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CONTENTS
One-and-Only The only 1968 Camaro Z/28 Convertible ever made ...pg 8
BULLITT:
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt ...pg 26
WHEELS:
Wheels Buyers Guide ...pg 16
ALSO INSIDE:
Starting Lines-------------------------------- 4 Hot Rodding----------------------------------20 History: Dr. Olds----------------------------30 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP-------------------36 Parts Store------------------------------------40 Readers Rides-------------------------------46
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OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE
STARTING LINES
Ford Celebrates Production of 10 Millionth Mustang
F
ord is currently celebrating the production of its 10 millionth Mustang, which has been the world’s top-selling sports car for three years straight. The 10 millionth Mustang is a 2019 Wimbledon White GT V8 convertible model that produces 460 horsepower and features a six-speed manual transmission and was built at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan. The first serialized Mustang (VIN 001) was produced back in 1964 and was the same colour and model with a three-speed manual transmission and a 164 horsepower V8 under the hood. “Mustang is the heart and soul of this company and a favourite around the world,” said Jim Farley, president of global markets, Ford Motor Company. “I get the same thrill seeing a Mustang roll down a street in Detroit, London or Beijing that I felt when I bought my first car – a 1966 Mustang coupe that I drove across the country as a teenager. Mustang is a smile-maker in any language.” Ford’s celebrations for this hugely significant milestone included flyovers from three WWIIera P-51 Mustang fighter planes and a parade of Mustangs produced over the years going from Ford’s Dearborn Headquarters to the Flat Rock Assembly Plant where they continue to be manufactured today. Over the course of its 54-year production history, the Mustang has also been built in San Jose, California, Metuchen, New Jersey and the original Mustang production facility in Dearborn, Michigan. The Mustang is currently in its sixth generation and is bringing back the iconic Mustang Bullitt model for the 2019 model year with an exclusive 480-horsepower 5.0L V8 engine under the hood. With the press release to mark the milestone, Ford included a list of important Mustang launches by model year which is to the right. MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Important Mustang Launches (by model year) 2019 • Limited-edition Mustang Bullitt with 480 horsepower 2018 • Updated style, new 5.0-litre V8 engine with 460 horsepower and Performance Pack II 2015 • All-new sixth generation Mustang, first with independent rear suspension, and Shelby GT350 / GT350R with flat-plane crank 5.2-litre V8 2012 • First Boss 302 since 1971 returns with 444 horsepower V8 2011 • All-new 412-horsepower 5.0-litre V8 Mustang GT debuts 2008 • Iconic Bullitt Mustang returns 2007 • California Special edition returns 2004 • Dearborn Assembly Plant ends 40 years of Mustang, production moves to Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Mich. 2003 • Mustang Mach 1 model returns with Ram-Air “Shaker” hood scoop 2001 • Debut of Mustang Bullitt limited-edition salute to movie car 2000 • SVT Mustang Cobra “R” race version returns 1993 • Limited production SVT Mustang Cobra debuts 1984 • Mustang SVO debuts 1982 • Mustang GT returns after 12-year absence 1979 • Euro-styled “Fox” platform Mustang debuts 1976 • Cobra II joins the lineup 1974 • Mustang II debuts amid gas crisis; no V8 engine offered until 1975 1970 • Ram-Air “Shaker” hood offered 1969 • High-performance Boss 302 and Boss 429 introduced 1968 • Mustang 390 GT stars with Steve McQueen in “Bullitt”; 428 Cobra Jet engine debuts 1965 • Shelby GT350 introduced; Mustang 2+2 with full fastback roof debuts
Russo and Steele 19th Annual Scottsdale Collector Automobile Volume 16, Issue No. 5 October / November 2018 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 Stefanie Galeano-Zalutko John Gunnell Dan Heyman Brian Wormald
Russo and Steele’s 19th Annual Scottsdale Collector Automobile Auction returns on January 16-20, 2019 at the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. The annual auction will feature its well-established “auction in the round” format with more than 800 cars crossing the block over the five-day event. Buyers, sellers and enthusiastic spectators will be up close and personal with the very best in European Sports, American Muscle, Hot Rods and Customs. The event’s layout incorporates a premium concourse-style experience for attendees and is designed to show case the auction’s remarkably diverse range of high-quality offerings. The Main Auction Pavilion is on 100-percent hard surface asphalt, boasting a 13,000 square-foot space and state-of-the-art climate controlled Vendor Pavilion which host more than 130 vendors including a food court-style seating area for the Food Truck Showcase and a jumbotron live streaming the auction. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick’s highly centralized and easily accessible location, right off the Loop 101 puts Russo and Steele directly at the epicenter of all the action during Arizona Car Week. Wednesday, January 16, is preview day and gates open at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday, January 17, through Saturday, January 19, gates open at 9 a.m. for preview viewing and the auction begins at noon. On Sunday the gates open at 9 a.m. and the auction begins at 11 a.m. General admission is $30 Wednesday through Saturday and just $20 on Sunday. For more information please go to www.russoandsteele.com
Muscle Car Plus Magazine is published six times per year by RPM Media Inc. 2460 Kingsway Avenue Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada V3C 1T4 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:
Mecum Auctions 28th Annual Vintage and Antique Motorcycle Auction Mecum Auctions will host the 28th annual Vintage and Antique Motorcycle Auction this January 22-27 at the South Point Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas with an anticipated 1,750 motorcycles to cross the auction block. The auction will be headlined by The MC Collection of Stockholm boasting more than 230 museum-quality motorcycles including early Indians and Husqvarnas, Triumphs, Ducatis, BSAs and more. Highlights include a 1939 Crocker Big Tank, 1925 Brough SS100 Grand Sport, 1912 Henderson Model A, 1904 Alcyon Single, 1914 Flying Merkel VTwin and a 1971 Honda Factory Racer, to name just a few. The auction is open to buyers, sellers and spectators; general admission and bidder registration are available at Mecum. com and at the door. Children 12 and younger are admitted at no charge.
MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
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One-Off Ragtop The one and only ’68 Camaro Z/28 Convertible
acing on Sunday sold cars on Monday, and Chevy promotions manager Vince Piggins wanted R to build a max-performance Camaro to run in Trans-Am races. His Camaro Z/28 option was a performance equipment package designed to make the Camaro a winner. It was introduced at the American Road Race of Champions.
The Z/28 package was $358, but mandatory options jacked typical out-the-door prices to about $4,200. That included a heater, but you could not get air conditioning. Piggins got the model’s 302-cid V8 to make 350 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque at 6,200 rpm. However, GM advertised 290 hp at 5,800 rpm and 290 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm.
