RPM Magazine May 2022

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Story: George Pich

Photos: Wes Taylor

For whatever reason, back in the day, Oldsmobile adopted the term “Rocket” and used it to identify many of their V8 engines from 1949 to 1990 along with a model; the Rocket 88, which was instrumental in creating the performance and race car movement we know today.

Olds made some cool cars, but none were as popular among enthusiasts as the Cutlass. Option package models were born of the Cutlass and included the Supreme, the Hurst Olds and the 442.

While the “Rocket”, as Oldsmobile defined it, is long gone from this 1987 Oldsmobile 442, there is no doubt that the car is as equally impressive as those first offerings. Tis grudge raced G-Body GM, piloted by Chris Kenney and owned by Donnie Phillips (Chris’s father in law), now packs a turbocharged 434-inch LS based mill that runs with the top contenders in small tire grudge drags, but we’ll get to that a bit later.

The body of the 442 remains all OEM steel with the exception of the fiberglass trunk and cowl hood, and the cool black with silver accent 442-themed skin was laid down by Marshall’s Paint & Body. An aftermarket chin spoiler helps direct air from going under the car at high speeds and the sheer length of the trunk serves as an ample surface to keep the rear planted.

Kenney is definitely no newcom er to racing and paid his dues on the track starting from when he was just 7 years old. Starting in go-carts, by 12 he moved up to mini-cups and at 15 into mini-stocks, and by the time he was 21 he found drag racing, and never looked back.

Of course, once he found his prefer ence for straight line racing, he snapped up a Fox Body Stang, gave it a slick paint job, slipped a 408-inch Windsor based mill in it and tried every power adder he could. “I street raced the Mustang, first with an NOS nitrous plate kit, then with a P600 ProCharger, then a Vortech P1SC and then back to an NOS nitrous plate,” he said. Next was an ’03 Cobra with a Whipple and nitrous dry kit (because if one power adder is good, two must be better!), but once marriage and children came into the mix, Chris took a break until 2011 when he decided to get back into the scene, only this time he’d be rac ing at the track.

In 2012, Chris and Donnie decided to put Chris behind the wheel of Donnie’s jet Black 1987 Olds Cutlass 442. At that time an Olds engine was motivating the heavyweight and that would eventually transition into to a small block nitrous combination, and in 2016 the choice to move into turbocharging was made. “We ran the car with the turbo and it was aptly nicknamed ‘Night Train’ in 2016 because of the sound of the turbo….the name stuck,” Kenney added.

Te body of the 442 remains all OEM steel with the exception of the fiberglass trunk and hood, and the cool black with silver accent 442-themed skin was laid down by Marshall’s Paint & Body.

Inside Night Train a Holley interactive display sits front and center, complete with the “Night Train” home screen. The race car interior is accented by the factory dash and door panels and the cage includes a Funny Car style driver surround. The rear seat is long gone in favor of sizeable wheel tubs.

...the sound of the turbo was theinspirationfortheaptly named“NightTrain”...

In order to protect Donnie and Chris’ grudge scene status, while we can’t share numbers with you, we can say that Night Train is one serious form of high speed locomotion!

From there, Byron Warner treated the complete body with a protective ceramic coat.

Chassis mods and cage work were completed by Radford Gurganous and include a Funny Car style hoop for added driver protection. TRZ handles the front upper and lower A-arms and tubular K-member as well as rear upper and lower control arms. Te 7” rear canister coilover shocks are of the Menscer flavor. Hanging from the beefy rear suspension is a heavily fortified fabricated 9-inch fitted with disc brakes from Te Brake Man. RC Components V Series wheels feature beadlocked 15x12 rears wrapped with 275/60/15 Mickey Tompson ET Street Radial Pros.

Tat 434 LS we mentioned is the creation of TKM, and here’s what we can tell you about it, afer all, this is a grudge car. An LSR aluminum block was filled with a Callies billet crank swinging Bill Miller aluminum rods pinned to Wiseco pistons. Heads and specific cam specs are not something that Chris was able to (or wanted to) share with us.

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A 434-inch TKM-built LS sits between the rails of the Olds. It started with an LSR aluminum block and was filled with a Callies billet crank swinging Bill Miller aluminum rods pinned to Wiseco pistons. A billet turbo of unprovided specification brings boost into the equation, and all fabrication associated with the system, including headers, was the work Overrev Fabrication.

Donnie Phillips 1987 Olds Cutlass 442 Grudge Race Car Driven by Chris Kenney

Body & Paint:

Factory panel body except for the fiberglass trunk and fiberglass hood. Paint and body by Marshall’s Paint & Body black with silver accent lower. Complete car ceramic coated by Byron Warner after paint completed Chassis Modifications:

Funny Car Cage by Radford Gurganous

Suspension:

TRZ Suspension upper and lower control arms, tubular K member. Menscer shocks all around with 7” canister shocks on the rear.

Engine: 434 CI LS based LSR aluminum block, TKM built. Callies billet crank, Bill Miller aluminum rods, Wiseco pistons. TKM custom grind camshaft.

