McQueen and the finesse of a fighter jet, the 2020 Ford GT honoured the legacy of the Ford GT40. 16 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
customers, as well as checkered flags.” In addition to more horsepower compared to 2017-19 GTs, the 2020’s EcoBoost engine features a broader torque band and revised engine calibration, plus mechanical upgrades that included gallery-cooled pistons and higher-energy ignition coils, thanks to lessons learned from the limited-edition, track-only GT Mk II. Additional engine cooling and airflow updates included new buttress air ducts designed to increase air flow by 50 percent, while larger intercoolers kept air temperatures cooler, preserving peak power for the most strenuous, high-temperature sessions at the track. Suspension damping was increased in track mode to further enhance handling and body control, particularly for those high-speed transient sections of closed-course circuits. over minor bumps, but it still transmits harsh impacts to the cabin. Its all-out top speed is 218 mph. Yet, it gets 22.8 miles per US gallon in the city and 19.8 miles per US gallon on the highway.
William “Red” Lewis paid $609,489 for this car on Feb. 18, 2020. That included a tariff of $12,890 that was paid on the same date. At the time of the purchase of this car from Broadway Ford Hyundai at 1010 S. Military Ave., Green Bay, Wis. the delivery date of the vehicle was estimated to be Aug. 31, Titanium exhausts from Akrapovic were standard for the 2020 2020. The car was subsequently delivered to Mr. Lewis in late Ford GT. The exhaust system featured an expert’s signature 2020, shortly before his passing on Jan. 7, 2021. craftsmanship with a deeply resonant, unmistakable sound. Much of the 2020 Ford GT’s advancements resulted from Ford’s The car is currently on display at the Automobile Gallery in continuous technological innovation, as was especially evident Green Bay. The car cannot be sold until late 2022, at which time in the GT’s 3.5-litre V6. “Ford GT continues to be the pinnacle its value could be lower, the same or higher than it is today. of Ford performance,” said Ed Krenz, Ford Performance chief Prices for GTs in recent sales have been trending lower despite program engineer. “GT is always the ultimate expression of international promotion of these sales. There is definitely a Ford racing innovation. As we know from the ‘66 Le Mans win- limited pool of potential buyers for Ford GTs at prices above ner through today, that means constantly raising our game for the factory list price.
Frozen White Overtop painted stripes added $12,500 to price of the car. AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 17
Sports Sedan
’70 Dodge Charger 440 Fastback Story and photos by John Gunnell
T
he Charger “Sports Sedan” was a mid-sized Dodge Coronet with a fastback roof and richer interior. It was designed so young dads could say they were buying a “station wagon.” The Charger looked long, low and wide with hidden headlights and wall-to-wall taillights. There was a small round emblem on the grille and a larger one on the deck. A big-block Charger could do 0-to-60 mph in 7.8-sec. or a quarter-mile in 16.2 sec. at 88 mph. Hemi Chargers had dual carbs, fat dual exhausts, badges, heavy-duty suspensions, big brakes, 7.75x14 Blue Streak racing tires and a four-speed or TorqueFlite transmission. The 12-month/12,000-mile warranty didn’t cover racing. Wood steering wheel and Hurst Pistol-Grip shifter are desirable muscle car extras.
The feature car left the factory as a Charger SE with a 383-cid V8. It now has a 440.
The original 1966-1967 Charger had a boxy look with a radical, ramp-like slanted roof line. Beautifully smoother new styling with many improvements characterized 1968 Chargers and boosted sales to 96,100. The ’68 Charger introduced “airplane fuselage” styling with a sleek, more rounded, Coke-bottle-shaped fastback body and wheel bulges. Hidden headlights were continued and a blacked-out grille was used to give a racing car taped-headlight look. A racing style gas filler was added. Scallops in the hood could be optioned with turn indicators. The doors were also scalloped. There was an integral rear spoiler, a blacked-out beauty panel and two round taillights on each side. Motor Trend magazine summed up the look of the new R/T model-option as a Charger with a set of mags, Wide Oval tires and a bumblebee stripe. The Charger R/T also
18 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Racing-style gas filler is cool, Greg’s Speed Shop added the white bumble bee stripes.
had name badges, heavy-duty underpinnings and a base 440- The R/T was the high-performance model. The Charger SE cid 375-hp Magnum V8. The 440 was good for 0-to-60 mph in (Special Edition) was the sports-type model and also came 6.5 sec. and a 15-sec. quarter mile at 93 mph. with additional luxury features. The 1969 Charger used the 1968 body. Changes included The 1970 Charger used the ’69 body with minor trim changes. a new divided grille, new horizontal taillights and new side The high-performance-oriented R/T had a new grille, a new marker lights. The patterning on the bucket seats changed. loop-style front bumper, two hood scoops, big bolt-on scoops
Big-block 440 is cooled by an aftermarket aluminum radiator. AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 19
Brand new B.F. Goodrich tires on new Cragar wheels.
