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ChrisBiro by RANT
Congratulations! You Made It!
It’s safe to say that re-running my CONGRATULATIONS! Editor’s Rant has now become tradition in RPM in the first issue of every year.
CONGRATULATIONS! You Made It!
Before you read on, just to be clear, I am all for progress, innovation, advances in safety, science, better health and moving forward, however, some things–read “some” things, just might make more sense the way we used to do them. The point is, learning how to deal with responsibility and challenges as well as success and failure at a young can go a long way in life as years pass. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this with the spirit in which it was written.
Congratulations! CONGRATULATIONS to all of our 40+ year old readers.
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, white bread and tuna from a can. Then, after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproofed medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking! Mom didn’t have to go to work to help dad make ends meet, she worked only if she wanted to.
We would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags, and riding in the back of a pick-up on a warm spring day was always a special treat, not a crime. If someone cut us off while driving we’d flip them the bird, and they would return the favor, without getting out a bat, knife or gun at the next stoplight.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Take-out food was limited to hot dogs, fish and chips and pizza. You didn’t line up at the drive-thru for your morning coffee but got up earlier and made it yourself.
Even though all the stores closed at 6:00pm and didn’t open on Sundays, somehow we didn’t starve to death. We shared one soft drink with four friends from one bottle and no one actually died from this. We could collect bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy a whole bag of penny candy, sports cards, bubble gum and some fire crackers.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in them, but we weren’t overweight because... we were always outside playing! We’d leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us, yet we were somehow O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes, which consisted of a wooden stick on a screw that scraped the ground to slow us down!
We’d hop-up our bikes with banana seats and long forks and didn’t need some slick dude on a TV reality show of the month to tell us how to do it.
We built tree houses and played in river beds with Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. We did not have any video games at all, and when we did finally get
them it was for occasional entertainment with the whole family. No on-demand TV or 200 channels on satellite, no DVD or streaming movies, no surround sound, no personal computers, no internet, internet message boards and forums or social media, no cell phones or other handheld devices and no texting... we did have friends though, and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were rarely lawsuits. We were given pellet guns, jack knives and slingshots for our 10th birthdays. We played with toy guns that looked like real guns, only because it was cool, not because we wanted to be a gangster. And every young boy wanted to be a policeman or fireman!
At 13 we learned to drive the family car at the empty mall parking lot on Sunday. We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled out for them.
Christmas was Christmas not Xmas, no really it was! No Black Friday or Cyber Monday either. We went shopping for our gifts at actual stores and most everything was made here at home.
Football, baseball and hockey had tryouts and not everyone made the team. And those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that! Getting on the team was a privilege based on ability and merit, and not due to special rules, threats, fear or guilt...
There were very few football, hockey or soccer moms and dads who cared more about their kids becoming the next superstar over just letting them play and have fun. I know this all sounds strange, but it’s true!
If a company we bought something from made a mistake, we gave them the benefit of the doubt and simply called them about it. And they either fixed it or they didn’t, and they would live with the word of mouth (good or bad) after we gave them a shot at fixing it.
We didn’t go on social media (because there was none) and smear the company’s name first.
We did not talk back to our parents or we’d get spanked, and knowing that kept us in line… most of the time. Our teachers used to belt us with rulers or leather straps, and knowing that kept us in line… most of the time. Grade school bullies didn’t have guns and knives. The idea of a mom or dad bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! And police were given respect, because they deserved it.
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 70 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all! And
You are one of them! Congratulations! You were allowed to grow up as kids, before the lawyers, governments and big businesses regulated our lives “for our own good”. You may want to let your kids read this so they will know how brave their parents and grandparents truly are.
Once again, have a fantastic 2025!
Chris
Biro, Editor In Chief
January2025
Steve Damianidis, better known as “Splash” because of his businesses in the water industry, is no stranger to fast cars.
In fact, the Schomberg, Ontario, Canada resident made an impressive impact back in the early days of organized street car drags in Ontario, as well as racing in the original Orlando World Street Nationals in Heavy Street, and with the NSCA in Super Modified.
Racing in EZ Street with the OSCA (Ontario Street Car Association) in a show quality nitroused first gen Camaro for 15 years, Splash pocketed more wins than he can count, but was never able to grab a points championship, despite nailing runner-up several times.
He was, however, awarded the Iron Man Award for competing in every single race over those 15 years in the OSCA, an honor very few ever received.
Story: George Pich
Photos: Blake Farnan
To save some more weight, Optic Armor windows have been installed and keeping the original trim and steel bumpers were a worthwhile trade-off for that.
In 2007 he won Canada's Fastest Street Car Shootout event, qualified numerous times in the Top 32 in Orlando and raced pretty much anywhere he could on both sides of the border. As you can see, Splash’s commitment is intense…almost as intense as his sense of competition.
“I have been messing
around with cars and hot rods for almost 30 years now,” Damianidis explained. “I started racing when I was a teenager. I was racing on the streets, then I grew up and started racing at the racetracks. I have had sever al street cars and drag cars in my years and now have what I think is a nice car collection.”