Induction & Fuel Delivery: Holley EFI complete system with Accufab throttle body. Waterman mechanical fuel pump, Billet Atomizer injectors. Performance Fab catch cans and oil tank.

Power Adder: Forced Induction billet GTR turbo. Overrev Fabrication headers and all turbo piping.

Transmission: Tri County Transmissions Powerglide 169 gear set. Cameron’s Torque Converter Services converter and the Driveshaft Shop carbon fiber driveshaft.

Rear: Fab 9 Housing

Brakes:

The Brake Man (TBM) drilled/slotted brakes

Tires & wheels:

RC Components V series 15 x 12 Rear, 15 x 3.5 Front. Mickey Thompson front runners and 275/60/15 Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Pro on the rear.

Interior: Holley EFI 12.3” Dash, Davis Technologies VPS traction control. HCR Innovations wired the car and did all plumbing on the car.

ET & MPH – Race only: GRUDGE CAR

Thanks To:

Thank you to my wonderful wife Amanda who constantly supports my hobby and is the team Parachute Packer and Chef. Dad for ongoing team support and not missing a race in 28 years. Big D, Father in law for the support and the amazing vehicle to race. My children for being able bodied crew members and helping out with so many things. Holley Performance, HCR Innovations, Cameron Converters, RC Components. Thanks also must go out to Radford Gurganous, John Kenney, Devin Vanderhoof, Byron Rabon, Jordan Tuck, Forrest Kennedy.

Out back, a heavily fortified fabricated 9-inch is hung by a TRZequipped stock style rear suspension with canister coilovers and anti-roll bar setup. Mickey T 275/60 Radial Pros mounted on oversized 12-inch V Series wheels provide the hook, while TBM brakes help slow things down at the big end.

Te Holley intake is mated to an Accufab throttle body and equipped with Billet Atomizer injectors. A Forced Induction billet GTR piece provides the boost, and all fabrication associated with the system, including headers, was the work Overrev Fabrication.

Tri County Transmissions built a Powerglide with 169 gear set for the Olds with a Cameron’s converter linking

it to the LS, and power is directed rearward through a carbon fiber driveshaf

Holley EFI makes everything work and HCR Innovations wired the car and also completed all required plumbing. Inside Night Train is mostly race with a splash of the original interior in the form of the factory dash and door panels. Te sizeable Holley 12.3-inch interactive display is

definitely the centerpiece, complete with the “Night Train” home screen. Te rear seat is long gone in favor of wheel tubs that can hold most any wheel and tire combination necessary.

Of the most memorable experiences so far with the 442, a recent high profile win has to be at the top of the list. “Winning WW3 at Alabama Inter-

national Raceway in a Night Train vs Grand Nasty final was amazing,” Kenney added. Once again, because Donnie and Chris are serious about their grudge race presence, we can’t give out performance numbers, suffice it to say that there’s no doubt this Train is high speed locomotion...day or night!

The Chevy Malibu belongs to a long list of models on the General Motors platform they referred to as the G-Body.

Like the Fox Body Mustang from Ford, the architecture has a solid straight-line potential, albeit a bit on the heavy side. Produced as a “family car”, the two-door models have similar dimensions, and suspension configurations as a Mustang and the drag racing community gravitated towards them for strip use, making them a hot commodity these days.

A Harwood hood and fiberglass bumpers compliment the original G-Body steel. The Malibu’s Atomic Orange paint pops in the sunlight and the hand-painted faux vinyl roof was a combo job with Tony Miller painting the roof and Jimmy Riddle hand painting the trim pieces.

Atageten,Carlton Thornton’s need for speedwasalready firmlyestablished... and demonstrated.

The Malibu sits perfect with 17” wheels fore and 15-inchers wrapped in Mickey Thompson 10.5s aft. Although it was originally to be confined to Index and Bracket duty, it has now become the latest Grudge car in the Thornton’s lineup, which explains the big nitrous kit under the hood and parachute out back!

Carlton Tornton grew up around his father Wayne’s 1970 Chevy Nova; “It was a stock 307 with 4.56 gears and posi. I think it only ran 16s, but did the best burnouts!” Tornton said with a smile.

Lucky for Carlton, his dad moved on to a 1979 Malibu (the car they now call “Death Row”) and frequently attended street nights at a local drag strip. At first, the Malibu took its share of losses, but as the upgrades became more serious, the wins soon followed. Although Carlton enjoyed going to the track with his father, it wasn’t until he saw a young girl testing in a Jr Dragster that he fell in love with drag racing. At age ten, he made his first pass as a bracket racer and afer a few challenging months, Carlton won his first race, which happened to be for an IHRA Ironman.

Mission Control

The Death Wish cockpit boasts technology, function and even a touch of style for good measure.

A cool blend of factory inside the Malibu includes door panels, console, carpet and plete rear seat. The dash may look stock but it is an aftermarket unit painstakingly painted with factory features. Electronics are meticulously laid out on a custom passenger firewall and floor area.

and the compainstakingly hand custom panel in the

With that confidence boost, he became no stranger to the Winner’s Circle, moving on to winning two more Ironman awards, one Wally in NHRA, one Iron Eagle, and twenty other significant events. As soon as Carlton got his license, they started the search for his very own Malibu and found the 1979 Malibu that they now call “Death Wish”. Tornton would run the car in brackets before stepping into the

heads-up and grudge world where he found himself a new home.