with R/T badges on the rear quarter panels and a choice of longitudinal or bumble bee racing stripes. A new interior and wild exterior colours were offered. Charger, Charger 500 and Charger Special Edition models were also marketed. In addition to 13 standard exterior colours, 1970 Charger buyers could order their cars in special Plum Crazy, Sublime, Go Mango, Hemi Orange and Banana Yellow paint colours. The feature car left the factory as a Charger SE with a 383-cid V8. It now has a 440cid. The previous owner of the car had it in his possession for 30 years. This was originally a code B5 Medium Blue car. It is now finished in special House of Kolors Oriental Blue Candy colour with a slight metalflake. The paint and restoration work were completed in the early 2000s. Greg’s Speed Shop LLC recently added the R/Tstyle “bumble bee” stripe and did additional colour-matching paintwork. This car had a base retail price of $3,860. It tipped the scales at 3,671 lbs. Production records show that 9,345 Charger SE series hardtops left the factory. Of those, 996 had a Code N 383-cid high-performance V8 like this car had when it was built. Of those, only 201 had a factory-installed four-speed manual transmission like this car has.
Car has only 72,384.9 original miles on the clock. 20 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
The Charger 440-cid V8 now in this car had overhead valves, a cast iron block and a 4.32 x 3.75-in. bore and stroke. With its
This Charger has hidden headlights and hood-mounted turn signal indicators.
9.70:1 compression ratio it cranked out 375 hp at 4,600 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 rpm. Other features included a five-main-bearings crank, hydraulic valve lifters and a Carter AVS-4737-S four-barrel carburetor. Crankcase capacity: 4 qt. (Add 1 qt. for new filter). Cooling system capacity: 15.5 qt. (with heater). In 2013, it was dyno-tested and made 370 hp and 474 lbs.-ft. of torque. The car features factory-original C55 front Black and Charcoal vinyl and leather front bucket seats; and original rear bench seat; brand new B. F. Goodrich radial T/As; like-new Cragar 5spoke wheels; House of Kolors Oriental Blue Candy colour with slight metalflake; fairly low original miles; an original D21 (833) four-speed manual transmission (one of only 201); original power steering; original B51 power brakes; an original full gauges package; a new aftermarket aluminum radiator; original hidden headlights that function well, and an original V1X black vinyl roof with Special Edition badges. The Charger also has factory seat belts; its original fresh air type heater and defroster; the factory SE simulated walnut sports-type steering wheel; a factory pedal dress-up kit, light group and vinyl map and utility pockets in door panels. The simulated walnut instrument panel is pre-1970s style, as is the Hurst shifter with simulated walnut “pistol grip” handle. 22 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Other factory-original features include a racing-style flip-up gas filler; the L31 hood-mounted turn signal indicators; the A47 Special Edition package; the C16 locking centre console with simulated wood trim; a G33 left-hand remote-controlled outside rear view mirror with painted finish; J25 three-speed windshield wipers; M21 drip rail mouldings; M35 body sill mouldings; M31 body belt mouldings; the very cool N35 Tic-Tock-Tach and a R22 AM 8-track radio. The name of the car’s original owner is unknown, but we can tell you one thing. If he tried to pull a fast one on Mom and tell her this was a station wagon, she must have had a bunch of fun taking the kids to school in it!
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Royal Flash Monaco Edition T-Bird is a Rarity Story and photos by John Gunnell
The brakes were more fade-resistant and nearly 100 pounds of sound-deadening materials were added. Suspension and exhaust he 1963 Thunderbird retained the previous styling with a new improvements, lifetime chassis lubrication and an alternator in place sculptured body side feature line, a modestly revised “electric of a generator were other updates. shaver” grille, new taillights, new side trim and new wheel covers. The grille incorporated a concealed hood latch, eliminating the old Inside, buyers found metal-clad brake and accelerator pedals. New cable-operated release. The front fenders had a horizontal crease options included an AM/FM radio and a tachometer. This was the line that started just behind the grille, passed over the front wheel first T-Bird to use hydraulic windshield wipers powered by the power opening and continued past the middle of the door where it slanted downwards for a few inches and faded into the door. Just below the steering pump. crease line, near the centre of the door, were three groupings of forward-slanting chrome hash marks with five strips in each group. Motor Trend (October 1962) said these were supposed to remind one of turbine waste gates. Chrome Thunderbird scripts were moved to the rear fenders. New deep-dish wheel covers followed the turbine motif.
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The Monaco Edition T-Bird blends muscle performance with luxury. 24 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
There weren’t any big changes to the interior of the basic models, although the inner door panels had new white and red courtesy lights for added safety when passengers were entering or exiting the car. Models were the same as in 1962 until February 7, 1963, when a special Limited-Edition Landau made its debut.