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Fast forward to just over 2 years ago and Splash was looking to get back into the game of fast street cars. “I got back into racing because I was getting bored. I just sold my business and I needed something to occupy my time and my love of speed and this was
just what I needed!” And not long afterwards he got to work looking for a new ride. Anyone that knows Damianidis and has seen his past cars understands that he is meticulous with them, loves a very factory appearance and lots of nitrous!
Splash’s latest First Gen RS Camaro is near spotless, which, if you know Splash, is no surprise. An original steel body tub is complemented by a full lineup of lightweight body panels. The jet black base coat/clear coat paint is definitely not forgiving, and there’s nothing to forgive as the bodywork is top-shelf.
The Camaro retains factory appearing trim, including the RS grille (with SS emblem) and all functioning lights. A parachute is mandatory, and useful, and exhaust gasses exit in zoomie-fashion just behind the front wheels.
A sweet, ready-for-action 1969 RS Camaro came onto his radar – did we mention that Splash is partial to First Gen Camaros – but he missed out on it. As it turns out, however, by a strange twist of events a fellow Canadian racer bought it. “I
saw the race car for sale on Racing Junk, but Ian Hill had already put a deposit down on it. Shortly after Ian bought the car and brought it home to Ontario, I made him an offer and he sold it to me! I took ownership of it in early 2023.”
Arguably one of the most popular musclecars ever produced, the 1969 Camaro is extremely popular on the dragstrip, too. A back-half chassis and stock front with tubular a-arms help give this RS its wicked stance. A custom rear wing and XL cowl hood give the already slick body an even more menacing look.
Chassis-wise, the Camaro is a back-half piece with stock front frame rails and tubular a-arms. Out back, a fabricated sheet metal 9-inch fortified with a 40 spline spool and gun-drilled axles is suspended by a custom 4-link/coilover setup. Controlling the front end of the Cama-
ro is rack and pinion steering and coilover shocks.
So we know Splash loves Camaros and nitrous oxide, but he also enjoys a good big block Chevy, and for this round in his street car drag racing career, he’s campaigning a sizeable 571-inch BES creation.
The Donovan 9.8 aluminum block is filled with a forged crankshaft and GRP aluminum rods pinned to BES spec’d nitrous-duty Ross pistons. Big Chief heads equipped with T&D rockers and PSI
springs complete the long block and a cast Edelbrock intake, modified to accept a single stage of Induction Solutions direct-port nitrous, is topped by a custom CFM Dominator style carb prepped for nitrous.
The BES-built 571-inch big block Chevy started life as a Donovan 9.8 aluminum block. A forged crankshaft with GRP aluminum rods pinned to BES spec’d nitrousduty Ross pistons rotate inside and Big Chief heads were equipped with T&D rockers and PSI springs.
Steve Damianidis’ EZ Street 1969 RS Camaro
■ Body & Paint:
1969 Camaro original body tub with a number of lightweight panels.
Black base coat/clear coat paint.
Optic Armor windows all around.
Steel bumpers.
■ Chassis Modifications:
25-2 back-half Stock front frame rails.
■ Suspension:
Tubular front a-arms.
4 link rear suspension.
Menscer coilovers on all 4 corners.
■ Engine:
571 BES Chevy big block.
Aluminum Donavan 9.8 block, forged crank, aluminum GRP rods, ROSS pistons.
Big Chief cylinder heads with T&D rockers and PSI springs.
■ Induction & Fuel Delivery:
Custom CFM Dominator style carburetor. C23 fuel.
■ Power Adder:
Induction Solutions single direct-port nitrous system.
AMS 2000 controller.
■ Transmission:
TH400 transmission, built to be 2 speed.
■ Rear End:
Sheet metal 9-inch with Mark Williams aluminum center section, 40 spline spool and gun-drilled axles.
■ Tires:
Mickey Thompson 275/60/15 ET Street Pro drag radials.
■ Interior:
Factory stock dash and steering column.
MSD Grid system.
Racepak V300.
■ ET:
4.60 – 1/8 mile.
■ Most Memorable Experience:
I turned up the power and did a 400 foot long wheelie – all 4 tires were off the ground!
■ Most Unique Feature(s):
The stock look and the fact that it is so straight and super shiny!
■ Thanks to:
Nick Agostino, Nash Engines, Marty for helping me out with the transmission and rear end, Mike Jarman for the electrical work and Wade Stevens and his two boys for helping me out with tuning. Thanks also to Ian Hill Racing Productions for giving us all a place to race.
A built TH400 transmission setup as a 2-speed backs the juiced 571-incher and Mickey Thompson 275-60-15 ET Street Radial Pros plant the power to the ground, sometimes a little too well, but we’ll talk about that in a minute. Inside the car is as
pretty as on the outside and once again, that's just the way Damianidis likes it. It’s incredibly clean and has a selection of stock-looking parts, including the entire dash structure, gauges and controls, steering column and black carpet.