Purchased as a roller, Carlton was able to add his own touches including having Tommy Miller tackle the custom vinyl roof, bring back the eye-catching Atomic Orange paint and have Jimmy Riddle hand-paint all the trim pieces. A 6” Harwood fiberglass hood and fiberglass bumpers from Down Right Racing complement

the otherwise all-steel body and are painted to match the car. In addition, he brought a modern look to the classic Malibu by going with 17-inch front runners and 15-inch wheels in the rear. RC Components Torx with M&H skinnies reside up front, while 10-inch single beadlocked RC Components Hammers fill up the rear wheelwells. Afermarket disc brakes and a single ’chute aid in stopping after a hard pass.

Tere are tons of suspension parts available for a Malibu and Carlton chose to stick with the stock-style system with replacement parts from TRZ Motorsports. Te rear upper and lower arms are adjustable along with the anti-roll bar. QA1 adjustable coilovers handle movement on all four corners. Unfortunately, Chevy dropped the ball when it came to a durable rear axle in the G-Body, so a 12-bolt rearend (yes, we said 12bolt…no Ford parts here!) was used and fortified with Moser 35 spline axles, spool, and a 4.10 gearset.

Carlton with his dad Wayne, who is responsible for not only Carlton’s love of horsepower but also his addiction to GM G-Bodies! The pair built the car for Carlton to hone his flexibility as a driver in bracket, index and

NoFordpartshere!

The Thornton’s stuck to their GM blood and swapped a heavily modded 12-bolt with Moser 35 spline axles into the Malibu hung by a TRZ-equipped stock-style suspension. The big tube full exhaust makes for great street driving, too!

Carlton’s dad has always been a nitrous guy; so naturally, Carlton wanted to go that direction with his build and is thankful for his dad’s hand in developing the motor and transmission combo. Te basis for most nitrous assisted motors starts with more cubes, which is what they got from the Dart “Little M” block. A Callies stroker crank, longer Eagle rods, and oversized Diamond pistons take the short block out to a roomier 414 cubic inches. A large nitrous cam finishes out the “big” small block. More cubes means there’s a need for more air so a set of Brodix Track-1 heads top the short block complete with Comp valves and springs and Jesel shafmount rockers.

Induction and fuel delivery wise, while many use all the technology they can these days, Carlton and his father prefer doing it old school, using a Holley 1050

A Dart Little M block was used as the base for the 414-inch carbureted stroker small block Chevy. Carlton doesn’t mind sharing what the Malibu can do on the motor while running soft in bracket and index racing, but under full power with lots of nitrous, well those numbers are not public knowledge.

Body & Paint:

Color is Atomic Orange. The “Vinyl Top” was a combo job with Tony Miller painting the roof and Jimmy Riddle hand painting the trim pieces. Riddle also painted the fiberglass dash to appear realistic.

Chassis & Suspension/Modifications: Stock-type suspension with an Anti –Roll, adjustable uppers and lowers out back and coilovers up front.

Engine: Dart Little M Block, now 414 ci. Callies crank, Eagle rods, Diamond pistons, Nitrous cam. Brodix Track 1 heads with Comp hardware and Jessel shaft mount rockers

Induction & Fuel Delivery: Carbureted with Holley 1050 Dominator carb. MagnaFuel 500 pump.

Electronics: MSD Grid , Edelbrock Nitrous controller.

Power Adder: Nitrous: Induction Solutions direct port.

Transmission: 2 speed Powerglide with a 9 inch converter.

Rear: 12 bolt with a spool, 4.10 gear and Moser 35 spline axles. Brakes: Wilwood disc on all 4 corners.

Tires & Wheels: Black RC components on all 4 corners with 17” Torx up front and single beadlock Hammers on the rear (15 x 10). M&H front runners and Mickey Thompson Pro Bracket Radial in the rear (28 x 10.5).

Interior: Kirkey front race seats, factory door panels, rear seat, carpet and center console. Fiberglass dash, Grant steering wheel. 12 point cage. Autometer oil and water gauges and Hurst shifter.

Thanks To:

Dad aka My Sponsor: Donated the motor and trans (and filled in the gaps as needed). Tony Miller and Jimmy Riddle: Paint. Ralph Price aka Pick: Chassis.

Carlton Thornton’s 1979 Chevrolet Malibu

Dominator carburetor. An MSD Grid and Edelbrock nitrous controller have been added into the mix for reliability and consistency. A MagnaFuel 500 pump keeps the fuel system simple, and believe it or not, the Induction Solutions nitrous direct port system is only used during grudge races; for everything else, the car stays on fuel only. Behind the nitrous small-block sits a tried and true two-speed Powerglide built by Don Rudd with a 9” converter from FTI stalled for nitrous use.