Story and photos by John Gunnell
The 1967 Z/28 coupe could move from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. It did the quarter-mile in an amazing 14.9 seconds at 97 mph. Top speed was 124 mph. Despite its small-block V8, the Z/28 performed like a race car. It was a fussy car, too. Chevrolet built 602 Camaro Z/28 Sport Coupes with the Z/29 package in 1967. The next year, Z/28 production leaped to 7,199 cars. One single, solitary soft-top was made. This is the story of that rare ragtop and how it came to be. In addition to being a one-of-a-kind car, this car was the first ever Z/28 convertible coupe. It was
Trans-Am intake holds two big four-barrel carbs under special air cleaner.
that Piggins had some special racing parts that he wanted to get homologated for use on SCCA racing cars so Penske could put them on his Camaros. To achieve this, the parts had to be okayed for use on production cars. Piggins thought that getting the Chevy general manager to drive a Z/28 fitted with those parts was one way to win Estes’ approval of them. “Everyone, including Vince Piggins, knew that Estes was a convertible fanatic,” Mattison explained. That’s why Piggins asked Mattison if a Z/28 convertible could be put together on a COPO basis.
Jim ordered the car as a convertible with a special release for the regular production Z/28 package and loaded it with other regular production options. The special racing options that Piggins wanted to get approved for Penske weren’t included. When it was built, the car first went to the GM Executive Garage in the GM Building in Detroit. ‘Then, before they gave the keys to Estes, it was sent to the GM Tech Center, in Warren, Mich., where the special stuff and parts were put on it,” Mattison explained. “Then, it was taken back to the GM Executive specially built for E. M. “Pete” Estes, the general manager of Chevrolet. Garage and made available for Estes to use.” The car was ordered under Dealer Code 00-500 and was assembled at GM’s Norwood, Ohio, assembly plant on July 15, 1968. The car was loaded with extras and some very special high-performance parts were added to it before Mr. Estes started driving it. Jim Mattison runs Pontiac Historic Services (www.phs-online.com) of Sterling Heights, Michigan, today. At the time the 1968 Z/28 convertible was built, Mattison worked for Chevrolet’s Fleet Special Order Department. “A lot of muscle car fans call it COPO and associate it with 427 Camaros and things like that, but the department’s name was Fleet Special Order Department and its main job was taking special orders for police cars and taxicab fleets and those kinds of cars,” Mattison told Muscle Car Plus. “From my perspective, because I was the youngest member in the department in the late ‘60s, when a ‘hot rod’-type project came through, they always gave it to me to work on.” Mattison said Vince Piggins called him up one day and asked, “Is it possible that we can build a Camaro Z/28 convertible? It seems
Chevy boss “Pete” Estes loved driving the car and okayed its racing parts. 10 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Car has white vinyl front buckets and power windows.
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Goodyear Wide Tread GT tires and Rally rims were original equipment.
Options on Estes’ Fathom Green car included a folding rear seat, auxiliary console-mounted instrumentation, auxiliary lighting, power windows, a remote outside rearview mirror, custom seat belts, a blue light AM/FM stereo system, a rear window defroster, a Comfortilt steering wheel and posi-traction. The special racing parts were four-wheel disc brakes (a mid-’69 RPO), a performance suspension package with Koni shock absorbers, a cowl plenum fibreglass hood (more or less a prototype of the ’69 Camaro fibreglass hood), a cross-ram intake manifold and factory-built tube headers.
Console houses a Muncie shifter and controls for the multiplex stereo. White hood stripes set off the Fathom Green finish very nicely.
Reports said that Estes used the Z/28 convertible as his “everyday” car, but Mattison said that’s an exaggeration. “He had one of every Chevy model available at the time at his disposal and drove different cars,” Mattison pointed out. ”However, Estes drove the Z/28 convertible frequently; he loved the car and he okayed Penske getting his parts,” The car officially belonged to GM, but Estes drove it for most of the year. Towards the end of 1968, it was taken back to the GM Tech Center and the special racing parts were removed. On Dec. 17, 1968 it was sold to GM employee T.H. Standen through Chevrolet dealer Bill Markley. Markley owned a dealership that was practically across the street from the GM Building. When executive cars came out of the fleet, they had to be sold through a dealer and Markley was the dealer of choice for Chevrolet products. Two years later, Standen sold the car to Vern Nye, another GM employee. Nye retained possession of the Z/28 convertible for nearly 20 years. According to Mattison, classic car auctioneer Dana Mecum first unearthed the car at this time. Mecum had the car restored around 1990, then sold it in one of his 1991 auctions for a record muscle car price of $172,000. The car went to Milt Robson, of Georgia. Then. it was
12 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
purchased by the Rock ‘n Roll Toy Store Ltd., of Highland Park, Ill. Next a man named Al Maynard purchased the car. Mattison said that Maynard found correct parts to replace all the racing goodies removed from the car. He had Scott Tiemann of Supercar Specialties in Portland, Mich. do more restoration to the car. He then took it to the Amelia Island Concours. In 2004, Maynard took the car to an Auburn, Indiana auction. hoping to get $1 million for it. It didn’t sell, but made headlines. “A one-of-akind Z/28 Camaro convertible built for a former General Motors Corp. executive is missing its keys, title and original bill of sale—all of them stolen during the classic car auction,” reported The Auburn Evening Star. Maynard sold the car to Mecum. “Dana always loved the car and decided he wanted it back,” Mattison said. “He arranged to buy it from Al Maynard for his collection and he probably won’t sell it again.” Maynard had copies of the stolen paperwork. “Also, after Dana got the car, Tom Stanton called him and said that he had paperwork on the car,” Mattison added. “The car Dana has is the well-documented real thing.”
According to Comer, “The combination of it being built as a Z/28 convertible and then having all the race parts installed by hand by GM Engineering is something that could only happen back when the right guys would get involved. It is a reminder that GM ruled the world in the 1960s and basically did whatever they wanted to! A group of Muscle car historian Colin Comer of Milwaukee, Wis., put a chapter guys built this car to get racing parts homologated so GM could beat about the Z/28 in his Million Dollar Muscle Cars book (www.qbook- Ford in SCCA competition. Anybody pleased with how the Camaros shop.com/motorbooks.com). “A lot of people lay claim to having a did in 1969 had this car and Pete Estes to thank.” 1-of-1 muscle car,” he wrote.” Often its rarity is based on a colour or a transmission and rear axle ratio combination or it being the only one Comer said, “The fact that the Estes car survives at all is a miracle, like it assembled by Bob Smith who worked 3rd shift on Tuesdays and but to have survived so intact is testimony to all of its owners realizing Thursdays. The Estes convertible is truly the only one; a prototype its importance. For first-gen Camaros, it just doesn’t get any better. This car is indeed one of one and the real deal.” for a car never considered for production.”