A single exhaust system was now used with the base 390-cid V8. It was supposedly a quieter and longer lasting system featuring 2.0-in. diameter laminated tubing (double pipes, one inside the other) and an asbestos-wrapped, aluminized steel muffler. A 1.78-in. diameter tailpipe was employed. The 1963 T-Bird front suspension was lubricated for the “life of the car,” which Ford estimated as 100,000 miles or seven years. Road noise and vibrations were reduced through use of a newly-developed rubber compression-type shock mount for the steering box, plus a flexible coupling between the gear assembly and the steering shaft. Standard equipment included built-in dual exhausts; a fuel filter; an oil filter; a 390-cid four-barrel V8; a padded instrument panel; padded sun visors; an electric clock with sweep second hand; courtesy lights; turn signals; a deep-centre steering wheel; dual horns and horn rings; individually adjustable front seats; a day-night tilt type mirror; double-grip door locks; full wheel covers; built-in arm rests; floor carpets; full-width foam rubber seats; all-vinyl upholstery’ an ash tray; a cigar lighter; an air cleaner; automatic transmission; power brakes; power steering; electric windshield wipers; undercoating; a parking brake; a glove box; luggage, back-up, and compartment lights; a heater and defroster; a movable steering column; a front seat console; an AM radio and antenna; a remotecontrol left-hand outside rear view mirror and five black 8.00 x 14 tubeless tires. The Convertible Sports Roadster, which came only in eight colours, also included special front fender insignias; a moulded tonneau cover with padded head restraints; bolton chrome wire wheels with simulated knock-off hubs; a Swing-Away steering wheel; a passenger-assist handle and no fender skirts. The Thunderbird Vehicle Identification Number was diestamped on top of the front fender cross-bar to the right of
The cockpit is also aircraft-inspired with a console and front bucket seats. AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 25
The Thunderbird trunk emblem looks like turquoise Indian jewelry.
the hood lock striker plate. The first symbol denotes model-year: 3=1963. The second symbol denotes the assembly plant: Y=Wixom (Novi), Mich. The third symbol denotes the car-line: 8=Thunderbird. The fourth symbol denotes body type: 3=Thunderbird Tudor Hardtop, 5=Thunderbird two-door convertible, 7=Two-door Landau Hardtop, 9=Sports Roadster. The fifth symbol denotes the engine: 9=390-cid low-compression Thunderbird V8 (for export), Z=390 cid/300-hp Thunderbird V8, M=390 cid/340-hp Thunderbird Special Six-Barrel V8. The sixth thru 11th symbols denote the sequential production number of a specific vehicle and start at 100001. A Body Number Plate is also located on the left front body pillar. The Serial number is the same as on the VIN tag. Symbols above “BDY” are body symbol code: 63A=Hardtop, 63B=Landau Hardtop, 76A=Convertible, 76B=Sport Roadster. Symbols above CLR are paint colour code. First symbol indicates lower body colour. Second symbol indicates upper body colour. See the table below. Symbols above TRM are trim combination code. See the table below. Symbols above “DT” are the production date code. The number indicates the date of the month the car was made. The letters indicate month of manufacture: A=January, B=February, C=March, D=April, E=May, F=June, G=July, H=August, J=September, K=October, L=November, M=December. Symbols above DSO indicate information including the Ford Motor Co. Sales District Code. Symbols above AX indicate rear axle. 1=3.00:1. Symbols above TR indicate type of transmission: All 1963 Thunderbirds came with SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic Drive Code 4. The feature car is a “Princess Grace” Monaco Edition Landau Hardtop and included White leather upholstery; a white steering wheel; simulated rosewood interior trim; a Rose Beige vinyl top and special wheel covers with simulated knock-off hubcaps Historical Footnote: On February 7, 1963, the special 1963-1/2 Limited-Edition Thunderbird Landau made its debut in the Principality of Monaco. 26 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Princess Grace of Monaco was given car number one. This model was then dubbed the “Princess Grace” model by Ford. The Monaco Edition hardtop featured here belongs to Tim Natarus of Weston, Wis. The car has not been restored. It is white with maroon top and white interior. Tim’s car scored 265.5 out of 285 points when judged. It’s an original unrestored “Survivor” with its original engine, woodgrain Interior trim and Monaco-only white leather upholstery (Trim 83). The car has very good chrome, paint and good upholstery. It was a California car and still looks like one. There are no dents or dings in the stainless-steel door trim. It runs very well and has its factory full wheel “spinner” covers. The underhood area is fully detailed. It has dual exhausts and the cast numbers match. Tim has documents from previous owners, rare Monaco Edition sales literature, Monaco postmarked owner credentials and full club judging sheets. This car is a Royal Flash. It looks flashy and with the 390 V8, it will flash by many cars on the highway.
Do-It-Yourself Chevelle
Story and photos by John Gunnell
Travis had his ’67 Chevelle for a long time. The build of the car moved slowly at first, but he stuck with it. Travis loves the look ravis Rice of Wisconsin worked as an auto body man when of the car and the day finally came when the project moved to he was younger. He decided he didn’t want to do that for the front burner. Now, it’s nearly complete and road ready. the rest of his life, but he learned his lessons well. He attended Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton to learn how to fix The ’67 Chevelle used the sleek body introduced in 1966. cars and he used a lot of what he had learned to restore his There were styling refinements and trim differences. The forward-thrust of the front fenders was toned down a bit with a ’67 Chevelle in resto-mod style. more vertical feature line. The anodized aluminum grille had thicker horizontal members. The dual round headlights moved further apart, with a small space between them showing horizontal grille bars. The SS 396 again had a big SS badge with the numbers 396 below it. The “background” grille moldings got the black-out treatment on the SS 396. (Travis’ car was originally a 396, but it has been upgraded to a 427.)