A cast Edelbrock intake accepts a single stage of Induction Solutions direct-port nitrous and is topped by a custom CFM Dominator style carb prepped for nitrous. A built TH400 transmission setup as a 2-speed backs the juiced 571-incher.
Inside, the car is clean with race necessities mixed with a selection of factory style parts, including the entire dash structure, gauges and controls, steering column and black carpet. The car has been back-halved using sizeable wheeltubs so there’s no rear seat, instead the tubs, cage bars and custom panels that occupy the space are finished to match the exterior.
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RON RHODES 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
A billet shifter is flanked by a custom control panel to the driver’s right with a single nitrous bottle and electronics board taking up the passenger area.
The area where the backseat would have once resided is now filled with wheel tubs, cage bars and custom panels and has been painted to match the exterior of the car.
Race wise, an air-ac-
tuated billet shifter is flanked by a custom control panel to the driver’s right and a single nitrous bottle and sizeable electronics board takes up the passenger side of the cockpit.
Steve Damianidis' wild ride and impressive recovery captured by ProTree Video!
Splash has wheeled the Camaro to a solid 4.60 in the 1/8 in EZ Street-legal trim but says that there’s more to come.
To date, Splash has clocked a solid 4.60 in the 1/8 in EZ Street-legal trim but says that there’s lots more in it and he’s chipping away at the tune. Why “chipping away”? Well, a few months back Damian-
idis went a little heavy into the tune and ended up pointing sky high with all 4 tires off the ground, click here or on the Video Extra link generously provided by Pro Tree Videos to get the full picture, literally!
A few memories Splash shared with us… the 1968 he ran back in the day was a superclean street car.
Steve Damianidis was a force to reckon with during his first tour in street car drags and armed with this new nitrous BES big block Camaro, he has already proven to be in the running with just one season under his belt. “I got back into racing because I was getting bored. I needed something to occupy my time and my love of speed and this was just what I needed!”
-Steve Damianidis
All in all Steve Damianidis is entering his second round of street drags the same way he did his first, with a huge Splash! And nothing could be more fitting for the colourful, nerves-of-steel Canadian behind the wheel of yet another over-the-top First Gen Camaro.
For Jason Carello, it’s all about building a real street car, and his supercharged 1992 Ford Mustang LX fits the bill perfectly.
Story: George Pich
Photos: Wes Taylor
“Growing up I always had cars around,” Carello told us. “When I was young, Dad had a 1969 Corvette 427 with a Muncie 4-speed, a ’34 Ford sedan with a 427 Yates motor, a ’69 Z28 and eventually a 2023 Z06.” Along with his father’s love of all thing horsepower, Jason’s uncles would also regularly race the cars they built, all of which set the landscape for Jason’s future with cars and racing.
As a young boy, he always wanted a Fox Body Mustang, and on his father’s advice, he saved every penny until he could afford one. “It was a wrecked Mustang, but it was $800, so I bought it and fixed it up to stock, but of course soon I wanted to modify it. That was a turning point for me and I began to understand how expensive it is to make a car fast.”
Nowadays it’s getting tough to find clean unmolested Fox Bodies anywhere and Jason Carello went to great lengths to keep his uncut and period correct in most areas, although he couldn’t help adding up-to-date power and suspension parts, not to mention a cool set of forged Keizer wheels.
When it came time for his next project, once again Jason followed his father’s advice and looked for something that was already modified and let the previous owner take the brunt of the depreciation on the parts. It was 1996 when Carello found this Mustang advertised in the back of a popular Ford themed magazine’s classified section.
TheVanilla Gorilla5.0Liter ChevyEater...
“The price just kept coming down and once it got down to where I could make a deal, I drove to the Richmond area to buy it. The kid I bought it from called it ‘The Vanilla Gorilla 5.0 Liter Chevy Eater’”. The ’92 LX hatchback was one owner and mint. It had a ton of work done to it and was even featured in a magazine back then. The A4-blocked 347 stroker had a 250 shot of nitrous, which only lasted a few thrashings for Jason. After that he went to a T-Trim blower on that same block, and, well, it didn’t like the high rpm boost much and grenaded shortly afterwards.
Chassis mods are simple – tie the two factory subframe sections together and you are good to go! Suspension work was a little more extensive though. Up front, an aftermarket K-member was used with aftermarket struts and caster/camber plates. The rear was converted to double adjustable coilovers along with adjustable upper and lower control arms with spherical bushings. A rear anti-sway bar was also added.
The OEM steel Mustang was equipped with a low-rise cowl hood and the ground effects are an actual original Saleen body kit. The House of Color Mother of Pearl paint earned this Fox Body “The Vanilla Gorilla 5.0 Liter Chevy Eater’” name back in the day.
Jason Carello’s Mustang Smoking off the Tires at a burnout competition!
Carello found a 4-bolt main Dart Iron Eagle block and built a 331 stroker using a DSS package. He installed the blower and backed it up with a Tremec TKO 600 5-speed transmission and had it tuned by
Job Spetter Jr. and it went 10.90s in the 1/4, very respectable for a street of the day. Shortly after finding the sweet spot with the Mustang though, Jason parked it for about 16 years in order to raise a family.