14 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
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BUYERS’ GUIDE American Racing VN504 Wheels Description: American Racing VN504 Wheels feature a one-piece cast aluminum five-spoke design that is ideal for classic and muscle cars. Available in 15- and 17-in. diameters, the wheels also come in a number of different five-lug bolt patterns as well as offsets and finishes. Specifications: Offered in polished or mag gray centre with a mirror lip. Applications: For classic and muscle cars that fit 15- and 17-in. diameters. Website: www.americanracing.com
Center Line MM6MA Description: Center Line’s MM6MA Classic Muscle Series wheels boast a classic fivespoke design that will allow them to seamlessly integrate into just about any muscle car. The wheels feature a satin anthracite grey centre with a machined lip and a centre cap with the embossed logo. Specifications: Available in 17x8 and 17x9 sizes in a few offsets and bolt patterns. Applications: Made for both classic and modern muscle cars. Website: www.centerlinewheels.com
Cragar Series 61G S/S Description: Cragar’s Series 61G Super Sport wheels feature a two-piece composite chrome-plated steel rim with gray spokes and an aluminum centre. The five-spoke design is a classic look that will integrate into any muscle car. Lug nuts are not included with the wheels but it is suggested to use conical seat lug nuts when installing. Specifications: Available in 15- and 17-in. sizes in a variety of bolt patterns and offsets. Applications: Made for both classic and modern muscle cars. Website: www.cragarwheel.com
Foose Legend – F105 Description: Foose’s Legend-F105 wheels are a one-piece cast aluminum-constructed wheel that boasts a great high-lustre chrome finish. They include the centre cap, while the lug nuts and valve stems are sold separately. They are available in diameters for most earlyand late-model fitments. Specifications: One-piece cast aluminum construction. Available in 17-, 18-, 20- and 22in. diameters. Applications: Available for most early- and late-model fitments. Website: www.foosedesignwheels.com
Forgeline Rodster Wheels Description: Forgeline’s Rodster wheels feature a bold salt-flat inspired wheel with depth and innovative details that are an evolution of one of the most popular styles in hot rod history. The design is meant to update your hot rod or give your late model ride an old school look and will provide you with generous brake clearance for high performance applications. Specifications: Rodster wheels are a custom made-to-order three-piece wheel that is produced from forged 6061-T6 aluminum centres and heat-treated rim-sheets assembled with hidden stainless-steel ARP fasteners and Heli-Coil inserts. Applications: Available in 18-, 19- or 20-in diameters. Website: www.forgeline.com 16 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
FX11 Series Wheels Description: FX Wheels FX 11 Series Wheels feature a one-piece cast aluminum construction and offer a load rating of 1,600 – 1,800 lbs. They feature a conical seat lug style and are fully compatible with TPMS systems for use on newer vehicles. The wheels are available in a number of different sizes, widths, bolt patterns and offsets to fit a wide variety of cars. Specifications: Available in either satin black or a gloss black/machined combination. Applications: Available for use with a wide variety of vehicles. Website: www.trailfx.com
Hurst Dazzler Wheels Description: Hurst Dazzler Wheels feature a timeless look that is reminiscent of those found back in the late 1960s. The wheels come in a variety of different sizes and offer you the choice of either black or gold accents. The one-piece aluminum wheels meet all necessary requirements and feature a machined mirror face and lip on some models, with the black or gold accents and protective clear coat. Specifications: Available in 15-, 17- and 20-in. sizes and a number of bolt patterns. Applications: Made in a variety of sizes to fit most muscle cars. Website: www.hurst-shifters.com Performance World Terminator Forged Wheel Adapters Description: Performance World’s Terminator Series Forged billet aluminum wheel spacers are black anodized and laser-etched, and feature grade 10.9 or 12.9 studs. They will widen your vehicle’s stance to give it an overall more aggressive look and/or help your vehicle adapt to custom wheels. Specifications: Manufactured from 6061-T6 forged aluminum. Applications: Available in 1, 1.25, 1.50 and 2.00-in. for a variety of 5-, 6- and 8-lug bolt patterns. Website: www.performance-world.com
Rocket Racing Wheels Booster Gray Description: Rocket Racing Wheels’ Booster Gray wheels are purpose built with a classic five-spoke design to integrate into muscle cars, pro-touring and street machines designs and feature a vintage-style aluminum o-ring centre cap. A reverse-mount soft lip outer provides a longer spoke and maximizes the wheel window to better display your performance brakes. Specifications: Manufactured from A356 aluminum. Applications: Available in 17-, 18- and 20-in. diameters. Website: www.rocketracingwheels.com
WELD Vektor Wheels Description: WELD’s Vektor Wheels offer a contemporary look that boosts the appearance of your muscle car or late-model car. The forged aluminum wheels exhibit strength and stability while providing a lighter alternative to a regular cast constructed wheel. The wheels are available with a black anodized or polished centre. Specifications: Designed for use with 5/8-in. drive stud or short shank mag-style lug. Maximum load rating for street applications is 1,200 lbs. per wheel with a 28-in. tire. Applications: Fits many modern and classic muscle cars. Website: www.weldwheels.com
YearOne Honeycomb Wheels Description: YearOne Honeycomb Wheels are a 17x9 version of the wheel that originally came on the 1971-1972 Pontiac GTO and 1971-1976 Trans Am models and are able to accept the original style centre caps. The wheels use conical seat lug nuts and feature a silver powder coat centre with clear-coated machined edges. Specifications: Manufactured from cast aluminum. Applications: Available in a 17x9-in. size with 5.125-in. backspacing. Website: www.yearone.com 18 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
STORE# 59 8 5 10 71 104 83 16 49 38 75 18 87 52 4 92 23 69 6 74 35 22 82 68 101 62 76 32 88
LOCATION 100 Mile House Abbotsford Agassiz Aldergrove Armstrong Bridgeview Burnaby - Douglas Road Burnaby - Edmonds Burnaby - Metrotown Cache Creek Campbell River Castlegar Chase Chilliwack - Sardis Chilliwack - Yale Clearbrook Cloverdale Coquitlam - Clarke Road Coquitlam - Westwood Courtenay Cranbrook Creston Delta Duncan East Kelowna Enderby Fernie Fruitvale Golden
PHONE# (250) 395-4051 (604) 850-1446 (604) 796-3141 (604) 856-3483 (250) 546-8110 (604) 930-9316 (604) 291-6840 (604) 522-3947 (604) 412-9955 (250) 457-9644 (250) 830-1788 (250) 365-5015 (250) 679-3088 (604) 858-2200 (604) 792-1999 (604) 556-9800 (604) 576-2821 (604) 931-3830 (604) 942-4113 (250) 338-6266 (250) 417-0888 (250) 428-5335 (604) 597-8668 (250) 746-8181 (250) 491-0531 (250) 838-2200 (250) 423-4477 (250) 367-7581 (250) 344-7488
STORE# 65 7 53 57 60 73 31 85 29 108 110 45 9 11 55 86 89 3 54 2 44 70 30 27 80 24 111 61 77
LOCATION Grand Forks Hope Invermere Kamloops Kamloops II Kamloops IV Kelowna Kimberley Ladner Ladysmith Lake Cowichan Langford Langley Langley Machine Shop Lillooet Lumby Maple Ridge Maple Ridge Machine Shop Merritt Mission Nanaimo Nanaimo II Nelson Newton North Kamloops North Vancouver North Vancouver II Oliver Osoyoos
PHONE# (250) 442-5995 (604) 869-2441 (250) 342-9210 (250) 374-4488 (250) 374-9922 (250) 372-2282 (250) 763-3621 (250) 427-4500 (604) 946-4679 (250) 912-0050 (250) 749-3341 (250) 391-1438 (604) 533-2444 (604) 530-3943 (250) 256-0599 (250) 547-1355 (604) 467-1191 (604) 467-3444 (250) 378-9004 (604) 826-7121 (250) 390-9232 (250) 753-1711 (250) 352-4699 (604) 543-2811 (250) 376-8200 (604) 984-0277 (604) 985-2222 (250) 498-0600 (250) 495-0445
STORE# 67 48 15 91 95 36 100 41 78 81 79 64 21 50 47 13 26 58 17 28 107 33 66 40 37 39 43 14 42
LOCATION Parksville Penticton Pitt Meadows Port Alberni Port Coquitlam Port Kells Powell River Prince George Princeton Qualicum Beach Quesnel Revelstoke Richmond Salmon Arm Sidney Smithers Squamish Summerland Trail Tsawwassen Valemount Vancouver - East 2nd Vancouver - S.W. Marine Drive Vernon Victoria West Kelowna Whistler White Rock Winfield
SIN
PHONE# (250) 248-5718 (250) 490-8880 (604) 465-7200 (250) 723-4200 (604) 942-3994 (604) 513-2288 (604) 485-4477 (250) 612-0223 (250) 295-3880 (250) 752-5621 (250) 992-6880 (250) 814-0116 (604) 276-1866 (250) 832-7030 (250) 655-9311 (250) 847-0195 (604) 892-5988 (250) 404-0139 (250) 368-9116 (604) 943-1599 (250) 566-4140 (604) 879-9391 (604) 324-8000 (250) 503-2238 (250) 380-2088 (250) 707-0106 (604) 932-0900 (604) 531-8877 (250) 766-4457
CE 1974
Hot Rodding Throughout the Decades Story by Stefanie Galeano-Zalutko “An automobile rebuilt or modified for high speed and fast acceleration.” “Nah, it’s anything modified from stock.” “It’s all about recreating that first-car experience.” “Well, yeah, but with the brands and parts we couldn’t afford way back when.”