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Travis likes cloth seat inserts, so he had these custom made. 28 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Amber-coloured front parking lamps sat at the outboard ends of a large horizontal slot that ran nearly full across the front bumper. The bumper had a front license plate indentation and solid ends. The “veed” taillights were notched into the fenders. Ribs molded into the taillight lenses divided them into three stacked segments. Rectangular back-up
light lenses were in the rear bumper on either side of the license plate. The rear panel on SS 396s was finished in flat black and had an “SS” badge in its centre.
The replacement 427 dropped right into the Chevelle engine bay.
The SS 396 had a special hood with simulated air scoops with bright horizontal louvres. It had a youthful flair and was identifiable by these exterior additions or changes from other Chevelles: a special black-accented grille with an SS 396 badge in its centre; bright front and rear wheelhouse outline mouldings; ribbed gray-accented body sill mouldings; colour-keyed body side accent stripes; a simulated hood air scoop with a new bright metal horizontal louvre; Super Sport rear fender emblems on both sides; a black-painted rear cove panel (with an SS 396 centre medallion); five special wide-tread tires, specific full wheel covers; a special manual transmission with floor-mounted gearshift lever and a 396-cid 325-hp “big-block” V8. Having started as a 396, Travis’ car has most of these features, but he will eventually be installing SS 427 emblems from a big Chevy. SS 396 interiors were all-vinyl, with a black-accented upper panel on the instrument board. Bucket seats were a popular option and this car features front bucket seats with attractive cloth-and-vinyl upholstery. It also has ribbed black vinyl interior door panels, aftermarket Autometer gauges (in addition to the factory gauges) on
The colour isn’t stock, but it’s perfect for a resto-mod Chevelle. AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 29
the steering column and under the dash, and rear seat radio 427 was an overhead valve V8 with cast-iron block and head. speakers on the package shelf. The car has a fully-functional The bore and stroke was 4.25 x 3.76 in. The compression ratio Custom Autosound-style original-look aftermarket radio. could be as high as 11.0:1. Brake horsepower was 390 at 5,200 rpm and torque was 460 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm. Dual exhaust and Travis’ car originally listed for $2,825 with the 396 big-block a Rochester 7025123 four-barrel carb were used. included. Its curb weight was 3,415 lbs. Chevy built 369,133 Chevelles in 1967, but only 63,006 (both hardtops and con- The mid-sized Chevelles were built on a 115-in. wheelbase vertibles) were SS 396s. Travis knows his 427 came from a and had an overall length of 197.0 inches. The front tread full-sized Chevy, but he’s not sure of the exact year. The typical was 58 inches and the rear tread was 58 inches. Plenty of
30 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
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options were offered, including a high-performance rear axle ($2.15); heavy-duty battery ($7.40); front and rear seat belts ($6.35); front disc brakes ($79).; door edge guards ($3.20); dual exhausts ($21.10); Special instrumentation with ammeter, temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge and tachometer ($79); power brakes ($42.15); AM/FM pushbutton radio with front antenna ($133.80); a rear seat speaker ($13.20); Strato bucket seats ($110.60); Superlift rear shock absorbers ($36.90); a Sport styled steering wheel ($31.60); special front and rear suspension ($4.75); a tachometer for V8s ($47.40); a close-ratio four-speed manual transmission ($105.35); a wide-ratio four-speed manual transmission $105.35); and mag-styled wheel covers ($73.75).
Steering wheel is stock, gauges are a mix of stock and Autometer versions.
Travis has a few door handles to install and a couple of trim items to finish and he’ll have his SS 396 . . . we mean SS 427 . . . back on the street again. Do-It-Yourself projects can take a long time to finish, but it’s a great feeling when you get close to the end.
Valve covers call out the bigger engine. 32 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
A Big, Fast Car 1964: When chevy upgraded the Super Sport Story and photos by John Gunnell
W
hen the ’64 Chevys hit the showroom in the fall of 1963, the Impala SS Sport Coupe was no longer an option package like it had been in 1961, 1962 and 1963. It now had its own Chevy model number--1447—and became the sporty car in the line. The Impala was Chevrolet’s plushest model and the Impala Super Sport was now in a separate Impala series positioned above the regular Impala. The list of standard equipment for the Super Sport (or SS) took off where regular Impala features left off. Super Sport buyers got leather-grained vinyl upholstery, individual front bucket seats and special body moulding inserts. They could also store their gloves or sun glasses in a locking centre console. Exterior distinction came from the use of a wider upper body moulding filled with a swirl pattern, silver anodized insert. Impala lettering and the SS badge appeared on the rear fenders, with another badge appearing on the rear deck lid. The rear cove outline mouldings were filled with a silver anodized insert. Full wheel covers of specific Super Sport design were used on the upper-level Impala.
The front bucket seats are hefty looking and have heavy stainless-steel trim.