The exterior of the Vanilla Gorilla will make most readers say…”remember when”. Back in the 90s and 2000s streets and tracks were packed with stock and modified 5.0 Mustangs. Very few boasted 1000hp and could run 9s at full weight and in street trim, though.
Lookslikeastock install,onlythis oneproducesnear 1000hp!
Legendary Twisted Wedge High Port heads were installed and an Edelbrock intake was heavily massaged for the boosted application. The Vortech T-Trim is currently setup to deliver a manageable 17 pounds of boost, but now that Carello has worked all the bugs out of the combo, he expects to push that up this spring.
“Once my kids got older, I broke the Mustang out and about 6 months later took out a head gasket.” By this time, technology in the performance and race parts business had covered some serious ground and Carello decided to upgrade the power, looking to create in
the area of 1000hp on the engine dyno and have a fully streetable, well optioned 9-second car.
Mark McKeown of Titus Performance handled the build however it took over 28 months to get parts as this all went down in the middle of covid.
The Dart block was packed with a Dart crank, Carillo rods and pistons and works out to 353 inches. A custom grind Titus camshaft was installed and a set of legendary Twisted Wedge High Port heads were studded in place. The Edelbrock intake was heavily massaged and an Accufab 95mm throttle body was matched to a 90 degree elbow to direct boosted atmosphere into the small block.
It took over 28 months to get the new engine together for the Mustang. Getting parts was the challenge as the build went down over covid, but Mark McKeown of Titus Performance came through and built the Dart Iron Eagle blocked 353 stroker to hit just under 1,000hp on the engine dyno.
Jason Carello’s 1992 Supercharged Ford Mustang LX
■ Body & Paint:
Original body with aftermarket cowl hood and factory Saleen body Kit. Paint is House of Color Mother of Pearl.
■ Chassis & Suspension/Modifications:
Chassis is a factory 1992 Ford Mustang that has been tied with subframe connectors.
Front suspension has a Maximum Motorsports K-member, QA1 double adjustable coil overs front and rear, Maximum Motorsport caster camber plates, double adjustable upper and lower control arms with spherical bushings and rear anti-sway bar.
■ Engine:
Titus Performance-built 302 stroked to a 353 cubic inch. Dart Iron Eagle block. Custom grind Titus Performance cam.
■ Rotating Assembly:
Dart crankshaft, Carillo rods and pistons.
■ Cylinder Heads:
Twisted Wedge High Port heads, Titus-built Morel solid lifters and pushrods.
■ Induction & Fuel Delivery:
AccuFab 95 mm throttle body with a matching Holley 90 degree elbow going into a massaged Edelbrock lower manifold. 10AN feed Line with #8 return and an Aeromotive Eliminator fuel pump.
■ Electronics:
Holley Dominator engine management.
■ Power Adder:
Vortech T Trim with 17 lbs of boost.
■ Transmission:
Tremec TK 600 with Pro Motion-worked internals.
Cryo 2nd,3rd and 4th gears, with titanium and bronze internals
■ Rear End:
8.8 Ford housing with aftermarket internals, 35 spline spool and axles and 3.55 gear.
■ Brakes:
SSBC (Stainless Steal Brake Corp) rotors with upgraded callipers and stainless steel brake lines.
■ Tires & Wheels:
Keizer wheels front and rear. 26x4.5R15 front tires and 26x10.5R15 Hoosier Quick Time Pro rears.
■ Interior:
Autometer Monster Tach, dash mounted shift light. Center vent mounted oil pressure, boost pressure and water temp gauges. Holley HP tuning software. FLoFit seats with Simpson 5 point harness, rear seat delete. Ford Motorsport Sparco steering wheel with an NRG quick release. Retro Alpine stereo with JL Audio speakers.
Back hatch mounted battery and 8 gallon chiller tank with a sump pump cycling the water is mounted in spare tire area. This is good for 40 HP on the flip of the switch.
■ ET & MPH:
10.1 in the ¼, however the transmission broke. Hoping to get well into the 9-seocnd zone with the new Tremec TKX in 2025.
■ Most Unique Feature(s):
The most unique feature would probably be the chiller, I have it controlled by a switch and have modified the outlet to match the flow of the intake.
■ Thanks To:
Special thanks to my father Jim Carello who helped along with my uncle Mike Spinelli.
The Vortech T-Trim is currently setup to deliver a manageable 17 pounds of boost, but now that Carello has worked all the bugs out of the combo (and there were a few), he expects to push that up this spring.
On the engine dyno, the new mill produced just a hair shy of 1000hp and the torque was not far behind. Jason installed the new combo into the Mustang and headed to Maryland to hit the chassis dyno where it made 860hp to the rear wheels. And after that he drove straight to Foxtoberfest! “Unfortunately we overpowered the TKO 600 and blew it sky high,” he joked.
40more horsepower attheflipof aswitch...
“I now have a TKX with the American Powertrain Super Works kit rated for 990lbs of torque, so we will be able to see exactly what the car can do in full street weight and trim this spring.”