W
hen it comes to defining a hot rod, the responses are as varied as the vehicles themselves. Once a segment fueled by classic American iron, “the rules or the styles have loosened up a little bit. They don’t seem to follow [a] formula so closely,” said Dave Wallace, veteran automotive journalist and owner of Good Communications Inc., in the June 2018 issue of SEMA News. These days, a hot rod could just as easily be an old British sports car or a classic JDM.
Featuring Candid Insight from Edelbrock Performance
Wallace continued his train of thought with the more, the merrier. “The more people who want to modify a vehicle instead of spending money on a guitar or a video game or a motorcycle—if they’re in our niche here, I think the hobby welcomes them all. We’ve had a long period of traditional hot rods. That’s what was winning the trophies—not rat rods, but traditional hot rods that looked as much as possible like the immediate post-World War II cars,” he told SEMA News. Variety within the hot rod community appears to be beneficial for industry sales traditionally weighed down by factors like heavy federal regulations (aiming to save us from ourselves, of course) and the rise of mail-order parts. The hot-rod segment has experienced a significant boost that is currently estimated to be a $1.26-billion industry, according to the Hot Rod Industry Alliance’s “2017 Biannual Report.” If intrigued by the fascinating history of hot rodding, look no further than the influential movements, events, parts, and technology that have shaped each passing decade. Every generation leaves its fingerprint on the hot-rodding industry. It is natural to crave the nostalgia of days gone by. Only, what the Silent Generation coveted was different from Baby Boomers, which, in turn, clashes with Generations X and Y. Case in point, and as published in the June 2018 issue of SEMA News, consider the increased number of classic trucks appearing at hot-rod shows, or how late ‘70s and ‘80s cars are garnering enthusiast attention. “For the longest time in the hobby, people looked down on them as smog-era cars or malaise-era cars, and they’re starting to get a little more appreciation now,” added Wallace. As the demographics shift, so does a preference in vehicle type and customization.
20 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Hot rodding throughout the decades was discussed at length with Cary Redman, August Cederstrand, and Smitty Smith of Edelbrock Performance. Years ago, Hot Rod Network author Thom Taylor posed the question, “How did we become so connected with our vehicles and so passionate about their function and form?” If you ask Cederstrand, “Competition breeds innovation. It’s about bigger, better, faster. That race on Sunday, sell on Monday mentality” is just as present in hot rodding. A number of movements, events, and parts impacted the segment—for instance, the birth of the flat-head Ford, which the Edelbrock team agrees inadvertently inspired a performance aftermarket. How about the unprecedented growth of the plastic and chemical industries during wartime efforts due to a large infusion of government money in private sector product development? As for the very spirit of hot rodding, look no further than “pioneers like Vic Edelbrock Sr. who spent their free time in the late ‘30s racing out at the dry lakes of El Mirage, just north of Los Angeles, with junkyard finds they were building up as hot rods long before it was ever a thing,” said Smith. “That, [subsequently], gave birth to the slingshot manifold we still make today and inspired formal organizations like SCTA,” he continued. One cannot dismiss the impact of Chevy small-block production and racing in the sand at Daytona Beach, FL during the ‘50s, nor the mainstream magic of muscle cars in the ‘60s
OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 21
haps that statement alone unveils the future direction of hot rodding—a revolving door of change in vehicles, trends, brands, technology, and parts. “The Internet has changed everything, including hot rodding. We have evolved from face-to-face, walk-in business to shops becoming shippers in an effort to supplement the loss of foot traffic,” said Redman. Taylor continued with “…the way we buy our cars, components, receive our information, and how we keep our friends apprised of every stage of our project’s development. In many cases, the swap meet has been replaced by eBay and Craigslist.” Redman noted that the entire distribution model has changed as a result, and those businesses that fail to adapt are out of business. Technology has its upsides as well. During the early 2000s, the automotive industry was swept off its feet by the rise of turbocharging, electronic fuel injection, carbon fibre, as well as digital renderings, computer-aided software to marry engineering and design processes, and and big screen hits like “Bullitt” in the disco era. In fact, some of the infancy of 3D printing. the industry’s most iconic parts were crafted during these decades, with Crane roller rockers, NOS, Hooker super competition headers, A need for speed coupled with millennial enthusiasts motivated by Iskenderian camshafts, Hurst 4-speed shifters, and Edelbrock intake immediate gratification gave way for an entirely new era of hot rodmanifolds, cylinder heads, and carburetors making a lasting impact ding. “With EFI, it’s all about self-learning. Now a novice can use on the hot rod industry. bolt-on kits and have an 800-hp car… over the weekend,” said Cederstrand. But it goes both ways, he added. “The younger generations The ‘80s brought its own form of innovation, with aftermarket manu- are not used to the old-school way of time and patience—now it’s facturers giving the one finger salute to federal regulations in the only almost too easy. Yet the older generation of hot rodders are generway they know how—a mantra of increased performance, engine ally unsure about electronics. For many of them, it’s like staring into efficiency, and improved emissions (minus the setbacks that OEMs the abyss of darkness,” he laughed. “But there is no denying how experienced in stock car production). “When OE’s couldn’t do more things like electronic boost control have changed how we make with what they had, the aftermarket did,” said Smith. horsepower today.” To this very day, “Edelbrock’s greatest strength is its ability to Nowadays, many hot rodders long for a classic exterior with contemadapt…quickly, and remain a leader,” added Cederstrand. Per- porary fixings. That concept of modernization in combination with
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movements like Pro-Touring continues to gain in popularity, with enthusiasts interested in “features such as air conditioning, power locks, power windows and power steering, but they are also looking at pushbutton start/stop, backup cameras, and interior touchscreen controls,” as stated in SEMA News. As for speculative trends heading into the 2018 SEMA Show, “Expect to see continued innovation in electronics,” said Redman, “as well as smaller cubic-inch motors putting out even more horsepower, and advancements in diesel.” Whether it be a classic Model A or the ’32 Deuce of grandpa’s dreams, a power-hungry muscle car from the late ‘60s you polished to a shine during high school, or a sixth-generation Camaro your son is tuning in the garage, hot rodding will continue to be defined by the enthusiasts who fuel it. Regardless of the vehicle model, the styling choices, or the powerplant preference, hot rodders are connected by a network of enthusiasts with unwavering passion and DCCM 7.5 x boundaries. 3.75 Version 8.pdf 1 2018-05-09 00:25 an ingenuity to Magazine wrench Add without
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778-888-4493 gary.dccm@gmail.com OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 23
FIRST DRIVE: 2019 FORD MUSTANG BULLITT
Golden Anniversary