Te G-body’s interior screams both street and race car, retaining many factory features. Te carpet, door panels, and back seat are all there; the dash is afermarket but carries many factory gauges and Jimmy Riddle went to great lengths to make sure that it looked factory. A slew of additional gauges accompany factory working units, and the Grant steering wheel incorporates staging buttons. Carlton sits in a race seat and pulls the car into gear with a

A meticulously plumbed Induction Solutions direct port nitrous system will allow Carlton to run with the pack in small tire grudge action.

Withnitrousarmed, thisG-Body createssome serious G-Forces!”

Hurst shifer mounted on a custom plate. A 12-point certified cage solidifies the chassis and keeps Carlton safe should things not go according to plan. Passengers can ride along in their choice of the front or rear.

Te Malibu was built as a bracket and index car but it remains very streetable and retains an exhaust that exits at the rear bumper. Between that and the hand-painted “vinyl” roof, Carlton can’t decide which is his favorite part of the car. Not only is he addicted to G-bodies, but it seems that all of Carlton’s cars started out as bracket or index oriented and ended up being grudge cars, and it looks as if this Malibu is headed in the same direction. As it is now, though, he runs index and brackets on motor and will add nitrous when running grudge and heads-up, but typically only through the 8th-mile. Carlton did enter a ¼-mile Index event on motor only and went 10.04 on the 10.00 index, taking home a runner-up finish.

As for passengers, since there’s not much leg room up front, there’s always the backseat!

Chris Miller’s slick new 1932 Ford is state of the art cool!

Pich

Story: George

Photos: Patrick Williams

“In 1987, skateboard in hand, I stood in my childhood neighbourhood and admired a 1964 ½ Mustang Coupe with a 260 V8 engine. Tat was my first car,” Chris Miller explained. And inspiration for cars and drag racing came directly from his father, “My dad was a flag starter in the mid 60’s and raised my brother and I to repair our own cars.”

That ’64½ would soon find its way into Miller’s driveway when he retired his skateboard, split the $1,000 price tag with his father and came home with the car. Tat first car is always special and Chris remembers well the countless hours of chatting with his dad while working on it, not to mention his first drags on Main Street and races with friends. “My first ‘heartbreaks’ were experienced in that car and I never parted with it. I’ve owned multiple cars throughout my life but that Mustang will always be my first love,” he added.

Later down the road, Miller would

discover an old-school hot rod interest with his own children when he bought a 1923 T-bucket to work on with them. A 1965 Shelby Cobra and Ford 5-Window Coupe would follow which sent him in the direction of X235 radial racing, no-prep drags, index racing, and most recently racing in the Gasser class with the Coupe. RPM readers may recall the Cobra appearing on the front cover of RPM Mag a while back in a giant 4-wheels-off-the-ground wheelstand, however, two years ago a tragic fire destroyed it and it was at that point that Chris threw himself into the build of the ’32 Ford.

Old? I think not...!

Toot’s Autoworks in Tulsa, OK finished the brand spankin’ new fiberglass body with custom rustic paint work as if it rolled straight out of Alcatraz. Axalta paint & House of Kolor products were used in conjunction with special techniques and additives (which are a trade secret) to create the worn, weathered and rusty appearance.

Is it real, or is it… fiberglass?

Te birth of the “Hard Time” Ford began with a Russ Nomore fiberglass body that was brought to maturity as a straight axle gasser by American Gasser in Saginaw, MI. who completed the chassis, suspension, roll cage and motor placement. Keys Fab Shop in Tahlequeh, OK., added custom detail and fabrication work and Toot’s Autoworks in Tulsa, OK finished the look with custom rustic paint work as if it rolled straight out of Alcatraz. Axalta paint & House of Kolor products were used in conjunction with special techniques and additives (which is a trade secret) to create the worn, weathered and rusty appearance.

Te square tube main chassis is complemented by a 12-point chromoly 25.4 7.50 NHRA certified roll cage. Te front suspension was equipped with a 6” drop straight axle with custom leaf springs, Afco race shocks and a Flaming River Vega style steering box. Out back, a narrowed and braced 9-inch with 40 spline axles, spool and 4.56 gears is suspended by ladder bars with double adjustable Afco coilover shocks and panhard bar. Wheelie bars are necessary to help keep the lightweight prisoner transport grounded off the hit.

Chris Miller wanted to build an A/G gasser straight axle to represent the forgotten heritage of old school racing like his father did while flag starting drag racing back in the day. The Alcatraz theme came from his enjoyment of drag racing and prison rodeos along with the aura of the now defunct facility itself.

The inside story

Inside the Coupe, the ragged theme pretty much ends with a complete carbon fiber dash given the appearance to look old and weathered. Carbon door panels, wheel tubs, floor, steering wheel and parachute handle along with custom gauges and billet shifter take the car’s vibe to a modern high tech level.

Power comes into the mix via a custom Scott Shafiroff 15:1 compression small block Ford. A 9.500 DART block was filled with a Manley 4340 4.100” forged steel crank with 351 SVO mains, Molnar 4340 6.200” power adder H-beam rods with asymmetrical bolts pinned to custom Diamond domed gas ported forged aluminum pistons.

