June 2024 RPM Magazine

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editor’spix

Story by Jack DuBois

Photos By Stephen Taylor

Steve Nodiff didn,t find his absolutely stunning 2000 horsepower blown LSX 1969 Chevy Camaro RS Z28 in a barn or bring it back to life from a beaten up shell and pile of parts.

On the contrary, he paid a sizeable sum to obtain a pretty wild build, or at least it seemed so at the time. But let’s back up a few years, because Nodiff is no stranger to fast cars and racing.

Over the years, Steve owned a number of muscle cars and raced most of them in some way, and despite being a Sales Manager for a Ford dealer, most his rides have been a General Motors

product. His first was a ’66 GTO and then a ’66 Chevy II that he raced over a number of years at Mid America Raceway in Wentsville MO. For the streets, Nodiff had a 1968 Camaro RS/SS with a Fast Times 509 cubic inch big block and Vortech centrifugal supercharger that made just shy of 1,200 horsepower to the rear wheels and ran low nines on leafsprings.

Steve Nodiff’s 69 Z28 is a looker for sure. With an original all steel body (except hood) and tons of factory trim inside and out, the car is just downright cool! Steve insists he's going to paint the whole car in the future…which leaves us asking, why?

Needless to say, he made some money with the Camaro. Over time, cars came and went and as Steve focused on life he held off on horsepower for a few years, until December 13th, 2016, when he found a pristine 1969 Chevy

Camaro RS Z28 at a classic car dealer ship. For those that know cars, modified or not, these things don’t come cheap, and the 1969 Z28 is arguably one of the hottest looking and most sought after musclecars of the sixties and seventies.

Show Them Your Taillights.

GenX® 260 square port GM LS7 cylinder heads from Trick Flow are your best choice for several reasons. The A356-T6 aluminum castings feature more material for increased rigidity and strength. Valve angles and port locations work with existing LS7 intakes and pistons. Modular billet aluminum rocker arm mounts enhance valvetrain stability and are removable for shaft rocker setups. CNC Competition Ported runners deliver maximum airflow. Plus there’s clearance for 3/8" pushrods and through-deck coolant holes that fit all GM LS gasket and block combinations.

So take advantage of the huge power GenX 260 heads make and get ready to show your opponents your taillights.

Your Formula for GM LS Performance!

New heads are just one part of the horsepower formula. To make it complete, you’re going to need some other components.

Track Max® Camshafts

Give your GM LS an even bigger power boost with a Track Max camshaft. Available in several hydraulic roller designs up to 230°/238° duration and .625"/.625" of lift, they are dyno proven to produce significant power increases over the entire RPM range.

Active Fuel Management and Variable Valve Timing Delete Kits

The problem: most performance camshafts don’t work on engines equipped with AFM or VVT. The solution? Ditch them with these delete kits! They include everything to completely remove AFM and VVT the right way so your engine will make the power you expect with no hiccups.

Cylinder Head Bolt Kits

Keep combustion where it belongs! These high-quality cylinder head bolt kits provide consistent clamping force. The bolts are made from premium quality alloy steel with cold-formed heads and rolled threads. The kit contains all the bolts you need to install a pair of heads.

The car was an all steel beauty with the exception of the hood. All of the OEM gauges worked, it had all of the factory glass, working flip-open headlights and even the factory interior dome light.

The Camaro was equipped with a twin turbo small block with Gear Vendors overdrive and air conditioning, and Steve started to drive and enjoy it as soon as he got it home. “I found out as time progressed that it had major wiring issues along with many other problems,” Nodiff said. “So I took it to Matheis Race Cars, originally to install a Smith Racecraft front end and a few other things.”

The slick low-slung stance might indicate some bolt-on parts to lower the car, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, this Camaro, although maintaining a factory look, is built to the max with a complete firewall back Matheis Race Cars 25.5 chassis and Smith Racecraft front.

And here’s some not so factory trim…..note the supercharger mounted front and almost dead center, hidden slightly behind the front grille.

Unfortunately though, the more Steve and the Matheis crew looked at the car, the more issues they found with it, and you can guess what happened next. “I decided to do a full chassis build and switch to a ProCharger setup for small tire

Bullet Racing Engines created a 440-inch LSX mill for the Z28. Swapping from turbos to the centrifugal supercharger, a custom Comp cam solid roller bumpstick was made and commands the valvetrain through Crower lifters. Frankenstein cylinder heads are equipped with Jesel shaft mounted rockers.

275 drag radial racing,” Steve added. Admittedly, he always regretted selling his first RS Camaro and this seemed like the right opportunity to bring back that magic, only with today’s technology in power and handling.

A reverse drive F-3D-106 ProCharger was installed with a Procharger gear drive off of the crank. A killer billet intake with built-in intercooler tops the small block.

Steve Nodiff’s Supercharged 1969 Chevy Camaro RS Z28

■ Body & Paint:

Original steel body except for hood. Walnut Park Auto Body in Crestwood Mo. Ray Maserang made some repairs to the modified hood and some paintwork around the car.

■ Chassis & Suspension :

Matheis Race Cars in High Ridge MO. 4130-SFI spec 25.5 firewall back chassis with Pro Mod 4- link, wishbone and anti-roll bar. Afco Big Gun coil overs (rear) Afco double adjustable struts in front. Smith Racecraft 4130 front with TRZ aluminum drop spindles, rack, engine and mid plates.

■ Engine:

Bullet Racing Engines built 440 LSX steel block. 4.130 bore 4.100 stroke, Callies Magnum crank, Callies 6.126 Ultra rods, Manley 9:1 compression pistons. Comp cams custom solid roller, Crower lifters, Frankenstein heads with Jesel shaft mounted rockers.