Ford has made another Bullitt version of the Mustang to help celebrate the movie’s 50th Anniversary Story and photos by Dan Heyman
So cool was his car, the Ford has seen fit to build not one but three “Bullitt” versions of the Mustang since 2001. They’ve always had he Ford Mustang just oozes cool. It’s one of the longest-run- V8s, they’ve always only been offered with a manual transmission ning nameplates in the automotive world, and after all this time, and they’ve always been available in Dark Highland Green, just as when you think “cool car”, this comes right to the top, even after the the movie car was. maligned malaise-era (but big selling) Mustang II. It has the looks, it has the performance and it’s got acres of je ne sais quoi, which This latest 2019 version, though, is a little more special; after all, when you’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the movie for which many carmakers strive for, but few reach. you’re named, you’d better be doing it right. Thing is, Golden AnMuch of this, of course, can be attributed to its presence in film and television. No car has been in more notable car chases than the Mustang has, usually in the capable hands of the hero. Nic Cage drove one as Memphis Raines in Gone in 60 Seconds, just as H.B. Halicki did as Maindrian Pace in the 1974 version of the film by (pretty much) the same name. Will Smith drove one in I am Legend. More recently, good Canadian Kid Ryan Gosling took his turn behind the wheel of a ‘Stang in Drive, and so important was a Boss 302 to John Wick that having it stolen sent him on a path of vengeance that has run for two movies thus far.
T
The grand poobah, though, has to be the 1968 GT fastback in the Steve McQueen cop epic Bullitt, with an “I” and two “Ts”. It may not have been that great by cop movie standards, but it’s nevertheless fondly remembered because both the lead actor and his car remain two of the coolest things ever to grace the silver screen. 26 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
niversary or no, Ford probably could have just given it some fancy badges, maybe some special wheels and off they could have gone, laughing all the way to the bank because while people love their Mustangs, they love their special edition versions even more and will pay plenty above list to get them – the car you see here lists at $57,025, but dealers are already selling the few that they do get to the highest bidder. Thing is, this particular Bullitt has a little more work to do than previous; the Shelby GT350 won’t be offered for 2019, making the Bullitt the top spec Mustang currently. I don’t have to tell you that the top-spec Mustang actually does need to do more than look good. In that light, Ford has gone all-out with the Bullitt. It starts life as a GT with Performance Package level II, meaning special Brembo brakes (353 mm discs up front, 330 mm at the rear), rear limited-slip diff, launch control and modifiable steering. The Bullitt, however, goes further than that, adding magnetic-ride suspension (standard in Canada, optional in the US), Shelby air intake, open air box, 87 mm throttle body and 19-in. wheels. Power is up 20 hp to 480 and while torque remains the same at 420 lb-ft, the power delivery is smoother overall. This is not a California Special-esque exercise in added bling; this is a grand-scale conversion more akin to 2012-13’s Boss 302. Your only option? $1,800 Recaro racing seats. I’d actually skip these; Frank Bullitt didn’t need any special seats, and he got air in San Francisco! In the more practical sense, however, it’s because I’d rather have the power adjustability and
heating/venting on the standard seats that you lose if you go with the Recaros. Other creature comforts include standard B & O Play audio and SYNC3 infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Compatibility. There’s the visual stuff too, of course; cue ball shifter, black wheels and Dark Highland Green or Shadow Black as your only choices, Bullitt badge on the wheel hub and trunk’s faux filler cap (the latter being the only exterior marker featured), and Bullitt script on the kickplates, steering wheel hub and shock tower brace. They’ve also deleted the grille badge, but added chrome grille surround,
OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 27
window surround and wheel lips. The only place you’ll see “Ford” on the car, meanwhile, is atop the windshield. It all combines with the standard Mustang’s Eagle eye headlamp lenses, fastback profile and more rounded hood to form one of the best-looking Mustangs we’ve ever seen. For me, the only hiccup is those red brake calipers; I know red calipers are kind of Brembo’s signature, but I’d be painting mine black or silver real quick because in their current state, they’re just so atodds with the stealthy beauty of the rest of the styling package. Less stealthy is the exhaust note; the Bullitt gets standard fitment of the “quiet mode” exhaust that came as an option for the ’18 GT, and if I’m honest, it needs it. This baby is loud, and there were more than a few times that I got some hairy eyeballs from passers-by; much as I’d like to say “haters gonna hate,” I did spend most of my time ‘round town with quiet mode active. What annoyed me is having to switch to it every time you start up the car; it always reverts to “normal” – read: “quite loud” – when you park it. Of course, once I left the city, all that quiet exhaust stuff went out the window, replaced by an altogether rabid note bouncing off the barrier beside me on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It was loud, proud and sounded exactly like the soundtrack from the film, which I had watched not a month prior. Deep and bassy, with real intent, the Bullitt provides possibly the best exhaust note ever heard on a production muscle car. I found myself grabbing the cue-ball shifter again and again even if I didn’t really need to, just so I could blip the throttle (or have the system do it for me thanks to a rev match feature; don’t worry, all you heel-and-toers – it can be switched off) and hear that report again and again. Heck, it even makes backing into a parking spot fun. 28 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Like everything else in the Mustang, doing so is a bit of a production as you flip a toggle switch at the base of the centre stack. These things are so cool that they even manage to add some flair to the fairly banal task of activating your hazard lights. The only thing that lets it down in the handling department are the tires’ tall sidewalls, which you can feel flexing under really hard loads. They provide a slightly more comfortable ride, though, which many will appreciate. I would surmise that most will appreciate it, actually. Really, though, if the Mustang oozes cool, then the Bullitt is positively bursting at the seams with it. It’s a car that makes you want to throw on your leather jacket (or, in the case of the Bullitt, perhaps
Like the rest of the Bullitt package, though, while the exhaust could be mistaken by some as a bit of an ‘all show, no go’ thing, a drive in the Bullitt ‘Stang reveals that it most definitely is not. We mentioned the power figure before – this is one fast car. Since it’s a bit heavy, it takes a little while to get going, but the jump from 50 to 100 km/h on the highway will have you hanging on. Then, once you do finally settle yourself, you’ll have to hang on all over again as those Brembo brakes – red calipers be darned – will haul you down in short order. Luckily, while those anchors do act quickly, they don’t unsettle the car so much thanks to those magnetic dampers that reduce dive under braking, and squat under acceleration. In turns, meanwhile, they keep the body properly in-check, allowing the Bullitt to move along “as one” more so than most other ‘Stangs this side of a Boss 302. Plus, if you feel like it’s not quite right, there are four drive modes to choose from and you can individually set your steering response.