Te package works out to a solid 445 cubic inches…not bad for a small block! A Comp solid roller billet camshaf was matched with HIPPO Pro Series roller lifers with high pressure pin oiling. 15-degree 302cc fully CNC ported alumi-

A narrowed and braced 9-inch Ford by Quick Performance is hung by a custom ladder bar rear suspension with panhard bar and double adjustable AFCO coilover shocks.

num heads were studded in place and are equipped with 2.180”/1.600” Titanium valves, PAG springs with titanium retainers and 10 degree locks along with a T&D “Long Arm” 1.80/1.75 shaf rocker system actuated by chromoly 1-piece pushrods. Te naturally aspirated mill

is topped by a cast BMP high-rise intake with Holley 4500 series Dominator carburetor gulping ample amounts of VP Q16.

Chris chose one of ATI’s built 2-speed Powerglides with 8-inch PTC 30-spline converter to back the potent high-winding high compression small block.

A custom Scott Shafiroff 15:1 compression DART-blocked small block Ford sits between the rails of the ’32. At a roomy 445 inches it is currently running naturally aspirated

Up front a 6-inch drop straight axle was used with custom leaf springs, Afco adjustable shocks and Flaming River Vega steering box.

Inside the Coupe, the ragged theme pretty much ends with a complete carbon fiber dash given the appearance to look old and weathered around. Carbon door panels, wheel tubs, floor, steering wheel and parachute handle are where the worn look

ends, and a billet shifer is mounted at easy-grab height with the battery kill switch next to it.

With just a few runs to date (the car was only recently completed), Hard Time has clocked some mid 5-second eighth-mile hits with more

Chris Miller’s Millertime Racing 1932 “Hard Time” Ford 5

Body and Paint:

New fiberglass and carbon fiber body airbrushed with Axalta paint & House of Kolor in conjunction with special techniques and additives to create the worn, weathered and rusty appearance.

Wheel openings widened for the big rear tire and stock body lines put back in the body.

Chassis Modifications:

Square tube chassis with 12pt chromoly 25.4 roll cage certified to 7.50 by NHRA

Suspension:

Front – 6” drop straight axle, Flaming River Vega steering box

Rear – Narrowed braced rear end 9” by Quick Performance, ladder bar rear suspension with pan hard bar. Double adjustable AFCO shocks on all 4 corners.

Engine:

Custom built Scott Shafiroff Motorsports 15:1 compression SBF based, 9.50 DART block, 445 CID. Manley 4340 4.100” forged steel crank w/351 SVO mains, Molnar 4340 6.200” power adder H-beam rods with ARP 2000 asymmetrical bolts, custom Diamond 15:1 gas ported forged aluminum pistons, SSRE/Comp Cams solid roller steel billet camshaft, HIPPO Pro Series Roller lifters with high pressure pin oiling, T&D “Long Arm” 1.80/1.75shaft rocker system, chromoly 1 piece pushrods, SFI approved harmonic balancer.

Cylinder Heads: New design Brodix 15-degree Head Hunter 302 cc fully CNC ported heads, 2.180”/1.600” titanium valves, PAG racing roller springs with titanium retainers and 10-degree locks, ARP head stud kit with parallel ground washers

Induction & Fuel Delivery:

BMP high rise cast intake with Holley 4500 Dominator carburetor using VP Racing Fuels Q16 Fuel.

Power Adder: Naturally Aspirated Transmission: ATI 2 speed Powerglide with 8” PTC 30 spline converter.

Rear Differential: Quick Performance 9-inch with 40 spline axles, spool 4.56 gears, billet yoke.

Window Coupe

Brakes:

Wilwood drag brakes – drilled rotors

Wheels & Tires:

ET wheels custom cut all four – Rear 15” x 14” 5 window wheels, Front 15 x 4 ½ Gasser spoke. Mickey Thompson front and back - Rear Tires 32 x 14 x 15”, Front 24 x 4.5 x 15”

Interior:

Complete carbon fibre dash, door panels, wheel tubs, floor, steering wheel and parachute handle. Shifter is an air shifter M&M with battery kill switch mounted next to it. Gauges include Autometer Ultra Lite Oil, Temp, and Tach supporting an MSD 7AL-3 ignition box with dial for timing retard.

Miscellaneous:

Battery is a 16 volt lithium pro light weight. Lexan windows all the way around. Simpson platinum seat belts. Stroud Air parachute with electric button release.

ET & MPH:

Brand new build and have only done private testing. Car was built for 5.80, 6.0 Index and NHRA Heritage A/G Gasser Series. Private testing fastest pass yet is 5.504 @ 128.16 on a light tune.

Special Thanks:

To my pit crew/family; Dusty M iller, Ashlynn Miller, Brittany Miller and Carson Sanders-Hurth and to my inspiration…my father Bob Miller.

American Gasser – Saginaw, MI – Chassis, suspension, roll cage, motor placement.

Russ Nomore Streetrods – Chatham, LA – Fiberglass brand new body.

Keys Fab Shop - Tahlequah, OK – Finish details fab work (chute, shifter, headers, & misc).