■ Induction:

Frankenstein Iceman billet intake with built-in intercooler. Wilson High Boost 105mm throttle body. Billet Atomizer 275 injectors for race gas and 850 injectors for methanol.

■ Power Adder:

F-3D-106 ProCharger supercharger reverse drive with ProCharger gear drive off of the crankshaft.

■ Electronics:

Holley Dominator EFI with custom wiring by Matheis Race Cars.

■ Transmission & Converter:

M&M 3 speed Turbo 400 with 2nd gear leave and PTC bolt-together converter.

■ Rear Differential:

Matheis Race Cars full floater 4130 housing, Strange 40 spline 300M axles, Thru Bolt third member, 40 spline spool and 3.50 Pro gear.

■ Brakes:

Strange 4 piston calipers with 2 piece rotors.

■ Tires & Wheels:

Sanders 15x3.5 front and 15x13 double beadlock (rear) with Mickey Thompson 275 radials.

■ Interior:

25.5 spec cage, 36 inch tubs, faux back seat, Kirkey front seats, working stock gauges! Holley 7 inch dash, M&M shifter mounted on factory console, twin 10lb fire supression bottles, GM 3 spoke wheel with tilt column, custom Sony sound system.

■ Best ET & MPH:

TBA – The car will be getting tuned by Hyperaktive Performance Solutions then plans are to hit the track. We expect to make in the area of 2000HP.

■ Most Unique Feature(s):

It is an all steel car with the exception of the hood, All of the factory gauges work and it has all of the factory glass. Also has working flip open headlights and factory dome light.

■ Build Timeline:

From start to finish, roughly a year and a half.

■ Thanks To:

Matheis Race Cars, Rob Matheis and his two sons Trent and Nic. Chris Jennewein (wiring), Walnut Park Auto Body, Ray Maserang (paint and misc body repairs).

If you don’t believe how clean this car is, here’s a shot under the front end showing the suspension and engine detail…yeah, it is a show stopper, too!

The project began in earnest and Steve, with the guidance and talents of Matheis, created a monster! A 4130-SFI spec 25.5 firewall back chassis was fabricated with Pro Mod 4-link/wishbone rear suspension with anti-roll bar and

AFCO Big Gun coilovers. Of course, that Smith Racecraft 4130 piece went in up front with TRZ aluminum drop spindles, AFCO double adjustable struts, engine and mid plates and new rack and pinion setup.

The cage snakes its way through the interior to protect the occupants of a pair of padded aluminum race seats while a “faux” backseat was created to keep the musclecar vibe alive inside the Camaro.

While those gauges still function, pertinent information on matters of racing are sent to Steve via a Holley 7 inch dash interfaced with the car’s Dominator ECU.

Ray Maserang of Walnut Park Auto Body in Crestwood MO. handled body and paint chores. While the car didn’t need anything serious, it did require some very minor repairs here and there with paint touch-ups and mods to the hood for the new induction

system. Steve insists he’s still going to have it completely painted down the road.

With a very capable chassis being built, Nodiff turned his attention to what would motivate the Z28 and had Bullet Racing Engines create a 440-inch LSX.

We didn’t expect anything less when Steve popped the trunk, which still uses factory hinges. A custom made tri-chamber cell was made to fit neatly in the trunk area.

The Matheis Pro Mod 4-link coilover setup suspends a full floater 4130 housing with Thru Bolt third member, 40 spline axles, spool and 3.50 Pro gear. Smith Racecraft handled the front end along with drop spindles and AFCO double adjustable struts. Sanders 15x3.5s were used up front while 15x13 double beadlocks are skinned with Mickey Thompson 275 radials out back.

The fact that Steve kept so much factory trim on his Z and insisted it stay looking like a street car sets this Camaro apart from most others boasting in the area of 2000HP!

Starting with the steel 4.130 bore block, a 4.100 stroke Callies Magnum crank was mated to Callies 6.126 Ultra rods pinned to Manley 9:1 compression boost-ready pistons. Swapping from turbos to the centrifugal supercharger, a custom Comp solid roller bumpstick was made and commands the valvetrain through Crower lifters. Frankenstein cylinder heads are equipped with Jesel shaft mounted rockers. The F-3D-106 ProCharger install, plumbing and induction system is a work of art with the crown jewel being the billet Frankenstein Iceman intake with builtin intercooler.

Backing the boosted LS is an M&M 3-speed Turbo 400 transmission with 2nd gear leave and PTC bolt-together converter. Matheis worked their magic once again by

building a full floater 4130 housing with Thru Bolt third member stuffed with 40 spline gun drilled axles, spool and 3.50 Pro gear. You might think that this Camaro is overkill in some areas, but Nodiff expects in the neighbourhood of 2000 rear wheel horsepower from the Z28 and just doesn’t want to travel the same road he did after first getting it.

As of this writing, the car will be getting tuned by Hyperaktive Performance Solutions after which Steve will be hitting the track for testing. Given the parts list and quality of work this time ’round, we’re pretty sure that Steve would have no problem beating his 30-year-ago Camaro RS, along with most anything else that pulls up beside him!

Story by George Pich

Photos By Wes Taylor

Nearly every time we feature a musclecar-era Mopar we start out by saying how the Dodge/ Plymouth/Chrysler gang deserves respect, because most of us have no idea how much money and time it takes to create a build that can run with the crowd.