your tweed blazer), maybe a pair of matching gloves – yes, I did this – stare over that long, proud, bulging hood, and give it hell. It’s perfect for that, and like its other Mustang siblings, that kind of perfection makes it one of the greats. The Bullitt, then, stands proudly on the shoulders of giants, and we’re all so grateful that cars like it continue to exist.
OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 29
Dr. Oldsmobile
The late Joe Mondello played a huge part in the history of Oldsmobile performance Story and photos by John Gunnell
M
uscle Car Plus met the late Joe Mondello at the Atlantic City Classic Car Auction. He had gone there to try to sell two cars, which we’ll tell you more about below. Atlantic City is a good venue to sell Oldsmobiles because Thornton Restorations, a shop in the Philadelphia area, specializes in restoring Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/ Olds models. So, there are always a lot of hot Oldsmobiles crossing the auction block at Atlantic City.
the design, testing and troubleshooting of many other Olds racing engines. Mondello Porting Service was the name of Joe’s company in 1967 when he exhibited at the first SEMA Show. The next year, Oldsmobile Motor Div. contracted with him to do research and development work for the company. He was soon being called “Dr. Oldsmobile.” In 1969, Mondello won Car Craft magazine¹s “Engine Builder of The Year” award. He also drove as a factory-backed racer for Olds, setting two NHRA records.
Joe Mondello told us he had started drag racing back in 1951. In those days, some drag races were held at old airports. But, Joe said Mondello built racing engines and cylinder heads until he passed he also raced at some of the early sanctioned drag strips in Southern away on April 26, 2011. His Mondello Performance Products ComCalifornia. Mondello was not just a driver--he was an engine guy and hopped up a lot of Ford and Mercury flathead V8s for other enthusiasts. Mondello recounted stories from early in his career. He said that his first car was one of the iconic hot rods—a 1940 Ford coupe with a flathead V8 that was enlarged to 303 cu. in. Mondello bolted a quartet of Stromberg carbs to the intake, added a couple of Edelbrock heads and plugged in an Engle cam. Mondello continued to race into the ‘60s with his Chevrolet-powered Mondello-Matsubara Blown Fuel Altered. The car won two National Events and was, according to Joe, the fastest wedge-head Chevy of that era. It ran a 7.24-second quarter mile at 213 mph during the 1969 U.S. National Drag Races in Indianapolis, Indiana. Olds won the Pike’s Peak hillclimb in 1966 with a Mondello-built Toronado and Olds then took the Mexican Road Race three years in a row. Mondello assisted in 30 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
The second car Joe Mondello brought to Atlantic City was a 1971 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 hardtop.
and a 3.08 positraction rear axle. It also had the 4-4-2 heavy-duty suspension with oversize sway bars, a heavy-duty cooling system and a tow kit. The wagon body, which was part original and part restored, was in excellent condition. It rode on 15-in. SS II wheels with full wheel covers and was equipped with factory air conditioning. The interior featured stock leather upholstery and all power windows, including the window on the dual-hinged tailgate. Although the speedometer
The ’71 Olds 4-4-2 produces 497 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque on 92-octane gas. Behind the power plant is a B&M Auto/Manual shift transmission. pany (www.mondellotwister.com) continues under the management of his long-time friend Lynn Welfringer, doing blueprinting and design, as well as head porting. Mondello also operated the Mondello Technical Center, in Crossville, Tenn. The Mondello Technical Center was dedicated to automobile manufacturing, engine building and education. Today, Lynn Welfringer continues the educational program at a Mondello Technical Center in Paso Robles, California. A car Mondello brought to Atlantic City to try to sell was one of two 1970 Olds W30 7-passenger station wagons ever built. Both wagons were taken off the assembly line by Olds Engineering and converted to W30 specifications with special 4-4-2 parts. Mondello’s car was originally a project car for Popular Hot Rodding. The second wagon went to Car Life and is believed to have been sold to someone in Japan.
Mondello’s station wagon had woodgrain exterior paneling. read 102,166 miles, only about 2,500 miles had been put on the Mondello high-performance engine since it was last rebuilt. “This is a one-of-a-kind car with a one-in-a-million owner,” said the promotional write up from the Atlantic City Classic Car Auction. “You can’t buy another one like it.”
The second car Joe Mondello brought to Atlantic City was a 1971 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 hardtop with a front-clip-off restoration. The susMondello’s yellow wagon had woodgrain exterior paneling. It featured pension, frame, brakes and differential were redone and painted with a functional Ram Air hood and air cleaner assembly. The engine two coats of Imron paint. The complete body was stripped to bare was a 455-cid 390-hp W30 V8 hooked to a THM400 transmission metal, metal finished and treated with custom Imron Jade Green
Joe Mondello’s yellow Cutlass Cruiser station wagon was a oneof-a-kind car built for magazine feature article use and equipped with a 455-cid W30 V-8.
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Joe played a big role in developing the Hurst Olds, including this one that has the 1970 Indy Pace Car option package.
Metallic paint. Most wiring was replaced and the car was assembled using new body pads and bolts. Other bolts were upgraded. The car’s engine was built by Joe Mondello. It was bored .030 over, balanced and blueprinted. An Engle hydraulic cam was installed along with Arias 9.5:1 pistons. The cylinder heads were ported and roller rockers were used. The motor had a 7-qt. oiling system and MSD ignition set up. Spent gases were exhausted through custom-made 1-7/8-in. coated Hooker headers and a 2-1/2-in. diameter Flowmaster exhaust system.
A ’67 Olds 4-4-2 with the W30 option was restored by Thornton Restorations.
The back of Joe Mondello’s favorite jacket.