Lil’ Toot Auto Art Works (Greg Tuter – Artist) – Tulsa, OK –100% airbrushed body with texture/rust.

Millertime HotRods - Bartlesville, OK – Final assembly twice.

The car was built for various Gasser classes along with 5.80 and 6.00 index racing. After just one test day Hard Time clocked 5.50s in the eighth on a mild tune, so there’s little doubt it is capable of tearing off very low fives!

tuning and testing on tap over the coming weeks. When asked why this particular theme, Chris commented; “I wanted to do an A/G gasser straight axle to represent the forgotten heritage of old school racing like my father did. I also like doing the popular prison rodeos with my family, and since the prison rodeo was so popular I com-

bined the two into this race car. We used the Alcatraz theme because it was a closed facility and everything Alcatraz is old, rusty and has an aura of mystery. I love seeing people’s expression when I tell them that this body is not an old survivor but rather a brand new fiberglass/carbon unit that has no metal or rust, it blows their minds!”

Story: George Pich

Photos: David Gates

In 1999, as a young 19 year-old Marine, Jake Conant was driving by a local Dodge dealer and noticed a black Dakota R/T pickup. “I thought it was the coolest truck I had ever seen, so I bought it,” Jake remembered. Not too long afer, while on weekend leave, Jake was invited to the dragstrip by some friends; Cecil County Dragway in Maryland. He ran the truck down the strip and busted out a 14.50 elapsed time at 95mph, and right then and there, he was hooked!

Te truck would get some mods over the next few years and would eventually hit the mid-thirteen second zone in the quarter-mile, but Jake was about to experience the next level in drag racing.. While spend-

This Shelby GT500 tribute started as an OEM steel body in white and if it looks like the real deal, that’s because it’s covered in Ford OEM parts and painted as a 2014 Shelby GT500. Factory bumpers, steel roof, fenders and quarters were kept and even the strut towers and OEM inner fender panels remain.

Is this a real GT500? You decide...

ing some time home in 2002, he had the opportunity to go for a ride in a new 2003 Mustang Cobra; “I was floored and immediately traded the Dakota for a brand new silver ’03 Cobra,” he said with a smile. Te Cobra would be Jake’s daily driver for the next several years and he spent time in his parent’s garage adding parts whenever possible.

Since he knew he would be racing the Cobra, at 4,000

miles on the odometer he decide it was time to swap in a solid axle in place of the independent rear suspension, and while at it he also added a cat-back exhaust and intake. Before long he was running mid 12s and would eventually get the car down to 10.98 at 125mph with the stock engine and T56 trans. An automatic transmission was next on the list and afer racking up 34,000 miles on the street, and

The hunger to go fast never left Jake...

getting the car to run 9.80s at 135mph, in 2011 the stock engine finally gave out. Tis led Jake to heads-up racing with various engine and supercharger combinations in the Cobra and today it runs 7.30s at over 175mph with a 5.4 Mod motor.

Te hunger to go fast never lef Jake and he needed to feed that hunger with something a bit different, and that’s where this Mustang GT500 tribute comes into the picture. “I had 15 years of successful racing with my 2003 Cobra that to this day (I believe) still holds some ‘micro’ records like the quickest Eaton and OEM engine Cobra. Almost the whole time I have been drag racing I’ve been a Mod motor guy, so moving into this car was a no brainer for me.”

Te GT500 was not initially built by Conant, however he does have insight into its history. It started as a 2010 body in white sent to Victory Racecraf for a complete 25.3 chassis. While Victory has since ceased operations, it was Jason Enos, Bill Gilsbach, and Jamie Miller that built the Mustang. If the car looks like the real deal, that’s because it’s covered in Ford OEM parts and painted to disguise it as an authentic 2014 Shelby GT500. Factory bumpers, steel roof, fenders and quarters were kept and even the strut towers and OEM inner fender panels remain.

Victory Racecraft built a complete 25.3 chassis and cage for the Mustang which incorporated sections of the factory floor, but that’s about where the stock parts end inside the Mustang. A fiberglass dash is void of equipment as the Racepak display relays all vital signs and pertinent info to Jake.

An array of electronics and wiring are trans tunnel mounted on the passenger side and the supercharger cooler sits in place of a 2nd seat.

Te Shelby had sat dormant for a couple years and in 2018 Jake came into the picture to bring it back to life. While it had previously ran solid 7.1s at 188mph in X275 trim at over 3300lbs with a Vortech Xi, over five years had now passed and a lot had

changed in the world of heads-up drags. “My main goal was to make the car competitive,” says Conant. With a solid plan, Jake set out to create an Ultra Street contender while doing most of the work himself in his home garage. “I wanted to

enter the car into Ultra Street, and based on the rules, I knew I had to get weight out of the car and move down on blower size.

I opted for the ProCharger F1A94 based on the weight I thought was attainable and made some de-

2014 Ultra Street Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Tribute

Chassis Type & Mods:

25.2 chassis, done by Victory Racecraft (Jason Enos, Bill Gilsbach, Jamie Miller)

Suspension: Santhuff struts and shocks valved by Viscous Performance. Tubular front K-member, Racecraft spindles and TBM brakes. Rear 4-link coilover.