And David & Theresa Smith are no different, so our hats off to you both for seeing it through. While the sixties and early seventies Mopar models were some of the most appealing, not to mention factory fast, it’s no secret that the aftermarket just didn’t produce as many go-fast parts for them, and if they did, you had to pay more, usually a lot more.

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SUM Seat Bar Kit

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XSP 16 V Charger

David Smith's Feather Duster is no lightweight!

It all boils down to numbers, when you make less of something you have to charge more for it. Thank goodness there were a select few hardcore companies like Indy Cylinder Head that loved Mopars and wanted to help other people make them fast.

David Smith is a street racer from the 1980s. Since he was 16 years old he’s been mixing it up on the street in some type of built Mopar, and he chose to follow that particular brand mostly because ev-

eryone else had a Ford or Chevy.

Working as a mechanic during the 80s and 90s, David not only had the cars to race but the knowledge to build and fix them. “My wife and two daughters were always with me,” David recalled. “When I had a race, the wife, kids, car seats and diaper bags were unloaded on the side of the road and picked up when the race was done.”

Now that’s involving the whole family!

Over the years, Smith’s racing would move to the dragstrip with his Mopars and once again the family would be part of the action. Eventually, his efforts would bring him to this particular car, a 1976 Plymouth Feather Duster. Yes we said Feather Duster? Let’s talk about that. It’s hard to imagine, but in the 1970s there was a so called “fuel crisis” and some auto makers developed models to help cope. Plymouth’s A-Body Duster had a few years of production and solid sales figures behind it and during its final years the “Feather Duster Fuel Economy Package” was offered which included a lighter weight and fuel efficient engine.

For the day, tipping the scales at just 2,700 pounds and getting in the area of 20 miles per gallon city and 36 highway was a definite bonus. David and Teresa’s Feather Duster does nothing of the sort, though.

This particular Duster is not just “any” Mopar, it has pedigree and David calls himself the current caretaker of it. He bought the car as a roller, but it had seen five owners prior to the Smith family. “The car is not done yet, and probably never will be,” David explained.

Dusting the track with a Feather Duster never seemed easier!

“After 40 years and 6 owners, I’m the current caretaker. It was owned by Arlen Vanke and then Roger Laudy bought it. Roger raced the car in NMCA (National Muscle Car Association) and KOS (King of Street) races and won the very first KOS event. The car was also sponsored by and featured in Flowmaster ads.

Back in the 90s, Roy Hill also made a pass in this car and today it is back racing in the KOS.”

The body is mostly original steel and the car was previously black but the Smith’s opted for the stunning custom purple skin that now covers the nearly 40 year old machine.

One of the more exciting things

Mopar did in their musclecars paint wise was to paint the firewall and inner fenders to match the body, and the Smith’s followed suit with the color change.

The rolling chassis was a workhorse with a 4-link coilover rear setup, the frontend needed an update though.

of the more exciting things

in their

One

Mopar did

cars’ paint wise was to paint the firewall and inner fenders to match the body, and the Smith’s followed suit with the color change.

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

David & Theresa Smith’s Nitrous Big Block 1976 Plymouth Feather Duster

■ Body & Paint:

OEM body except hood. Custom purple paint.

■ Chassis & Suspension: 4-link coilover rear suspension with RMS (Reilly Motor Sports) front suspension.

■ Engine:

230 Casting, 400 production Mopar block. Total of 500 CI. Molnar crank and rods, Wiseco pistons, Racer Brown cam.

■ Cylinder Heads:

Edelbrock heads, Pacs springs, Smith Brothers pushrods,

■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: Indy Intake, 1050 Dominator carb, Magnafuel pump.

■ Electronics: MSD 7531

■ Power Adder: Nitrous oxide, direct port.

■ Transmission:

727 with PTC converter.

■ Rear End:

Built Dana with spool and 4.10 gear.

■ Brakes: Wilwood disc.

■ Tires & Wheels:

29 x 10.50 on Weld wheels.

■ Interior: Autometer gauges, removable steering wheel, PPP shifter, 25.5 Cert cage, Kirkey race seat.

■ ET & MPH: No-Time Racing

■ Most Unique Feature(s): Its history.

■ Reason For Build:

To Promote our K O S aka King of Street all Mopar races at Rockingham Dragway in NC and MIR (Maryland International Raceway) in MD. KOS is a small tire heads up racing series.

■ Build Timeline:

The car was purchased as a roller; I built the transmission and engine and installed the front suspension. The car is not done yet after 40 years and 6 owners, I’m simply the current caretaker.

■ Thanks To: Wife, Theresa.

The car was tubbed and caged when acquired by the Smiths. The blue bottle stashed in the trunk is an addon though.

David thought long and hard and opted for installing something backed by Mopar results which led him to Reilly Motor Sports. Reilly’s street/strip front end kit would be perfect for the Duster and bring it to a cur-

rent level of performance. After all, the Smiths would be running the highly competitive KOS All-Mopar small tire heads-up No Time events, so they needed every available advantage they could find.

The Indy intake is plumbed for direct port nitrous but Smith won’t divulge just how much he sprays through the big block.

With the chassis incheck, David built a motor and transmission for the car. Starting with the near impossible to find 230 casting 400 factory block – the strongest 400 block Chrysler ever produced –Smith added a Molnar crank and rods with nitrous-spec Wiseco pistons and ended up at roughly 500 cubic inches.

A Racer Brown cam for the planned nitrous combo was chosen and Edelbrock cylinder heads and an Indy intake with 1050 Dominator carb were next. That Indy intake was plumbed for the direct port nitrous kit, however, David is tight-lipped about how much juice the hungry big block actually enjoys.