For 1964, due to the performance ban that GM brass put into effect in the middle of the previous year, Chevrolet engine choices stayed about the same as they were in late ‘63. Ban or no ban, that meant the Impala SS 327 hardtop was still a big, fast car. The optional Turbo-Fire 327 V8 was again available in two versions. The first one had a single four-barrel carburetor and 10.5:1 compression and made 250 hp. The second had a single four-barrel carburetor, dual exhausts, and a 10.5:1 compression ratio. It made 300 hp and cost $138. Chevrolet produced 185,325 Impala Super Sport models in 1964. 2,914 of those were actually six-cylinder-powered two-door hardtops and far from
Centre console and radio were extra-cost factory options. AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 33
The interior has an attractive two-tone colour theme of light blue and white. muscular. And believe it or not, 439 six-cylinder Impala SS convertibles fifth symbols indicate body style: 47=two-door hardtop. The sixth symbol were made. The V8 versions were much more popular, whether you got indicate assembly plant: S=St. Louis. The last six symbols indicate the a hardtop or a ragtop. The closed car attracted 154,215 customers, while sequential production number. the V-8 convertible had a 27,775-unit production run. This particular car belongs to The Automobile Gallery collection in Green In 1964, Chevrolet stamped the vehicle identification number on a shiny Bay, Wis. It is in stock original condition with a clean and fully-detailed enplate attached to the left front door hinge pillar. Motor numbers were on the gine and engine compartment with factory-type stickers all over the place. right side of the engine block, to the rear of the distributor. The featured car It has automatic transmission with a floor-mounted shifter. With low original has VIN 41447S292519. The first symbol 4=1964. The second and third miles, the green Chevy is in excellent operating condition. It retailed for just symbols indicate body style: 14=Impala Super sport V8. The fourth and $2,779 in 1964. The body work, trim, glass and vinyl upholstery are all in excellent condition on this car. The 327-cid V8 was the top option for 1964; the 427 and SS 427 had not arrived yet.
Factory options on this Impala SS include front bucket seats (no, these were not standard on SS cars); automatic transmission with the floor shifter; a centre console; a radio; the 327-cid 300-hp V8; power brakes; dual outside rearview mirrors; air conditioning; and a heater and defroster. After 1964, Chevrolet continued to give the Impala SS separate model status through 1967. In 1966, a new 427-cid V8 grew out of the Chevrolet racing cars that Bill Thomas had whipped up for NASCAR races. Big Chevrolets had not been competitive in circle tack racing since 1963, so Thomas took a 396 to his home garage, reworked it to 427 cubic inches, got NASCAR to accept it and talked to the factory about his project. By November 1965, Car Life magazine reported that Chevy had enlarged the production 396 to 427 cubes. Although these cars had the big-block V8, they were not SS 427s yet.
34 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Chevrolet decided to offer the so-called “427 Rat” motor in showroom cars in 1966 in two editions. The RPO L36 version had a 10.25:1 compression ratio and generated 390 hp at 5,200 rpm and 460 pounds-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. With its higher 11.0:1 compression ratio and solid valve lifters, the RPO L72 “special purpose” version of the 427 was rated for 425 hp at 5,600 rpm and 480 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. This tag on driver’s door jamb is stamped with the Fitted with the 390-hp 427, a Vehicle Identification Numbig ’66 Chevy carried about ber. 10.8 pounds per horsepower and could do 0 to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds or so. The quarter mile took about 15.5 seconds. According to Robert C. Ackerson’s research for his book Chevrolet High-Performance, both versions of the 427 were relatively scarce in 1966. A total of 3,287 full-size Chevys carried the L36 and only 1,856 had the L72 installed. In 1967, with Chevelle sales soaring on the SS-396’s muscle reputation, Chevrolet concluded that high-performance could also sell big cars. This led to the Impala SS-427. To understand the SS-427’s role in the product mix, remember that the Chevelle SS-396 was more than a Malibu with Super Sport trim. Malibus were not available with the big Turbo-Jet V8, while SS-396s came only that way. That made the SS-396 exclusive. Its one job was creating a performance identity that would spur sales of other Chevelles. Similarly, the Impala SS-427 was intended to be an “image” car, though one of larger proportions. While the 427-cid engine was made available in
other Chevrolets, only the SS-427 came with a full assortment of muscle car goodies. They included special badges and engine call-outs, a Corvette-inspired power dome hood, larger wheels, a stiffer suspension and standard red-stripe tires. Then, in 1968, Chevrolet kind of reversed its thinking, dropping the Impala SS series and replacing it with a new-old Z03 Super Sport option. Priced at $179.05, this package included all the same extras that cars in the 1967 Impala SS series had. Another marketing change involved making the performance option available for three Impala models instead of just two. So, in 1968, you could order SS equipment for the $2,968 Sport Coupe, the $3,021 Custom Coupe or the $3,197 convertible. In other words, Chevy returned to the early-‘60s concept of selling SS goodies as an option, which it had abandoned starting in 1964. So, The Automobile Gallery’s Impala SS marks a turning point in Super Sport history that would last only four years. But it was sure a beautiful way to test the new marketing program out.
The 327 in The Automobile Gallery’s Chevy is nicely detailed with paint and decals.
The ’64 Chevy Impala SS Sport Coupe is one of over 100 vehicles in the collection.