A secret weapon also now lurks within the Vanilla Gorilla. An 8 gallon chiller tank with pump was installed in the spare tire area to cycle water and cool the charge. “This is good for 40 more horsepower with the flip of the switch,” he added.
Mostly factory equipment greets you as you step inside the ’92. Mods that have been done are more period correct, like the oldschool FloFit seats, Monster Tach and gauges. Corello even installed a retro Alpine stereo with JL Audio speakers, but admits he prefers the sound of the blown small block most times.
Since the Mustang was originally built during the Fox Body heydays of the nineties and early 2000s, Carello decided that he wanted to keep it true to that era, so he has changed very little on the chassis and inside the car.
The body is all OEM steel aside from the cowl hood, so it’s no lightweight. The ground effects are a factory Saleen body Kit and the paint is House of Color Mother of Pearl. The factory Fox Body subframes are tied together with Maximum Motorsports connectors and one of their K-members was used up front with aftermarket struts and caster/camber plates. The rear was converted to double adjustable coilovers along with adjustable upper and lower control arms with spherical bushings and a rear anti-sway bar was also added.
Intentionally retro!
Once again Jason opted to keep that original 5.0 era alive inside the Mustang. A roll bar was installed to keep things legal and safe and boltin front bars were used that are removable for street use. A rear seat delete kit was also used to try and trim a little weight.
It’s like stepping back in time! By choice, the inside of the Mustang is mostly factory and any mods consist of more period correct equipment such as the old-school FloFit seats and full compliment of Autometer gauges. A roll bar was installed with bolt-in front bars that are removable for street use and a rear seat delete kit was also
Vinny Carello left, with his dad Jason. Vinny has his own Fox Body Stang and is looking to build it to beat his dad!
used to try and trim a little weight.
While Jason can’t recall a specific moment that stands out among the rest, aside from his first serious hit down the dragstrip in the Gorilla, he enjoyed the entire journey of creating it and now having a son who has his own Fox Body and wants to build it to beat his dad!
Kingman, Arizona’s Andy Trujillo Jr. can’t recall many childhood memories that don’t involve a classic car story, and much of that comes from the quality time he has spent with his father working on cars together.
Story : Steve Baur
Photos: Jerry Garrison
In 2010, his father asked him to check out a truck he wanted to buy, which was a 1972 Chevy C10. It was a vehicle that Trujillo Jr. had always wanted.
“On the ride home and over the next year, we talked about what he
wanted to do with the new truck,” he explained. “We discussed what he should put under the hood, what tires and wheels to put on it, and even which color to paint it. The truck was the old original GM blue and had a 350 with an old truck 3-speed, but in very good condition.”
...my old man surprised me when he said it was mine...
ANDY TRUJILLO JR
The truck was originally purchased by Andy’s dad as a project they could together and when it was done Andy Sr. handed the keys to Andy Jr. which totally caught him off guard. It started as a show piece but over the years morphed into this wicked big-tire warrior.
After the restoration, Trujillo Jr.’s father handed the keys to the now Grabber Blue C10 pickup to his son and told him that the truck was his.
“My old man surprised me when he said it was mine,” Trujillo Jr. recalled. “He enjoyed this build with me and wanted me to have the C10.”
Initially, the Chevy was just a cruiser that the Trujillo’s showed around the Arizona circuit. By 2016, Trujillo Jr. had enough of the shows and wanted to do more with “Ol’ Blu” as he calls the pickup.
It was time for the truck to take a more drag-oriented turn and the Trujillo’s began the transformation by swapping in an LS engine.
“We got it all finished and could not make it run properly,” Trujillo Jr. explained. “This was when I met Brad Fayhee.” Fayhee of Fayhee Motorsports tweaked the ECM and got the C10’s LS powerplant ready for the street and track, and he has continued to handle the tuning chores throughout the truck’s additional changes.
SPEED SAUCE T M PLUS INJECTION FLUID
Speed Sauce Plus water-ethanol mix comes premixed and ready to use straight from the bottle. Its 20/80 water/ethanol blend delivers more power per gallon. This ethanol-based fluid is not only less corrosive to fuel systems than methanol-based fluids but also safer to handle due to its lower toxicity.
• Provides 4% more power compared to methanol-based injection fluids
• Produces up to 15% more horsepower/torque than stock, with proper tuning
• Delivers added octane when needed thanks to the ethanol’s >115 octane rating
• Less corrosive than methanol version
An early change to the C10 came in the form of a beefed up 12-bolt that Trujillo Jr. had installed by Lloyd Coker at CKR Fab Works, but that wasn’t all he did as the C10 was caged and the chassis was tied in while Trujillo
Jr. was in Alaska for work.
“It was still my street cruiser doing 200-mile trips to car shows with my Dad,” Trujillo Jr. stated. More recently, Trujillo Jr. took the truck to Zumwalt Garage for another update.