A number of factory trim panels including the dash with factory gauges and original door panels remain inside the car. For race duty, a 25.5-cert. roll cage that was installed by a previous owner is joined by an array of aftermarket gauges, a nitrous controller, removable steering wheel, race seat and PPP shifter.

The trans tunnel has been modified for maintenance and the back seat is long since gone to allow for the wheel tubs and 4-link/coilover rear suspension setup

When I landed from the wheelie, I destroyed

roller when purchased and a number of factory trim panels, including the dash and door panels. An array of aftermarket gauges and a nitrous controller have been added along with a removable steering wheel, race seat and PPP shifter.

Shortly after the build was complete, David was accessing the nitrous needs of the engine and did a sky-high wheelie. While the wheelie itself was a ride to say the least, it wasn’t his most memorable moment with the car. “When I landed from the wheelie I destroyed the transmission pan, and having mul-

tiple KOS racers offering to fix it so that I could be back in the race with them made it special.” David built the car to help promote the KOS group and plans to continue to race it in no-time action as long as possible, or at least until it’s time to pass it on to its next caretaker.

David Smith describes himself as “The current caretaker of the Feather Duster”.

John Jinnings’ - 1964 Mercury Comet Cyclone

1964 Comet Cyclone Roars Out Of The Midwest

1964 was a watershed year for the American auto industry, as the phenomenon that would become the glorious, albeit short lived, musclecar craze would drive sales and put mega-horsepower factory hot rods in thousands of garages across North America.

General Motors’ Pontiac GTO of that year is generally recognized as the first of the breed, setting the standard for performance and appearance with its new-to-the-marketplace blend of big V8 power, hood scoops, rumbling dual exhausts, Hurst shifter and racy trim.

Ford was soon to get involved in the melee as well, having announced their “Total Perfor-

mance” program for 1964 as an all-out assault on most every form of motor sports, a campaign designed to boost sales of performance-optioned new Fords and Mercurys for the street. The shining star of the movement was undoubtedly the Ford Mustang, which arrived midway through the 1964 auto-selling season. The hottest version of the original “pony car” at the time was powered by a 271-horsepower, 289 cubic-inch HiPo powerplant.

This is where John Jinnings comes in. The wellknown Ford collector, builder and racer from Churubusco, Indiana, had wanted a Mercury Cyclone ever since he started building cars in 1982.

The red and white combination is a true Mercury performance machine classic, and it was carried off flawlessly by the talented group of artisans responsible for Jinning’s awesome ride.

Bill Davis

was a major contributor to the project, fabricating a number of components, including a solid but unobtrusive roll cage inside the passenger compartment.

of Bill Davis Race Cars

Engine:

Supercharged 438 cubic-inch Ford Windsor stroker with Victor Jr. heads and Victor Jr. air gap intake.

Fuel System: MagnaFuel.

Ignition:

MSD billet distributor and MSD 6-BTM Boost Timing Master.

Carburetor:

Pro Systems blow-thru.

Power Adder: Paxton NOVI 1200 supercharger.

Wheels:

Vintage Wheel Type 45 – 17X8 front and 18X10 rear.

Tires:

Nitto 555 – 265/35 17 front and 265/45 18 rear . Transmission: Lentech AOD.

Rear:

9” Ford with 3.25 gears and Trac Lok center section.

Horsepower:

775 with 11 to 11.5 pounds of boost.

Wajdy Khalil had little to no doubt where he would be at this point in his life – working on cars and driving something quick, really quick – and he’s made it on both counts!

His addiction started at a very young age, watching local high school kids drive their sports cars and tricked out Mustangs and Camaros. One car in particular stuck out in his mind though, a yellow SN95 1995 Mustang GT. “I fell in love with that car the first time I saw it and knew I would have one someday,” Wajdy said. Well as years passed, Khalil would own more Mustangs that he could keep track of and after high school he aspired to be a mechanic with the added bonus of knowing how to hot rod his own cars.

Story by George Pich

Photos By Blake Farnan

Before long, he was a regular at the dragstrip and built his own 2004 Cobra up to be a 1,500 horsepower twin turbo small tire car, winning a number of races and even appearing on Street Outlaws with it during a USA vs Canada episode. The ’04 served Khalil well, however, when the urge to step up to the next level presented itself, it proved to be more costly to add on to it over looking for another chassis already built to handle more power. And that’s when “Booger”, Ian Hill’s 1984 Mustang, came along. That car would prove to be a powerful tool not only on the track, but as far as Wajdy’s learning curve was concerned, too. He started with the 4.6 DOHC twin turbo setup from the Cobra for a season and stepped up to a small block Ford with single Bullseye 88mm turbo. A few successful years later, it was time to move on once again and the Booger was sold off in favor of a chassis proven to tackle the ever-evolving small tire No-Time No-Prep scene.

Mean indeed…This tried and tested 2002 Mustang GT chassis was purchased from Jake Blaine/Blaine Brothers Racing. It was a solid, proven piece, and besides some minor body damage from a spinout during its last outing, the car was ready to go once Wajdy added his motor, transmission and wiring.

Twin Bullseye Turbos boost The Grinch down the track!

Khalil needed something with more safety features and the versatility to move between classes and types of racing.

“A good friend, Jake Blain, reached out and told me his car, a 2002 Mustang GT, would be available as a roller after he was done filming Street Outlaws. We made the deal and I made the switch back to twin turbos using

Bullseye NLX 83mm turbos.” The car was built and raced in 2016 by Blain Brothers Racing and was a standout wherever it ran, so Wajdy knew he was getting a solid, proven piece, and besides some minor body damage from a spinout during its last outing, the car was ready to go once he added his motor, transmission and wiring.