36 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Not your Father’s Buick...
...His Buick resto-mod Story and photos by John Gunnell
Shawn has a file with invoices for the parts and labour put into the Buick. There’s a note about AMS Racing building the engine and “ o you want to buy my car?” That’s what Shawn Engel heard his there’s an invoice for the Vintage Air A/C system. There are other father say, but he almost couldn’t believe his ears. His father had bills for the four KYB shocks and the GSX-style hood tach. purchased the 1972 Buick GS in 2005 and had finished restoring it As you can tell from such purchases, Shawn’s father’s car was not in 2006. Shawn never figured he’d sell it. exactly “factory,” but it is a high-quality build with some add-ons and “Dad knew I liked the car since Day 1,” Shawn recalls now. “That’s neat upgrades like a huge hood scoop, a replacement 455-cid enwhy he called and offered it to me at a bit less than the amount he gine, a beefed-up THM400 tranny, alloy wheels and brand new B.F. had put into the car. It was a good deal. I couldn’t turn it down so I Goodrich Radial T/A tires that are bigger on back than in the front. bought the car.” Buick did a mild facelift on the 1972 Buick Skylark and the GS - which stands for Grand Sport - was based on that mid-sized model. The front bumper was redesigned. At the rear, black vinyl surrounds were added to the taillight and bumper assembly. Buick used a “building block” system with certain standard features on its low-rung Skylarks and more features added each step up the ladder you went to other Skylark models.
D
All 1972 Buicks came with a lot of governmentmandated safety and anti-pollution equipment that included occupant protection features; accident prevention features; and anti-theft equipment. The plain Skylark also had a front ash tray; a heater and defroster; a side-terminal Energizer battery; Magic Mirror acrylic paint; padded head restraints; self-adjusting brakes; a 6,000-mile lubed front suspension; and G78-14 bias-belted tires. The transplanted 455 was bored .030 over and dressed up with chrome goodies. 38 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
In addition to or in place of the basic features, the Skylark 350 had cloth-and-vinyl deluxe seats; carpeting; front and rear ash trays; and arm rests;
a deluxe steering wheel; front-door-operated interior lights; hide-away wipers; wheel opening mouldings; dual horns and special “350” plaques. In addition to or in place of those things, Skylark Customs had front and rear carpets, a door-operated interior light and a Delcotron generator. The Skylark-based GS model featured factory dual exhausts; functional dual hood scoops; heavy-duty springs; heavy-duty shock absorbers; a stabilizer bar and a muscle car look. Appearance enhancements on the GS model included wide bright rocker mouldings; wheelhouse mouldings and GS monograms on the left side of the grille, each of the front fenders and on the rear deck. Black vinyl bench seats were standard. When a GS model had a 455-cid V8 installed, suitable emblems were added. So Shawn’s dad added 455 badges after he stuffed in the 455 V8. Buick built 1,099 GS 455 hardtops with the 455 four-barrel V8, of which 84 had a four-speed manual gearbox and 1,015 had a Turbo-Hydra-Matic 400 automatic transmission. Shawn doesn’t claim his car to be one of those factorybuilt jobs, but it’s just as cool and probably faster.
Driver’s saddle vinyl bucket seat has rare power lumbar support option.
Shawn’s dad pirated a 445-cid V8 from a 1976 Buick. It was then bored out .030 over to make its actual displacement 462.8 cu. in. After going through three or four THM350 trannies, Shawn decided he needed a THM400 and not just a stock one, but one that had been modified to take the extra oomph of the bigger motor. Although it’s tweaked a bit, the car’s serial number, located on a plate attached to the top of the dash on the driver’s side and viewable through outside of wind-
Three-inch dual exhausts run back from Mickey Thompson headers. AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 39
The “air grabber” scoop was another mod and the ’71 GSX-style tach is, too.
The horsepower and torque numbers today are higher, but not specifically known. The engine features many upgrades including an aluminum intake manifold; Mickey Thompson exhaust headers; a complete 3-inch diameter dual exhaust system; 1973 Stage 3 cylinder heads; a four-core aluminum radiator with electric cooling fans; and more. Among the aftermarket equipment added to the car during its restoration are the big honking hood scoop; the 1970 Buick GSX-style hood-mounted tachometer; under-dash heater and defroster conAutometer gauge cluster hangs below the centre of the dash.
shield, is correct for a GS. It’s 4G37K2H106420. The first symbol indicates the manufacturer: 4=General Motors Buick Motor Division. The second symbol indicates series: G=Skylark GS. The third and fourth symbols indicate body style: 37=two-door hardtop or Sport Coupe. The fifth symbol indicates the original engine: K=350-cid four-barrel 190-hp V8 with dual exhausts. The sixth symbol indicates model year: 2=1972. The seventh symbol indicates the assembly plant: H=Flint, Mich. The last six digits are the sequential assembly number at the plant with series mixed in production starting with 100001. This was the 106,419th Buick of all types built in the Flint, Mich. assembly plant during the 1972 model year.
trols; Autometer Pro Comp under-dash gauges; a Kenwood Excelon AM-FM radio; chrome engine dress-up accessories; a set of Eagle Alloy wheels; the aforementioned Vintage Air air-conditioning system and plenty of other goodies.