The ’71 Olds 4-4-2 produced 497 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque on 92-octane gas. Bolted up behind the powerplant was a B&M Auto/Manual shift transmission and torque converter equipped with a ratchet shifter and line lock. The third member was a GM positraction rear axle with 3.42:1 gearing. We had a chance to see Mondello a second time at the 2010 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Rosemont, Illinois. He was a little less talkative this time and you could almost tell he wasn’t feeling well. Five months later he died at age 74. He had undergone surgery to treat an intestinal blockage and this led to complications that claimed his life. He had been involved with high-performance cars for over 60 years. 34 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Another Oldsmobile redo by Thornton Restorations is this beautiful 1971 Olds 4-4-2 with Ram Air Induction.
The ‘Dream Car’ Experience
Brian Wormald’s 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP Story and photos by Brian Wormald
F
irst up, I have always been a car guy – with GM ‘red’ flowing through my veins. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of cars from other marques that I would happily secret away in my garage because of their iconic status. But when it comes to driving one of these mechanical masterpieces, nothing but a GM product will do. And after a car-guy ‘drought’ of some years, late in 2017 I finally acquired my ‘forever’ car in Canada. Put simply, it’s a 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP – a very special and rare car. But before we get too far into that, I need to frame the background of why and how it came to be my ‘forever car.’
I relocated to Vancouver from Australia in 2006 when I was 49. I have always been a one-eyed Holden (GM’s Australian subsidiary) fan since knee-high to a grasshopper and owned a number of them whilst living there, starting with a 1966 Holden. From being a simple car-guy, my muscle-car addiction was fueled early on by ‘hotting up’ my cars. The last car I had before migrating to Canada was a 1970 HG Holden GTS Monaro 350 with 350 small-block, 4-speed Saginaw box and 10-bolt diff (think Chevelle). I knew the Holden Monaro coupe deal had been done with Pontiac just after the turn of the century, so after arriving here in Vancouver I was looking at a ‘new generation’ GTO. This was simply a Pontiac-badged Holden, made in Australia and exported to North America. Sadly, they were not sold north of the U.S. border. With the additional costs associated with importing, it was simply not going to happen for me at that time. I also knew the Holden Commodore (four-door) deal was going to be done soon after, so eagerly awaited the G8. This was similarly a Holden family sedan badged as a Pontiac and exported to North America. Although they WERE sold in Canada, I was still not in a position to get one in 2008/9 – BUT I was determined that I would have it one day. And although GM killed Pontiac as a brand soon after, my dream was not diminished. Fast-forward to 2016 when I started looking in earnest for a G8 and it wasn’t the base V6 model I wanted – it
36 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
was the top-of-the-line GXP. I was not going to settle for anything less. This was going to be my new ‘forever’ car - not the daily driver, so it had to be special. What made it all the more challenging, was that there were not many of these made in its ONLY one model year. After looking at some, in September 2017 I found one in Ohio, advertised as a 6-speed. Upon further scrutiny, it turned out to be an AUTO six-speed – and the need for a third pedal was not negotiable for me. Another one came up in October, this time in the Madison area of Wisconsin. After seeing photos of the car in the advertisement, it looked like I might have finally found what I was looking for. After a few phone calls with the owner and comparing calendars, I flew to see the car, stayed almost a week, spent time with the owner, his wife and 2 preschool daughters – and then bought the car on the spot. It was much more than a car-buying transaction; rather, it was an exchange of a very personal possession - handed from one enthusiast to another. I dined with the family, the owner and I spent around 5 hours on the road together – in short, we bonded. It just felt right to both of us. The car was exactly how the picture in my head looked, it gave me the ‘touch of home’ feeling I had been looking for, and the owner was very happy it was going to a good home.
OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 37
is the sound of the excellent after-market exhaust. There is no need for the radio or music CD’s – just wind down the window and listen to the melodic, even orchestral sounds of a V8 in full song. Nothing beats it! If you check the Web for reviews on the car, you will see that it received nothing but glowing reports from motoring journalists when released in 2009. The shame was that it never reached its full potential; it might have saved Pontiac after years of trying to salvage its own ‘sports oriented’ brand image with bland, subperforming and wallowing slush-mobiles. GM found the perfect rear-wheel drive platform in its Australian subsidiary on which to regain the performance market but (bad) timing is everything and the GFC took that opportunity away. Oh well, perhaps from a selfish point of view, it’s not so bad after all. I now have a car that will increase in value over time – in both pure driving pleasure AND monetary value. The deal was done! I had already organized the U.S.$ cheque before I traveled, I was that confident the car was what I wanted. So, before I left Wisconsin, I arranged for the car to be shipped to B.C., along with engaging an Import Broker. And that is a whole other story... The GXP is not a daily driver in winter – I have a ‘91 Buick Century ‘beater’ for that. During summer, it will be used more often, including entering a number of car shows. And, as this is a rare car (only 1829 made in the whole of North America), I have no plans to modify it beyond what has been currently done. As for driving it, the performance is more than acceptable. With the LS3 basically providing a Corvette driveline, it is probably one of the best value late model cars in North America. Handling is close to perfect with its sport suspension and low-profile tires. The seating is very comfortable in both front and back, with long distance driving a breeze. Adding to the attraction of each drive
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VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS: • 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP – LS3 6.2 litre V8, 6 speed manual transmission, sunroof • Manufactured - 12/8/2008 • Numbered vehicle - #1285 of 1829 • Liquid Red in colour with Onyx leather interior • #55 of only 77 made with this trim level combination (Liquid Red / Onyx / 6 speed manual trans) The only modifications from stock are limited to: • Solo unbalanced cat-back high-efficiency exhaust • VG ‘Sharkfin’ antenna • Window tinting (35%) • CAGS shift-bypass • TRS / Morimoto HID headlights • K&N air filter • Xpel paint protection on front of car
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PARTS STORE Workshop Hero Introducing Flowtech’s Turbo Headers Metal Rescue Rust Remover Gel for Small-Block Fords Workshop Hero has recently introduced Metal Rescue Rust Remover Gel which is a cleaner, safer and easier rust remover for both iron and steel. Unlike some other gel-based rust removers, Metal Rescue Gel is completely non-toxic and environmentally friendly, containing no harmful or corrosive acids, alkalis or solvents. The highly-adhesive formula allows for simple and controlled application as the Gel is able to cling to the metal. In order to remove rust, the Gel must remain moist and for the best success, Metal Rescue’s signature plastic wrap method is recommended. For more information please go to www.workshophero.com
Holley/MSD have announced the release of Flowtech Small Block Ford Turbo Headers which come available with 1-3/4-in. or 1-7/8-in. mandrel-bent primary tubes and three different finishes including ceramic-coated mild steel, natural 304 stainless steel and polished 304 stainless steel. The durable headers feature a down and forward configuration, 3-in. collectors with merge spears for increased exhaust velocity and 3.8-in.-thick header flanges for maximum strength and leak-free sealing. Additionally, the headers come complete with 3-in. V-band flanges and clamps, header gaskets and all the necessary hardware for installation. For more information please go to www.holley.com
Eibach’s SPORTLINE Sport Performance Springs Eibach’s SPORTLINE Sport Performance Springs allow your car to achieve legendary handling by aggressively lowering its centre of gravity using Eibach’s precision-engineered progressive spring rates. The springs are able to dramatically reduce squat during acceleration, body roll during cornering and nose diving under braking. The springs are able to provide the ultimate balance between high performance, extreme lowering and comfortable ride quality. Available for a wide variety of vehicles, the springs lower your vehicle 1.7-in. to 2.3-in. depending on application. For more information please go to www.eibach.com 40 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Parts For Any Mopar
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TECH: NEW PRODUCTS
New BBK Cold Air Intake Kits for 2015-2018 Ford Mustangs
Hellwig’s Sway Bars are able to provide modern technology for your vintage muscle cars as they are precision engineered to provide the necessary added strength to your vehicle’s suspension. This provides a stiffer suspension that is better able to handle corners and greatly reduces body roll. The rear sway bars feature three-point adjustability and adjustable end links to accommodate modified ride heights. The bars are offered in solid, tubular and heat-treated styles and are available for a wide range of applications.