Body & Paint:

Began as a Ford Body in white and was built with all OEM parts except for Ultra Carbon doors and Optic Armor windows. Steel roof, steel 1/4s, steel fenders, engine bay all OEM steel. OEM front and rear bumpers.

Engine:

L&M Racing Engines 5.4 Mod Motor. OEM aluminum GT Block, Bryant billet crank, Manley rods, L&M Racing Engines custom Diamond pistons, King bearings. OEM aluminum GT heads with work done by Modular Head Shop. L&M Racing Engines custom Comp cams and L&M Racing Engines/Accufab timing components.

Induction & Fuel Delivery: Hogan’s intake and Wilson throttle body, PT3000 intercooler. Billet Atomizer 245s, Weldon mechanical fuel pump, Ignite Red fuel.

Power Adder: ProCharger F1A-94

Electronics: Haltech Elite 2500T, Racepak V300, Racepak Smartwire. Go Lithium batteries.

Transmission & Converter:

M&M 3 speed Turbo 400, Neal Chance NXS billet converter, Precision Performance shifter.

Rear Differential: Custom 9” floater with Strange 3rd member and Strange 40 spline axles and spool.

Tuning:

Tuning handled by Craig Pachar of Triangle Speed Shop. Wheels & Tires: Mickey Thompson tires 275/60/15 ET Street R. Weld V Series wheels.

Best ET & MPH: 7.08 @ 190mph in 1/4 trim, 4.51 @ 155 in 1/8 trim

Thanks To: Thank you to Mr and Mrs P! My wife and crew chief Amanda Crew - Derek & Dom Bills Gilsbach, Jason Enos and Jamie Miller for building a car that goes straight as an arrow every single pass.

Sponsors: ProCharger, NGK Spark Plugs, 1170 Designs.

L&M Racing Engines created the 5.4 Mod motor to power the Mustang. An OEM aluminum GT block is filled with a Bryant billet crank, Manley rods and Diamond pistons. Factory GT cylinder heads were re-worked and a ProCharger F1A94 provides boost.

cisions on parts to get the weight down so I could hopefully be competitive.”

Te stunning GT500 exterior is what you see, but there’s much more to this venomous beast than meets the eye. A 25.2 chassis and cage were fabricated while integrating the factory floor into the build. Santhuff struts valved by Viscous Performance are coupled with a tubular front K-member, Racecraf spindles and TBM brakes up front, while a 4-link coilover setup in the rear hangs a custom 9” floater with Strange 3rd member, 40 spline axles and spool.

L&M Racing Engines built a killer 5.4 Mod motor to power the Mustang and started with an OEM aluminum GT block.

Inside, a Bryant billet crank swings Manley rods pinned to L&M Racing Engines custom Diamond pistons with King bearings. OEM aluminum GT heads were worked over by the Modular Head Shop and L&M Racing Engines custom Comp cams and Accufab timing components were also used. A Hogan’s intake is mated to a Wilson throttle body, while fuel delivery is handled by a Weldon mechanical fuel pump. An Ul-

tra Street-legal ProCharger F1A-94 with PT3000 intercooler shoves additional atmosphere down the throat of the Mod Motor, and a custom Turbo 400 trans with Neal Chance NXS billet converter transfers power rearward. Tuning is the job Craig Pachar of Triangle Speed Shop and to date the Mustang has clocked a best of 7.08 at 190mph in the long haul and 4.51 in 1/8-mile trim.

Packin’ the ‘chute

‘chute on the brute...

A 4-link coilover setup in the rear hangs a custom 9” floater with 40 spline axles and spool. Twin DJ Safety fire bottles fill the space between carbon tubs in the trunk of the Mustang. Struts valved by Viscous Performance are coupled with a tubular front K-member, Racecraft spindles and TBM brakes up front.

This step takes patience, attentiveness and a great deal of care. A ‘chute that fails to open can have some catastrophic results.

To date the Mustang has clocked a best of 7.08 at 190mph in the long haul and 4.51 in 1/8-mile trim and won Ultra Street at the 2019 World Cup Finals at Maryland International Raceway with consistent 7.1s through all rounds of competition!

Tis slick Ultra Street 2014 Shelby GT 500 is more than just another Mustang, though. With an OEM body, top-shelf chassis and wild blown Mod Motor, it grabs attention wherever it runs, not to mention doing what a race car should…winning races! And Winning the World Cup Finals in 2019 at Maryland International Raceway is the highlight of Jakes adventures with the Shelby to date. “I had just gotten the car together with some major changes afer I took the program over in December of 2018. We only had the car out two times previously in 2019 before going to this race and qualified #6 out of 29 cars with a 7.19 at 190. We stayed consistent running 7.1s every round with a best of 7.13 at 190 in the semi-final and ultimately won the event!”

If you have been following RPM for the past number of years, you have probably read about a slick rare color combo 2013 Shelby GT500 Mustang that we have tweaked with parts from Stainless Works and JLT, getting the factory stock supercharged 5.8 liter combo from 584.94 up to a solid neck-snapping 665.38 rear wheel horsepower.