Under the truck is clean and functional. A Fab 9 rear diff is suspended by a 4-link with Afco Big Guns, while long travel struts were worked into the more-recently fabricated tubular front end. All four corners have custom race brakes installed to slow the C10 and a chute has been added to help with that when needed.
The truck has been fitted with front and rear roll pans and a custom cowl-induction-style hood, while retaining necessary street equipment such as marker lights and turn signals. A custom sheet metal tonneau cover and rear wing keep things smooth and the airflow going in a beneficial direction.
There, the staff front-halved the pickup, shedding a bunch of weight in the process, and also installed long-travel struts for better weight
transfer at no-prep events.
Zumwalt also welded in a funny car-style cage to upgrade the chassis to a 7.50 ET certification.
While there’s plenty of room under the hood of a stock C10 pickup, having a tube chassis up front helps create a little more breathing room, but once you get twin turbos plumbed into the mix with various associated equipment, real estate gets sparse pretty quick.
Currently, the Chevy is powered by a 408 cubic-inch LS engine based on a factory iron block. It’s been fitted with a Callies Performance Products crankshaft and connecting rods that sling Diamond Racing pistons toward the Trick Flow Specialties cylinder heads. A custom Bullet camshaft works with Morel lifters to actuate the valves that allow the air to flow in from the Holley Hi-Ram intake manifold.
Ol’ Blu’s powerplant doesn’t rely on average atmospheric pressure, however, as it has been equipped with a pair of 80mm VS Racing turbochargers that are spooled up via stainless steel hot-side headers built by REF Unlimited.
A pair of 80mm turbochargers that are spooled up via stainless steel hot-side headers built by REF Unlimited give a major kick to Ol’ Blu’s powerplant.
The 408-inch mill is based on a factory iron block. A Callies crankshaft and connecting rods sling Diamond Racing pistons. Trick Flow Specialties cylinder heads were studded in place and valve train commands come via a custom Bullet camshaft.
■ Body & Paint:
Andy Trujillo Jr.’s 1972, Chevy, C10
Paint and body credit to Christopher Stinson at Elite Auto Body in Golden Valley AZ. Grabber Blue color.
■ Chassis Modifications :
Lloyd Coker at CKR Fab Works fabricated cage and chassis from the firewall back completed during the first build. Clint Zumwalt at Zumwalt Garage updated and completed front chassis work and added long travel struts for no-prep racing and added the funny car cage to cert for 7.50.
■ Suspension:
Fabricated tubular front end with double adjustable long travel front struts. Fab 9, 9” rear end with 4 link and Afco big gun coilover shocks.
■ Engine:
408 ci LS iron block with Callies crank and rods and Diamond pistons. Custom cut bullet camshaft.
■ Cylinder Heads:
Trick Flow cylinder heads, Morel Linkbar lifters.
■ Induction & Fuel Delivery:
Holley Hi-Ram intake, Waterman mechanical fuel pump with 600lb Billet Atomizer injectors.
■ Power Adder:
Twin 80 mm VS Racing turbos, custom built stainless turbo headers and exhaust and cold side tubing built by REF Headers.
■ Transmission:
Mikes Transmissions, Reid case turbo 400 with 2nd gear launcher and a Hughes converter.
■ Rear End: Fab 9 with 4.88 gears.
■ Tires & Wheels:
Rears are Kaiser 15 x 12 double beadlocks and front are ATC forged. Custom polished with blue powder coated accents.
■ Interior: Holley dash, Motion Raceworks shifter with co2 activation.
■ ET & MPH: No-Time, No-Prep racing.
■ Most Unique Feature(s):
The most unique feature is the color and the fact that it’s a heavy yet fast truck.
■ Reason For Build:
My dad wanted to restore a classic vehicle for and with me. I don’t think I will ever let it out of my sight as it is very sentimental to me.
■ Build Timeline:
The original restoration took about a year…. over the years it has undergone several modifications to what it is today…..FAST!!
■ Most Memorable Experience: The first time I let off the trans brake!
■ Thanks To:
Most of all thanks to my dad, without him Ol’Blu may not exist.
A Waterman Racing Components mechanical fuel pump provides the fuel to the 600lb/hr Billet Atomizer fuel injectors that provide fuel flow to match the pressurized intake charge, and Fayhee Motorsports ensures the air/fuel mixture is just right in the calibration of the Holley EFI Domina-
tor ECU.
Backing the boosted LS powerplant is a stout Turbo 400 built by Mike’s Transmissions. It’s based on a Reid Racing SFI case that was fitted with fortified internals that allow Trujillo Jr. to launch in 1st or 2nd gear, as well as a Hughes Performance torque converter.
Now that’s a lotta blue! The C10 was never a luxury vehicle and the Trujillo’s rendition continues in that vein. Spartan best describes the inside of the truck with all the necessities to house two passengers for a drive, and win races, nothing more.
Racing on a nonprepped surface requires a different approach to suspension setup and having a dynamic and adjustable suspension allows you to make the necessary changes to find the hook, be it on track or in a car wash. To that
end, Trujillo Jr. has double adjustable, long-travel struts at the front of the C10 and at the back, there is a 4-linkstyle suspension that employs AFCO Racing Big Gun shocks to manage the 4.88-geared, fabricated 9-inch rearend.