He had the front end carbon and quarter panel work repaired along with a new door installed, then quickly paint-matched the work to the existing blue color and hit the track. After one season, Wajdy reached out to Jason Gallant from Priority Collision in Welland, Ontario for paint, and so The Grinch was born! “I didn’t know what color I wanted,” Khalil explained, “I knew green, but it was hard to decide on what green.

The wild color choice comes from Junior Dragster Champ Cole Gallant, the young son of Jason Gallant from Priority Collision in Welland, Ontario who was tasked with the Mustang’s body and paint and thus transforming it into The Grinch.

Jason’s son Cole suggested Audi Green, so I looked it up and decided it was perfect.”

The Grinch was once a production car and the original steel body tub and quarters remain. The hood, side skirts and trunk lid are Schoneck Composites pieces and the doors are Motorcity Solutions fiberglass. Over the past off-season, a Pandes Performance

custom carbon wing was installed to allow for greater adjustability.

The chassis is a 25.2 double frame rail with chromoly cage. A 4-link/ coilover with anti-roll bar setup makes up the rear suspension and a Racecraft K-member and control arms with double adjustable no-prep-valved struts was used with the stock frame up front.

Harnessing the Competitive Edge

The down-in-the-weeds stance comes courtesy of the double rail back-half and dropped front.

The 430-inch small block Ford started life as a bare RDI aluminum block. A billet crank, custom billet aluminum rods and Gibtech 4.135-bore pistons that make it 12:1 compression spin inside. Massaged Ultra Pro billet 9-degree heads assembled by Doug Vanstrom with T&D rockers were studded in place and a Thomsen Motorsports custom billet intake tops off the package.

There’s near zero factory equipment left inside the Mustang, instead, the driver is surrounded by carbon fiber and a host of race parts including a Racecraft lightweight steering wheel, Precision air shifter, single race seat, Holley EFI 7” dash and a transmission cooler ice tank on the passenger side. Twin 10lb fire suppression system bottles are also along for the ride and a massive 8 switch/12 relay panel affixed to the right side firewall controls functions of the fuel injected twin turbo combination along with a Holley EFI Dominator system.

The Grinch is a pure blood as far as power goes, with a 430-inch small block Ford sitting under the hood. An RDI aluminum block was stuffed with a 4-inch stroke Bryant billet crank, R&R custom billet aluminum rods and Gibtech 4.135-bore pistons that make it 12:1

compression. Ultra Pro billet 9-degree heads were massaged by MBE and assembled by Doug Vanstrom with T&D rockers.

Vanstrom also spec’d a custom cam for the combination that sends commands through Jesel lifters and custom Trend pushrods.

when needed. Stuart Gerbino from Five Nine Mo

torsports completed all of the fabrication work, including the turbo hot and cold sides.

Twin Bullseye Power Turbochargers NLX 83MM mid frame turbos were used and can spin up approximately 50 psi of boost

-

Wajdy Khalil’s 2002 Turbocharged Ford Mustang GT: “The Grinch”

■ Body & Paint:

Steel body tub with panel front clip, hood, side skirts and trunk lid all made by Schoneck Composites. The doors are Motorcity Solutions fiberglass. Pandes Performance custom carbon wing (not shown) was installed over the past winter.

Jason Gallant from Priority Collision in Welland ON performed a complete body and paint. Jason’s son Cole (also a Jr. Dragster champion) suggested the Audi Green color.

■ Chassis Modifications:

25.2 double frame rail with chromoly cage.

■ Suspension:

Front Racecraft K-member and control arms, double adjustable spindle mount struts valved for no prep with Menscer springs. Rear suspension is a 4-link with Menscer double adjustable shocks with canisters and Racecraft anti-roll bar setup.

■ Engine:

430 ci small block Ford. RDI aluminum block, 4inch stroke Bryant billet crank, R&R custom billet aluminum rods and Gibtech 4.135 bore pistons make it 12:1 compression.

Jesel lifters, custom Trend pushrods , Jesel belt dive timing belt setup and a custom cam spec’d by Vanstrom Performance (Doug Vanstrom). Custom built billet intake by Thomsen Motorsports.

“We also use a Stock Car oil pump and Clearview Filtration oil filter that has been a very important part in telling us how healthy or unhealthy the motor is. This is a great product and I think everyone would benefit from having one.” - Wajdy Khalil

■ Cylinder Heads:

Ultra Pro billet 9-degree heads with work done to them by MBE. Assembled by Doug Vanstrom with T&D rockers.

■ Power adder:

Twin Bullseye Power Turbochargers NLX 83MM mid frame turbos that make approx. 50 psi when needed. Two 60mm JGS wastegates and 2 Tial blow off valves controlled by Holley EFI.

■ Transmission:

ATI Powerglide with SFI case and bell housing , ATI roller tailshaft, Sonnax 1.58 gear set, 7 bolt pump, ATI deep oil pan, internal and external dump valves , Sonnax servo, Transmission Specialties valve body, Sonnax clutches and carbon driveshaft.

■ Fuel System:

VP Fuels M1, Billet Atomizer 700 injectors, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator and filters, Enderle belt drive fuel pump and custom built fuel rails by Greg McPherson using all Redhorse lines and fittings.

■ Rear End:

Custom built 9-inch housing by Blain Brothers with gun-drilled 40 spline axles and Ultra case with 3.90 gears.