OK, so you’ve taken care of that wimpy factory sound with a killer free-flowing exhaust, and the restricted air flow with the best system on the market, so what do you do to improve the look of an already sexy factory musclecar without affecting it’s OEM look?

Tere is really only one easy answer…wheels and tires, and spring is the optimum time for a fresh new look.

From the beginning, we all agreed that this car possessed the perfect (and rare) colour combination. One element however, wasn’t perfectly suited for the package…the wheels.

Our Shelby CS3 wheels are flow formed making them lighter and stronger than traditional cast wheels. Rears are Part# CS3-215455-B 20”x11” with a 50mm offset, finished in gloss black and fronts are Part# CS3-295430-B 20”x9.5” with a 40mm offset in gloss black.

Photos: Mason Villamere

Story: Brad Villamere

Actually, even the tires were not quite right for our use. Changing the wheels on this car has been on the to-do list for quite some time, but the decision of what wheels is not an easy one. It needed a style and colour combination to not only suit the car, but essentially “apply the icing to the cake”. Oh, and they most certainly had to be authentic Shelby.

Finally, later in 2021 I found (with my daughter Ashley’s help) the perfect wheel…the CS3 manufactured by the Carroll Shelby Wheel Company (a Holley Group company). Te CS3 is flow formed making it lighter and stronger than traditional cast wheels…coupled with great styling and finish.

Remember, choosing and purchasing your new Shelby wheels is just the first step, making sure you choose the right facility for mounting and install is just as important. We chose Clearshot Customs and Clint and team did a top-shelf job.

Te OEM Wheel Specifcations are as follows:

Rear: 20”x9.5”

Front: 19”x9.5”

OEM Tire Specifcations:

Rear: 285/35ZR20

Good Year Eagle F1 Supercar Front: 265/35ZR19

Good Year Eagle F1 Supercar

Here are the new wheel specs

Rear: 20”x11” with a 50mm offset, finished gloss black.

Part# CS3-215455-B

Front: 20”x9.5” with a 40mm offset, finished gloss black.

Part# CS3-295430-B

We decided to upsize the wheel width out back (from the stock 9.5 to 11 inches wide), and diameter on the front (from 19 to 20 inch). We stayed with the 9.5 inch front width to avoid potential clearance issues.

Next on the agenda is a tire to match the wheel and give us what we are looking for all-round performance wise for street use. Because of their good looks (side wall and tread pattern), durability and reasonable price point, the Nitto NT555G2 tires were chosen.

Clearshot used black weights mounted on the backside of the wheel dish. Once the install was complete the wheels were torqued to spec, something that we’ll check periodically. On the rear, Clearshot noticed the potential for interference should the rear diff wander. This was an easy fix with an aftermarket adjustable track bar. This is something we would rather not want to find out the hard way., another reason to choose the right shop.

Again, we chose to go wider on the rear (1.2 inches), and just a tad wider on the front with the 275/35 being about .4 of inch wider than the stock buns.

New Tire Specifcations:

Rear: 315/35ZR20

Front: 275/35ZR20

Once you’ve got your wheels and tires, you need to carefully consider who to use as installation facility. Te mounting and installation of our new combo was performed by Clear Shot Customs’ Clint Lucier (the very photogenic Owner of Clearshot), Tucker Hofstetter and Dave Adams.

Clearshot is not only a top paint and body shop, but also a full-service repair and install facility that has the special equipment and skillset required for this job, including a state of the art tire machine and balancer. Te last thing anybody wants is to ruin a brand new set of wheels, and Clint and his team took great care to ensure the wheel’s finish was not compromised and colour matching stickon weights were applied to the inner portion of the wheel for balancing.

When the new wheel/tire package was installed on the car, the guys noticed that the 315s on the rear had minimal clearance with the shock absorbers. Tis could become an issue if the rear (solid) axle should move side to side while driving…which can

OK, we don’t want to knock the look of the original wheels too much, but the difference is amazing. It’s like we’ve turned our GT500 Silver Snake from a mild mannered weekend cruiser to a seriously badass looking street terror with attitude! What better way to match the wicked sound and new power from our Stainless Works exhaust and JLT intake kit!

happen with the factory track bar. Te solution… a performance adjustable track bar. Te new track bar was installed, adjusted (to properly position the axle), locked into position, and voila, tire rub is no longer a concern!

Te overall results…fantastic! Te looks and style are everything we had hoped for and I have received numerous compliments since the install… the first within minutes of leaving Clearshot!

What’s more, the functionality is better than I had expected. One of my beefs with the OEM wheels was the smaller width rear tire…both with looks and lack of traction. Not only has the traction dramatically improved, but also the overall handling, the car rides smoother with less road noise and these tires don’t throw pebbles at the body.

Te icing is now on the cake!

Clearshot is not a Mustang-only shop by any means, but for whatever reason, it was a good Mustang day at Clearshot, so why not take a group shot!

The very photogenic and consummate joker owner of Clearshot Customs, Clint Lucier, strikes a pose with his own stout Stang.