The massive interactive display helps Andy make the right choices before, during and after a run, while a modest air actuated shifter commands activities of the Reid-cased turbo 400 with 2nd gear launcher and Hughes converter.
A Full Schedule Of 2025 Events
1. June 7th-8th
2. July 19th-20th
3. August 2nd: SMACKDOWN 4. August 16th-17th 5. September 20th-21st 6. October 4th-5th
Setting Ol’ Blu’s stance is a set of ATC Forged Racing Wheels that have been custom powder-coated and feature 15x12 double bead-lock versions in the rear. Behind the fancified hoops you’ll
find a combination of custom disc brakes front and rear. The task of making Ol’ Blu, well, blue, fell to Christopher Stinson at Elite Auto Body in Golden Valley, Arizona.
What’s Old Is New if you haven’t read it yet!
Each month we host some of our past issues of RPM Magazine in this section. If you haven’t read them yet, they are new to you! If you have, maybe there’s a favourite car/story you want to read again….here they are!
CLICK A COVER OR SCAN A QR CODE TO GO BACK IN TIME!
While the exact capabilities of the C10 are a well-kept secret – it’s a no-prep, no-time ride – Andy Jr. says the 7.50 certified cage will need updating very soon!
According to Trujillo Jr., the truck has been painted three different times, but always in Ford’s Grabber Blue. That might offend some Chevy purists, but you can’t tell us it doesn’t fit this C10 pickup perfectly. A custom sheet metal tonneau cover and rear
wing keep things smooth and the airflow going in a beneficial direction, and the truck has been fitted with front and rear roll pans and a custom cowl-induction-style hood, all the while retaining necessary street equipment such as marker lights and turn signals.
Hot side headers and exhaust is the handy work of REF Unlimited.
Andy Trujillo Jr. (left) stands proud with electrical wiz and Ol’ Blu tuner, Brad Fayhee.
Trujillo Jr. noted his most memorable experience in the truck has been the first time he let off the transbrake, and there can be no doubt that there is a plethora of valuable memories with his father from the
time spent during the restoration.
“My dad wanted to restore a classic vehicle for and with me,” Trujillo Jr. told us.
“I don’t think I will ever let it out of my sight- it is very sentimental to me.”
Story and photos by
At first look, Alexander Torres’ Charger may look like an “ordinary” Hellcat from the factory, but don’t let its subtle looks fool you. This street legal beast is very capable of running into the 8 second 1/4 mile time zone.
Article first appeared in the Sept. 2020 digital issue.
RPM MAGAZINE Reprint IN Print!
RPM MAG’s commitment to features that appeared digital-only since June 2020.
I’LL HAVE MINE RARE PLEASE
Sometimes we get so caught up in rare, low production older cars that we forget that there are lot of limited production badass new cars made each year. Case in point, just 1,890 2017 Charger SRT Hellcats were produced for the 2017 model year, and only 137 in the Yellow Jacket color!
When Chrysler introduced its “Hemi” engine for its 1951-year model lineup, it was the start of something pretty amazing. The first generation of Hemi engines were produced from 1951 all the way through 1958, while the second generation from 1964-71. After a long hiatus, a third generation Chrysler powered Hemi engine was introduced in 2003.
Chrysler’s Hemi has been deep rooted in the automotive scene for over half a century. The 1960’s version of the 426 Hemi was an engine produced for the Plymouth Belvedere, built to NASCAR specifications. Its popularity grew
and grew and was subsequently available tin production models from 1965-1971. Whether it was a street Hemi, or a race only model, the Hemi engine powered cars are some of the most sought-after vehicles on the collector car market, not to mention that they often dominated the streets and strips around the country.
The game was changed once again in 2014 when Italian automaker Fiat merged with Chrysler and formed into a new holding company (FCA). In August of that same year, the company introduced the 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. The Hellcat is claimed to be “the fastest” factory four-door sedan ever built.
The original, supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 Hellcat powered Charger produces 707 horsepower and 650 lb. ft of torque. That’s typically more than enough to suite anyone’s needs, but not Alexander Torres. With some modified internals and a 200 hp shot of nitrous oxide, this Hellraiser is producing well over 1,000 horsepower on a mild tune.
The Dodge Charger Hellcat is a big bodied behemoth, looking almost “limo-like” in this side shot, but they were made to perform on and off the track.
It was equipped with a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine that produced 707 horsepower and 650 lb. ft or torque. This brand-new design provided all the modern amenities for the family, and power its 426 predecessors could only dream of.
During a recent trip to Bakersfield, California, we were tipped off about Alexander Torres’ notorious “Yellow Jacket” 2017 Charger Hellcat, and, we have to admit that after our first look, while it was a good looking and no doubt quick car, we completely underestimated its power. After talking with Torres for a few minutes, though, we bought into both him and his Hellcat.