Some neat touches on Shawn’s car are factory seat belts, its flawless Dark Yellow Green Metallic paint, the saddle-coloured bucket seats interior, and the noises it makes when he starts it. Shawn When it was new (and stock) Shawn’s Buick had a base retail price also added a line-lock to the brake master cylinder, just in case he of $3,226 but a few extras pumped that up a bit. They included front might want to spin the tires. Almost every nut and bolt and fastener bucket seats, a locking centre console, a rare power lumbar driver’s on the car is new. seat, a woodgrain steering wheel, a remote-control outside rearview Surprisingly, Shawn doesn’t take the car to shows. He says that he mirror, power steering and power front disc/rear drum brakes. goes to events to check out the other cars and get ideas, but not to The engine in the car today is a 455 with overhead valves and a show the Buick. He’s more into driving the car to a Sunday morning cast-iron-alloy block and head. The actual bore and stroke is 4.3425 breakfast with his wife. “I’m going to keep it forever,” he said, before adding, “Well, someday my daughter will probably get it. x 3.9 in. including the over-bore.
Rocker mouldings have red highlights to match GS fender emblem and marker light. 40 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
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Billet Specialties New SuperSport Wheel Billet Specialties’ New SuperSport wheel is the perfect balance of classic styling with modern sizes. The forged 6061-T6 machined centre is mated to a precision spun rim to ensure
• Specializing in Holley ‘Square Bore’ 4 Barrel Carburetors Since 1994 • We do everything from OEM Restorations to Street Ready and Race Prepared Carbs • Our Carbs are completely Remanufactured and Re-Coloured to their original ‘Holley Gold’ Specs • We Offer the Highest Quality at the Best Prices Guaranteed!
2015CARB CARB PRICE PRICE LIST LIST 2021 #4412 2BBL $350 $325 #4548 500 450 cfm VacSec #4548 Sec $295 $450 #1850 450 600 cfm cfm Vac VacSec #1850-2 Sec $350 $350 #3310-2 600 750 cfm Vac VacSec #80783 675 cfm Vac Sec $425 #3310-1 780 cfm VacSec $395 #3310-2 750 cfm Vac Sec $395 #4776 600 cfm Dbl Pump $395 #3310-1 cfmDblVac Sec $395 $495 #4776 780 600 cfm Pump
#4776 #4777 #4777 #4778 #4778 #4779 #4779 #4780 #4780 #4781 #4781
600 650 cfm Dbl Pump Pump $450 $395 650 $395 700 cfm Dbl Pump $450 700 $395 750 cfm Dbl Pump $450 $495 750 cfm Dbl Pump $395 800 800 $395 850 cfm Dbl Pump $495 850 cfm Dbl Pump $495 $395
Note:allAllprices pricesononabove above carbs or $50 charge. Electric$75 Choke $50 Note: carbs areare plusplus corecore or charge. $50 for VacSec, for add Dbl Pump.
We Specialize in
HOLLEY CARB RESTORATION OEM CARBS FOR SALE
Fully Restored /Factory Correct / Ready to Run #3367 LIST #3140-1
’66 Corvette ‘65-’66 Chevelle 327 (300/350HP) Engine 396 ci Eng.
695. 695.0000
For more information please go to www.billetspecialties.com
‘66 Chevelle ’69 Mustang / Cougar GT 428396 CJ Engine / Auto ci (375 HP) Eng.Trans
DateCode Code5•B•4 5•8•3 Date
Date Date Code Code6•5•1 2•3•2
$$
#3836 LIST #4653
00 795. 595.00
$$
#4800 LIST #4801
Chevelle ’69 Z28‘67 / Chevelle/Vette 327 ci (325 HP) Eng. 302/396/427 Engines
‘67Boss Chevelle SS ‘70 Mustang 396Engine ci (355/ HP) 302 Std Eng. Trans
‘70 Camaro ‘71 Camaro Z/28 / Z28 Corvette 350 (330HP) Std Trans 350 ci Eng.Eng. Auto Trans.
Date Code Code 9•B•3 Date 8•3•1
DateCode Code 2•9•4 6•8•3 Date
Date DateCode Code 0•9•4 0•8•4
595. 895.00
$
proper strength and shape. The centre is also finished in a black-powder coat which provides a cool look as well as some added durability. The new wheels are available in conventional rim sizes from 17- through to 20-in. and bolt patterns of up to 5-in. in diameter.
LIST LIST #3613 #4609
‘66Chevelle Corvette ’66 Eng. Std 396 327(360HP) ci (300/350 HP) Trans Eng.
695. 795.0000
$$
Date Code 6•6•3 Date Code 9•5•2
LIST #3806 #4346
LIST #3419 #3367 LIST
695.0000 850.
$$
750. 795.0000
$$
Let Us Restore Your Holley!