■ Interior:

Mainly carbon fiber. Racecraft lightweight steering wheel, Precision air shifter, single race seat, Holley EFI 7” dash and a transmission cooler ice tank on the passenger side. Two 10lb fire suppression systems.

■ Electronics and EFI:

8 switch/12 relay panel (Speedwire), and Holley EFI for engine management with all the bells and whistles Holley offers.

■ ET & MPH:

Car is now setup for No-Time No-Prep but had a fastest of 4.20 @ 183.50mph 2 years ago.

■ Most Unique Feature(s):

The best part about this car is it can be anything you want it to be, it works good on radials, big tires, small tire no-prep and any kind of surface.

■ Reason For Build:

I needed something with more cage, safer and the option to do any kind of racing I want and not be limited by the chassis, and this car does it all.

■ Build Timeline:

Building the car didn’t take long at all, it was done over a winter since I bought it as a roller and just needed to install my engine and transmission and wire it. I got Stuart Gerbino from Five Nine Motorsports to do all the fabrication work, the turbo hot side, cold side etc.

■ Most Memorable Moment(s):

2022 going to race in Michigan for the 1st time with the car and winning a no-prep race at Lapeer International Dragway with a 64 car field, taking home the money and the championship belt! What made this win more special is that all my friends and crew were there to share the moment and celebrate.

■ Thanks to:

Nash Competition Engines (sponsor), Nick Agostino and Doug Balsdom for always being there to take care of my engine and making sure it’s in and out and ready for war.

Bullseye Power Turbochargers, Bill Devine (sponsor). I ran many turbos over the years and the best quality and performance is Bullseye. I consider Bill a mentor that I’ve learned so much from and he’s always willing to help no matter what. Pandes Performance. Pande Talevski has been a huge help for our team in the past couple years. We had some issues that I couldn’t figure out on my own so I reached out to Pande and in the matter of a couple hours he had all the issues sorted out. He is always at the track with us helping and sharing his knowledge.

Doug Vanstrom and Vanstrom Performance. Doug is the man that built the engine and transmission from the Grinch originally. He also tuned the car for me few years ago and we are still running on his tune. Over the years Doug has been great help for me and for tuning my customer’s cars.

Rick Tovey. My Number 1 crew chief and biggest supporter. He’s the man behind turning the car around between rounds and making sure I’m safe in there.

Matt Glassford is the OG of the team. He’s been around racing for a long time and is always there to share his knowledge, experience and keep me in check lol. Basam Wisam is Ricky’s right hand man helping with turning the car around between rounds.

Ian Hill played a big role in helping me get to where I am today with racing and gives us all a place to race with his series.

And I can’t forget my wife Suzanne Tannous, my biggest supporter, thank you for letting me chase my dreams and be away from you and the kids doing what I love.

Ontario Street Outlaws Paul Norris for sponsoring and supporting over the years.

Five Nine Motorsport Stuart Gerbino for the fabrication work.

What’s Old Is New if you haven’t read it yet!

Over the coming months we will be hosting 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!

Khalil is cinched in to an aluminum race seat and is surrounded by a maze of chromoly cage bars and a ton of carbon fiber. A Holley EFI 7” dash is the only “gauge” and a transmission cooler ice tank rides shotgun. A massive 8 switch/12 relay panel is affixed to the right side firewall to distribute power to various systems throughout the car.

A Thomsen Motorsports

custom billet intake tops off the package and Stuart Gerbino from Five Nine Motorsports completed all of the fabrication work, including the turbo hot and cold sides. Those Bullseye Power Tur-

bochargers NLX 83MM mid frame turbos can spin up approximately 50 psi of boost when needed and were plumbed with two 60mm wastegates and two blow off valves controlled by the Holley EFI.

An ATI Powerglide with SFI case and bell housing backs up the boosted small block and was built with an ATI roller tailshaft, Sonnax 1.58 gear set, 7 bolt pump, ATI deep oil pan, internal and external dump valves, Sonnax servo, Transmission Specialties valve body and Sonnax clutches. A carbon driveshaft delivers power rearward to the Blaine Brothers fabri-

cated 9-inch housing with gun-drilled 40 spline axles and Ultra case with 3.90 gears. While we can’t give away any top secret info, we can give you a little bit of insight into what the car is capable of. The Grinch has been in No-Time NoPrep trim for about two years now, but did throw down a 4.20 @ 183.50mph with a 'slow' 1.06 sixty foot time a few years back.

The wicked green Mustang is on KILL in no time/no prep!

...we became one of Canada’s fastest, if not the fastest, no-prep team...

WAJDY KHALIL

“With room to go faster, that was the fastest pass on Canadian tracks on a 275 tire until Matt Brunette went 4.17 to take the record late in 2023,” added Khalil. “We decided

to switch to small tire no-prep late in 2022 and we won 3 of 4 races we entered and in a short time became one of Canada’s fastest if not the fastest no-prep team.”

[Left to right] Happy Escobar, Rick Tovey, Sara Rhodes, Wajdy Khalil, Corey Stamper, Basam Wasim, Zack Lovingood.

[Left to right] Camron Kardules, Mike Rothwell, Basam Wisam, Wajdy Khalil, Rick Tovey, Austin Kardules, Jeb Bolyard .

As far as how fast The Grinch is, we can only say that two years ago, before it was set up for No-Time No-Prep action, the car posted a 4.20 @ 183.50mph with a “slow” 1.06 sixty foot time, and we were told that there was “room to go faster” from there. Since then, Khalil and his team have brought home a number of wins, belts and cash in No-Time racing from two countries!