The infamous Hellcat badge is a symbol of unrestrained power and ferocity, but in this case, it also serves as a warning to anyone who would challenge the dominance of this potent cat.
This “slight” modification, a 200hp nitrous kit, scores a redline on the RPM cool tachometer! DOUBLE UP
Full Schedule Of
Events 1. June 7th-8th
July 19th-20th
August 2nd: SMACKDOWN
August 16th-17th
September 20th-21st
October 4th-5th
I got hooked and decided to take it to the next level
“I purchased the Hellcat brand new in West Covina, CA in April of 2017, but prior to this Charger, I owned a 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT. I have to say that I was not satisfied with the performance of that car, so I traded in the Challenger for a Hellcat. I purchased the Hellcat because I was intrigued with the technology that the company put into it,” Torres said. Like any true gearhead, he began to modify the car just three weeks after the purchase. The first mod was changing the upper pulley on the supercharger and converting the car over to E85 fuel. Soon after that Torres began to race the car every Thursday night at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, CA. “As soon as I saw the potential of the car I got hooked and decided to take it to the next level.”
With any aftermarket additions, comes eventual parts failure, and the Hellcat’s 8-speed automatic transmission broke just 4 months in. It took about 3 months to get a replacement transmission in courtesy of Speedworx and Redline Performance in Covina, California.
The wheel and tire of choice for the Hellcat are a set of Bogart wheels with beadlock rears wrapped in Mickey Thompson 315 60 R15 ET Street Radials and Racemaster front runners.
The area where the rear seat once was made the perfect spot for the secret weapon, at least the bottle part of it anyway.
Alexander removed the back seat and replaced the driver seat for a much light and safer aluminum race seat. The rest of the interior remains as it came from the factory. Hellcats are extremely popular for their power, but they are also practical and can fit the whole family with a good offering of creature comforts.
Alexander Torres’ 2017 Dodge Charger Hellcat
Chassis Type & Mods:
Stock 2017 Hellcat chassis
Suspension:
Stock factory suspension with a Wilwood 15-inch conversion in the rear.
Body & Paint:
Factory original body with factory Yellow Jacket paint.
Engine:
6.2 Hemi GEN3 Hellcat motor with Ross pistons on Carrillo rods. ARP head studs with stock factory heads and cam.
Built by Speedworx Automotive and Redline Performance in Covina, Ca. Converted to E85.
Rotating Assembly:
Ross pistons, Carrillo rods and factory 6.2 stock Hellcat crank.
Induction:
Stock Hellcat 2.4 Supercharger ported by Fast Motorsports.
Power Adder:
Nitrous Outlet plate system with Nitrous Express progressive controller to handle 200 shot of nitrous.
Electronics:
All electronics are stock from factory, aside from the NX progressive.
Transmission & Converter: Currently replacement factory type transmission and converter.
Rear Differential:
Stock differential with a DIRS diff brace.
Best ET & MPH:
9.2- 151MPH no prep.
How Many Years Racing:
“I began racing and building Hondas when I was 15 years old, so I have been racing for 20 years.”
Class Raced: Grudge racing and ET racing.
During the downtime, Alexander had some time to contemplate the direction he wanted to go with the Charger and decided that since the car was already down for repair, he was going to go all out with it.
Torres had the 6.2 Hemi GEN3 Hellcat motor beefed up with Ross pistons pinned to Carrillo rods and also added ARP head studs to use with the factory heads. He also kept the stock cam-
shaft. The factory 2.4 Supercharger was ported by Fast Motorsports and, here’s the fun part, he added a Nitrous Outlet plate system to spray a 200 shot of nitrous into the throat of the boosted Hemi and paired it with a Nitrous Express progressive controller.
“Once the car was done, I met one of the best Hemi tuners in the world, Curt Dusterhoff who is located in Georgia.”
Curt tuned Torres’ Hellcat in December 2018 and, as expected it was much quicker and faster. Intrigued by this, Alexander decided to enroll in the EFI University located in Lake Havasu, Arizona. “Cars and racing have always been my passion, it’s what keeps me going.
Curt and my wife were my motivation behind becoming a tuner and now I build and tune Mopars. My goal is to be as good as my good friend Curt whom I now remote tune with” Torres added.
With just a tick under 1,890 2017 Charger Hellcats produced for the 2017 model year, and only 137 Yellow Jacket colored cars, Torres has a rare piece, that keeps getting better, and quicker, with age.
“I consider my car the fastest Hellcat in California, no one has beat me and I plan to keep it that way. This car is my pride and joy, I have poured my heart and soul into it and I plan to keep it going”.
The most memorable experience that Torres has had with his Hellcat to date was at Springfest in Pomona in March (2019) when he went undefeated, “that, and I beat all the Dodge
Demons!” Torres added with a smile. “My goal for this year is to open up my own Dyno shop and specialize in building the fastest Mopars on the planet.”
As we mentioned, it’s easy to be misled by this Yellow Jacket as it flies up to you, but make no mistake, it is ready and very willing to lay the sting on you at the drop of a hat, or anything else for that matter.