604-671-7227 604-671-7227
WE CALL CALL BUY US US Unit #218, 5678 - 199th Street Unit #218, 5678 - 199th Street Langley, B.C., Canada V3A 1H8 CORES! FIRST FIRST Langley, B.C., Canada V3A 1H8 AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 43
Advertiser Index
Great Canadian Oil Change--------------------------------------24 All Parts Trailer Sales ------------------------------------------- 45 B&W Insurance ------------------------------------------------- 11 Barry-Hamel ----------------------------------------------------- 37 BC Classic & Custom Car Show ------------------------------ 35 BC G Body ---------------------------------------------------------3 CAM Oils --------------------------------------------------------- 41 Classified Motorsports ----------------------------------------- 42 Easy Build ------------------------------------------------------- 44 EG Auctions ----------------------------------------------------- 27 Golden Leaf Automotive --------------------------------------- 31 Hardcore Holley ------------------------------------------------- 43 Howard Cams --------------------------------------------------- 45 Ididit ----------------------------------------------------------------7 Jellybean Autocrafters ----------------------------------------- 41 KMS Tools ------------------------------------------------------- 21 Kool Coat -------------------------------------------------------- 45 Langley Good Times Cruise-In -------------------------------- 41 LiquiMoly ----------------------------------------------------------5 LMC Truck ------------------------------------------------------- 48 Lordco Auto Parts ---------------------------------------------- 23 Mopac Auto Supply - ------------------------------------------- 47 Procar --------------------------------------------------------------2 Scotts Super Trucks -------------------------------------------- 45 Stone’s Speed Shop -------------------------------------------- 41 Westar Trailers -------------------------------------------------- 45
Ididit Pro-Lite Straight Floor Shift Steering Column for 1967-68 Camaro Ididit’s Pro-Lite lightweight steering column features an innovative design that comes in at under 6 lbs., which is half the weight of a standard Ididit column and is also lighter than most typical OE columns. The column includes self-cancelling turn signals, 4-way flashers, horn wiring, 3-7/8-in. wiring plug and a 1-in. 48 lower shaft. The column is also able to collapse a full 5-in. for enhanced driver safety. It is designed to work with most quick-release steering wheel hubs with the steering wheel adapters sold separately. For more information please go to www.ididitinc.com
McLeod’s Mini Mag 7-1/4-In. Clutch Kits McLeod’s Mini Mag 7-1/4-in. clutch kits utilize friction material that is designed to endure the required slippage of drag racing. With multiple diaphragm spring pressures, the clutch is able to suit individual applications and has a high clamp-to-wear ratio, a low moment of inertia and an open clutch cover design to keep the unit running cooler under heavy use. The kits can be ordered as single, twin or triple disc configurations and are designed to fit most 7-1/4-in. industry-standard flywheel bolt patterns with .100 pull down. They are available for Chevy, Ford, Honda, Toyota and many other vehicles. For more information please go to www.mcleodracing.com
Pre-Engineered Building Kits No Welding • Maintenance Free
Residential • Commercial
E
asy Build Structures pre-engineered 2” x 3” galvanized steel framing system uses a unique “slip-fit” design that simplifies the installation process with the added strength and durability to withstand our Canadian winters. Whether you are looking for roof-coverage only to protect your investment or fully-enclosed garage and warehouse packages, Easy Build Structures has the building for you.
55-13325 115th Avenue, Surrey 604.589.4280 | Toll Free: 888.589.4280
www.easybuildstructures.ca
Our sales team will work with you to customize your structure package to meet all your requirements. Easy Build packages come complete with everything you need, ranging from overhead and man doors, windows, insulation options, sheeting and flashing colours, and hardware.
CALL NOW FOR A CUSTOM QUOTE:
44 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
Our structure widths range from 10’ through 50’, with the length being as long as you need. Our engineer can provide you with stamped and sealed drawings, Schedule B and C-B, and site inspections to help assist you with DO-IT-YOURSELF any permitting processed required Take advantage of our by your municipality. full installation services These services also include throughout British Columbia, our CSA-A660 certification including complimentary on-site for pre-engineered steel consultations in the Lower Mainland structures in Canada. to fully design your custom structure. Furthermore, all our building packages are designed as do-it-yourself kits with a step-by-step installation manual.
604.589.4280
AUG/SEPT 2021 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 45
READER’S RIDES 1966 Ford Mustang GT
Craig Radford’s 1966 Ford Mustang GT features a factory 289 4v engine with power steering, disc brakes, factory a/c and the original deluxe interior with the console shifter and a pretty rare 8-track player. The entire car is mostly original except for a few things here or there. The car received fresh paint a few years back, the engine was cleaned, painted and detailed and the rad was replaced with an aluminum one due to overheating. Craig says the car drives amazingly well for a vehicle nearing 60 years old, and he plans on putting many more miles on it in the future.
WANT TO SEE YOUR VEHICLE IN THE MAGAZINE? Send in a few hi-res photos of your classic car or truck with a short description of around 60-80 words and we may include you in the Reader’s Rides section at the back of Muscle Car Plus.
If interested, please email us at ReadersRides@rpmcanada.ca 46 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE AUG/SEPT 2021
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ATTITUDE IS HANDED DOWN
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1947-13 Chevy/GMC 1948-16 Ford 1972-15 Dodge
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