BBK’s GT Cold Air Induction Kits for the 2015-2018 Ford Mustang GT are designed to improve airflow and maximize horsepower and torque without any major modifications. The in-house dyno testing on completely stock Mustangs showed consistent gains of approximately 20 horsepower and 20 lb-ft of torque during the low-to-mid RPM range. The high performance is achieved by utilizing a custom integral mass air housing which is machined and inserted into the new mandrel-bent intake tube that features a factory mass air calibration. The kits are available in show chrome or powdercoat black.
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42 MUSCLE CAR PLUS MAGAZINE OCT/NOV 2018
Billet Plus Shifter for 2016-2018 Camaro from Hurst Hurst has introduced a new version of its popular Billet Plus Shifter for the 2016-2018 Chevrolet Camaro SS/ZL1 with the 6-speed manual transmission. The shifter retains all of the same benefits of the classic version and reduces shifter throw by 40 percent. The shifter is designed to be used with t h e c a r ’s s t o c k shift knob which keeps the factory appearance in your car’s interior. Additionally, it is made from machined billet aluminum for the ultimate durability. For more information please go to www.flowmastermufflers.com/hurst-shifters
QA1 REV Series Carbon Fibre Driveshaft Now Available for more Dodge and Mustang Options QA1’s REV Series carbon fibre driveshafts are now available for even more Dodge and Mustang options including the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack 392 R/T and 2015-2017 Ford Mustang EcoBoost. The one-piece bolt-in driveshafts save weight over the factory driveshafts and have been designed to optimize strength and performance. The shafts incorporate both built-in strength, and high-speed and RPM capability by providing extended transmission and differential life, quicker acceleration and more power to the ground. The driveshafts are rated for vehicles with up to 1,500 horsepower and with a max torque of 1,000 lb-ft. For more information please go to www.qa1.net
OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 43
Advertiser Index
Great Canadian Oil Change--------------------------------------24 360 Fabrication ------------------------------------------------- 11 All Parts Trailer Sales ------------------------------------------- 41 Barry-Hamel ----------------------------------------------------- 35 BowTie Auto Parts ---------------------------------------------- 39 C/S Automotive Appraisal Services --------------------------- 45 CAM Oils --------------------------------------------------------- 41 Canadian Hot Rods --------------------------------------------- 33 COMP Cams ----------------------------------------------------- 47 Competition Insurance ----------------------------------------- 39 Diamond Classic Car Management --------------------------- 23 Eagle Ridge GM ------------------------------------------------- 42 Easy Build ------------------------------------------------------- 44 Eibach --------------------------------------------------------------3 Formula Distributors --------------------------------------- 24,25 G&M Trailer - ---------------------------------------------------- 41 GE ---------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Golden Leaf Automotive --------------------------------------- 15 Good Vibrations ------------------------------------------------- 31 Ididit -------------------------------------------------------------- 43 Jellybean AutoCrafters ----------------------------------------- 40 KMS Tools ------------------------------------------------------- 17 Lift King ---------------------------------------------------------- 45 Lordco Auto Parts ---------------------------------------------- 19 Maradyne -------------------------------------------------------- 29 Mecum Auctions --------------------------------------------------5 Muffler-Tech ----------------------------------------------------- 39 Procar --------------------------------------------------------------2 Russo and Steele ----------------------------------------------- 48 Scott’s Super Trucks ------------------------------------------- 41 SEMA Show -------------------------------------------------------7 The Muscle Car Shop ------------------------------------------ 45 The Old Car Centre --------------------------------------------- 41 Varsity Chrysler ------------------------------------------------- 41 Westar Trailers -------------------------------------------------- 41 Workshop Hero ------------------------------------------------- 38
Wilwood’s New Rear Brake Kit Upgrades for the Chevrolet C4 Corvette Wilwood’s new Superlite 4R rear big brake kits for the 1988-1996 C4 Corvette rear axles offer two performance level configurations for high-capacity braking in just about any situation. The OE brakes are replaced with Wilwood four piston SL4R calipers and 12.88-in.diameter rotors. The kits also come available with an MC4 mechanical parking brake caliper as well as available flexlines and parking brake cables specific to the C4. Additionally, universal cable kits and flexlines are available for custom builds using an adapted C4 Corvette suspension. For more information please got to www.wilwood.com
aFe Power Momentum GT Pro 5R Cold Air Intake System aFe Power’s Momentum GT Pro 5R Cold Air Intake System for the 2017-18 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 outflows the stock intake system by 11 percent, which results in immediate performance gains. The Pro 5R filter consists of an oiled five-layer mesh cotton gauze media for maximum filtration, and maintains a 98.6-percent efficiency rating which allows for optimal performance even when dirty. A custom CAD-designed roto-molded housing made from heat soak-resistant material eliminates the use of multiple components and ensures the coolest air intake charge available. Additionally, a large clear sight window allows for filter inspection without the need to remove the air box. For more information please go to www.afepower.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 OCT/NOV 2018
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
OCT/NOV 2018 MUSCLE CAR Plus MAGAZINE 45
READERS RIDES 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 & 1963 Chevrolet II Nova Convertible
Terry and Glenda Hemminger of Chilliwack, B.C. first bought their 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 to celebrate their retirement after Terry spent 38 years as an Air Canada pilot. The car was originally from Alberta and remained there until Terry bought it from a gentleman in Smokey Lake in the fall of 2016. The car has an old school, Mark 4 454 LS7 engine under the hood that Terry had freshened up enough to reach 595 horsepower on a dyno. The power ended up being a bit too much for Glenda to handle so the couple went out and bought her a 1963 Chevy II Nova Convertible in Spring 2017 that was originally bought from Dueck Motors in Vancouver. The car remained in the same family until 1991 until it was bought by a man from Vancouver Island who did a complete frame off restoration in 1995 and refreshed it in 2013. The car features a much tamer inline 194-ci six under the hood and the white colour provides the perfect contrast to Terry’s black Chevelle. Glenda dubbed the vehicles ‘Salt & Pepper’ due to the colours and the couple now enjoys weekend cruises and plan on using local restoration shops to bring the cars back to show condition.
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 OCT/NOV 2018