Building steam with every outing, Wajdy Khalil and his capable team are leaving a distinct message from the great white north… don’t mess with the Grinch, even with a 39-and-a-half-footpole!

More recently, in early 2024, Khalil and his team brought a few more substantial small tire wins home when they took top honors at Carolina Cash Days at Shadyside Dragway and King of Columbus at National Trails in Ohio. “The best part about this car is that it can be anything you want it to be. It works good on radials, big tires, small tire noprep and any kind of surface.”

Story by George Pich

Photos By Blake Farnan

Twenty four years ago, Glenn Tovey wasn’t interested in a 1968 Chevelle, he wanted a ’70.

Since moving from England to Canada in 1967, as a young boy Glenn was amazed at the amount of American Muscle cars around him and soon found a favourite, the Chevrolet Chevelle. He was addicted to cars, and by high school bought a 1970 Chevelle to play with on the street. Once he sold that car he found himself buying them, fixing them up and selling them. It was more than just making a few extra bucks, he strived to make every one better than the one before it.

Then, with his close proximity to St. Thomas Dragway in Ontario, Canada, he discovered his next adventure, drag racing, and he hasn’t slowed down since. By the late eighties he was a regular at the strip in a ’68 Nova and won the Sportsman Championship in 1990 and stayed in the top 10 for several years to follow. By the point in Glenn’s life where he had to focus on raising a family, he had amassed a number of wins and honed his mechanical knowledge along with his abilities on the street and drag strip to a point where they would be with him for life. So it’s no surprise that about a dozen years later he dove back into another Chevelle.

During his career at Freightliner/Sterling he met a fellow gearhead, Rick Vercaigne, who was doing a frame-off restoration on a 1968 Chevelle SS 396.

...I guess I own a ’68 Chevelle now...

Rick’s wife was very ill and he was trying to get it ready to take her for one last ride. Sadly, she passed away before that happened and Rick lost interest. By late 2000, Glenn was looking for a new 1970 Chevelle and happened to mention to Rick that he was headed out to look at one and Rick responded with, “buy mine”. Glenn explained that he wanted a ’70, but by the time the two were a few steps apart, they turned back and both blurted out a price, and it was the same amount!

“I guess I own a ’68 Chevelle now, is what I said to Rick. I bought it as a roller in March 2001 and had a fresh big block and TH400 from my Nova to drop into it.”

GLENN TOVEY

By spring 2002 Glenn started racing with the Ontario Street Car Association. Wanting a more heads-up feel, he started off in the 12.0 Index quarter-mile class that later changed to 11.90 Index. He quickly became hooked on Pro Tree Index Racing and in ’04 won the Championship and continued in the top 5 each year following.

As time passed, Glenn upped the power combo in the Chevelle and went 10.90 racing and also started to run with the Ontario Nostalgia Drag Racers (ONDR), which is where he realized one of his goals, he put a Wally (NHRA’s prestigious National Event Championship Award) in his trophy case.

Chassis Engineering

Glenn had the Billet Specialties Street Light wheels powder coated black to add to the sinister look of the Chevelle and aftermarket disc brakes were installed on all four corners.

“It was a holiday weekend and due to the amount of cars from Canada and the States, racing went into Sunday night, but was called as dew had set onto the track. Holiday Monday would see racing resume… two days and 13 rounds later I won my Nostalgia Champion Wally and still value it today.”

To say that Tovey’s Chevelle is a survivor in an understatement, especially with the harsh northern climate it no doubt underwent early in its life. The frame-off restoration took the previous owner

10 years, and the car still maintains its original steel body panels. The stunning lacquer paint with clear dates back to 1991, but still looks amazing. “It took me a long time to finally put a roll bar in the car as I

This ’68 still has all the original steel body and original trim, and the paint dates back to the nineties! A composite cowl hood was added and the lower section of the body matches the black vinyl roof.

did not want to hurt it, but when you want to go faster, safety is first and foremost.

I completely trusted my good friend Kelly Cooper from Fat Dog Fabrication to do it for me.”

Viking double adjustable shocks with Moroso Trick Springs, upper adjustable control arms with aftermarket lowers and an H&R antiroll bar suspend a 12-bolt with Moser axles, C-clip Eliminator kit, Moser spool and 4.10 Richmond Pro gears

Bill Little (Belmont Automotive) rebuilt the GM crate 454 that now sits at 468 cubic inches. He also spec’d the hydraulic roller camshaft and reworked the 110cc chamber aluminum oval port heads for the package that is topped by an Edelbrock intake with 1” spacer and Holley 850 mechanical carb.

The car is not cut, so getting the suspension right took some time. Moroso Trick Springs and Strange single adjustable shocks reside up front and Viking double adjustable shocks were used with Moroso Trick Springs, upper adjustable control arms with aftermarket lowers and an H&R anti-

roll bar out back. A 12-bolt with Moser axles, C-clip Eliminator kit, Moser spool and 4.10 Richmond Pro gears sends power outward to the 15x10 Billet Specialties Street Light wheels wrapped in 28x10.5x15 slicks. Brakes were swapped to custom discs on all four corners.

Glenn Tovey’s 1968 SS396 Chevelle Index Drag Car

■ Body & Paint:

Frame-off restoration completed in the 1980s using original body panels. Lacquer paint with clear coat was done in 1991.

■ Chassis:

Uncut chassis with aftermarket suspension parts only. “It took me a long time to finally put a roll bar in it as I did not want to hurt the car.” Roll bar by Kelly Cooper from Fat Dog Fabrication.

■ Suspension:

Front consists of Moroso Trick springs and Strange single adjustable shocks, power steering to manual swap. Rear is Viking double adjustable shocks, Moroso Trick springs, upper adjustable control arms and aftermarket lowers and H&R antiroll bar.

■ Engine:

GM crate engine 454 cubic inch rebuilt by Bill Little/Belmont Automotive. Now totals 468 cu in with GM forged steel crank, forged steel shot peened connecting rods and J.E Pistons. Hydraulic roller camshaft. Oval port Edelbrock open plenum intake with Holley 850 mechanical carb and a 1” spacer for Index Racing.

■ Cylinder Heads:

Aluminum oval port with 110cc chambers, also worked over by Bill Little. Comp Cams 1.7 roller rockers and Comp Cam push rods with PAC valve springs.

■ Fuel Delivery:

10 gallon fuel cell with Aeromotive A3000 fuel pump and Holley regulator.

■ Transmission:

TH400 built by Hutch’s Transmission (John Hutchinson). TCI transmission brake with a Coan stall converter.

■ Rear End:

GM 12-bolt with Moser axles, C clip Eliminator kit, Moser spool and 4.10 Richmond Pro gears.

■ Brakes:

Wilwood front and back disc brakes with Corvette master cylinder and stock GM power booster.

■ Wheels & Tires:

Billet Specialties Street Light wheels powder coated black. “I really like the mean look it gave the car. Shout out to RoRo Designs Powdercoating in Paris, Ontario.” Front wheels are 15 x 3.5 with 28x4x15 tires and the rears are 15x10 with a 5.50 back spacing skinned with Hoosier 28x10.5x15 slicks.

■ Interior:

Stock bucket seats with Racequip safety belts and factory rear seat. Console hides a Turbo Action shifter. Autometer oil pressure, water temperature, volt and vacuum gauges installed and an optional 69-70 Chevelle steering wheel was installed 24 years ago.

■ ET & MPH:

“I like Index Racing and ran in the 6.50 class in the 1/8 but also the 7.00 index and some ¼-mile classes as well. "

■ About The Build:

There was not really a special reason to build this car. It just seemed to fall on my lap and evolve from there. I went to one of the first Ontario Street Car Association events to watch and thought, “I can do that”, and that started the evolution of the Chevelle to where it is today. This car was originally built in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada and is a true 138 VIN SS396 car. It is one of 1,116 SS396 Chevelles built there in 1968 according to GM documentation.

■ Thanks To:

I would like to thank my son Rick Tovey for all his help over the years. He wrenches with me, helps figure things out and is my crew chief at the track. He is a wealth of information and helps out immensely. Thanks to my wife Diane Tovey as she is the “Hydration Specialist” and supports all my racing endeavours.

Thanks also to Bill Little for my engine work and years of advice, Hutch (Hutch’s Transmission) for all his help over the years, Kelly Cooper (Fat Dog Fabrication and now Joe Van O) for his fabrication and friendship over the years, Performance Unlimited (Barry and Jackie Trapp) for helping me out with my parts, also my part time job LOL, Phil Sampson and his team for his mechanical skills and keeping us on track with our equipment.

A mostly factory interior greets driver and passenger in the Chevelle. The bucket seats and rear seat along with dash, door panels and trim are original Chevelle equipment. Glenn even installed the Turbo Action shifter camouflaged within the factory console. The toughest part for Glenn was adding the roll bar, but good friend Kelly Cooper of Fat Dog Fabrication did an outstanding job.

The Original Patented CalTracs Traction System

Complete bolt on system: no mods, cutting, welding, most applications

Keeps axle from rotating, maintains pinion angle

Eliminates spring wrap up

Pre-load adjustability

Durable powder coated finish

Detailed Illustrated Installation Guide

Custom

CalTracs, Calvert Mono Leafsprings, Calvert Sliders and Lowering Blocks

RON RHODES 1968 Chevrolet Camaro

The car maintains a mostly factory interior with stock bucket seats and rear seat along with factory dash, door panels and trim. The factory console hides the Turbo Action shifter and aftermarket gauges keep

track of vitals. Racequip safety belts keeps driver and passenger in place and since Glenn always liked the optional 69-70 Chevelle steering wheel, he installed one 23 years ago and it just stayed the course.

These days, you will find Glenn racing the Chevelle anywhere he can, but mostly with Ian Hill’s Canada Heads Up series where he has placed #2 in points the last two years in a row. In 2022 Glenn and his son Rick went to Huntsville, Alabama to compete in a big 6.00 and 7.00 Index race for $10,000 at the NWC Summer Slam at Huntsville Dragway. In a 58 car field, he qualified #4 and got down to 14 cars when he finally lost his round, but not before he had an amazing experience and took some money home, too.

As

you can see, the Chevelle gets off the line and transfers near perfect. Glenn became addicted to Pro Tree Index racing back in the early 2000s and has stuck with it ever since.

In today’s drag racing it’s rare to see someone who doesn’t take the bait and go all-in, cut up their car and go big, or go broke doing it, but Glenn Tovey is that level-headed guy. His Chevelle has been a lifelong friend for the past 24 years and he owes it to himself, his buddy who sold it to him and his own son Rick, who cut his teeth on the dragstrip in the Chevelle, to keep things real. Plus, it is a true documented SS396 car. That’s not to say he doesn’t

still have the fire to go faster, he does and is always adding to the car. “You are never finished building your car,” Glenn added with a smile. “We are always finding better or new ways to do things, so I guess I have taken 24 years so far and will keep going with it.”