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RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed online.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.............................................................. CHRIS BIRO EDITOR@RPMMAG.COM V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..................TRISH BIRO TRISH@RPMMAG.COM EVENT MEDIA..................................................EVENTS@RPMMAG.COM EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR...........SHERRIE WEBER SHERRIE@RPMMAG.COM ART DIRECTOR............................................................ JIM MCHARG PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS: MARK GODRAGRACING. ORG, GEORGE PICH, MATT WOODS, LOUIS FRONKIER, BLAKE FARNAN, JERRY GARRISON, NEIL ZIMBALDI, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, STEVEN TAYLOR, DAVID GATES, AND ANDREW RADIOTIS EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: CHUCK SCOTT, MARK GODRAGRACING.ORG, TIM BIRO, STAN SMITH, GEORGE PICH, JAY MISENER, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, AND SCOTT FORBES TECHNICAL WRITING CONTRIBUTION: CHUCK SCOTT, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TIM BIRO AND JAY MISENER
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To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpmmag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519752-3705. The focus of RPM is to bring a diverse mix of high performance street and race automobiles to life within its pages including race cars, muscle cars, hot rods and street legal machines with an emphasis on the “EXTREME,” including fast doorslammer and outlaw forms of drag racing. Not familiar with these types of cars? They are considered to be the top-shelf of the industry and are on the edge with regard to design, performance, and power! RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.
RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 24 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, along with contributing writers and photojournalists worldwide. If you have a story that may fit within the focus and scope of RPM Magazine’s coverage, please email our Editor In Chief at editor@rpmmag.com. Submission of an article does not guarantee that it will be published. Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. (RPM) / RPM Magazine IS NOT responsible for errors or omissions in ANY advertisement or article. Advertisements may be rearranged or altered at the sole discretion of RPM to allow the ad to fit in the space purchased by the advertiser. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADVERTISING WHICH WE CONSIDER TO CONTAIN MISLEADING, OFFENSIVE OR FALSE INFORMATION. REPRODUCTION OF ANY INFORMATION HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Chris Biro
editor’spix
Videos that are too hot to keep hidden Submit your video for the Editor’s Pix: videos@rpmmag.com
Mike Cataline's Street/Strip Turbo Mustang Coupe does the work!
Ron Mowen's love of this Corvette goes far deeper than 3000HP!
Matt Harget is Crazy 'bout a Mercury....check out this incredible Wheels Up pass.
Glenn Hamilton's Wild Ultra Street '67 Barracuda runs deep into the 4 second zone!!
Be sure to like & subscribe to RPM Magazine on YouTube! It’s free and you will get notifications each time we release a new video!
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
ACC Performance............. 91 AED Competition............. 70 AFR: Air Flow Research............... 5,35,75 AJE Racing....................... 84 American Racing Headers.25 Baer Brakes...............10,99 BES Racing Engines......... 18 Billet Specialties.............. 55 Bill Mitchell Products.11,70 Browell Bellhousings...... 71 Burns Stainless................ 90 Callies Performance........ 41 Calvert Racing Susp......... 93 Canton Racing Products.. 50 Chassis Engineering........ 81 Clearshot Customs........... 75 C & S Specialties.............. 18 Deez Performance.........101 Derale............................. 79 Design Engineering......... 51 E3 Spark Plugs................. 64 ECAM Racing Engines....100 Engineered Racing Systems.....................21,45 Erson Cams...................... 80 GoDragRacing.org.........101 GRP Connecting Rods...... 73 Harland Sharp................. 12 Hitman Hot Rods...........103 Holeshot Performance Wheels............................ 41 Hughes Performance.......... 7 Ian Hill Racing...........65,92 Induction Solutions......... 49 Jesel................................ 28 Joe Van O......................... 74 JW Racing Transmissions.... 5 Kinsler Fuel Injection....................13,65 Lentech Automatics................35,98 Liberty’s Gears................. 77 Lokar Performance.......... 75
Lutz Race Cars................. 85 Magnaflow...................... 40 Magnafuel...................... 78 Manton Pushrods............ 78 Mark Williams................. 47 Maxima Racing Oils............ 2 Meziere Enterprises......... 72 Misener Motorsports....... 83 Moroso............................ 77 Moser Engineering....83,95 Neal Chance Converters....................... 61 Parts Pro................ 67,112 Powertube TV.................. 17 Pro-Filer Performance..... 24 PRW - USA...................... 74 Rage Wraps...................100 RAM Clutches.................. 39 RCD Engineering............. 74 RM Racing Lubricants...... 25 Ross Racing Pistons......7,25 RPM Subscribe... 19,24,55 RPM Magazine...................... 66,84,103,105 RPM Video Extra.............. 43 Summit Racing.. 19,31,92 T&D Machine................... 80 Thermo-Tec..................... 19 The Supercharger Store............................... 24 Ti64.com......................... 54 Total Seal Rings.............100 Trailer Alarms.com.......... 46 TREMEC........................... 82 Trick Flow..................15,46 Tuned By Shane T............ 29 Ultimate Headers............ 84 VFN Fiberglass Inc........... 47 Vortech.....................40,71 VP Racing Fuels............... 53 World Products............... 85 Advertising Info: Contact Trish Biro 519.752.3705 trish@rpmmag.com
AFR: Air Flow Research
JW Racing Transmissions
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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november
2023
Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 24 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Cars WORLDWIDE! Don’t Settle For Less! We DELIVER Insane Fast Cars and Bring You NO POLITICS... JUST ACTION! Your ONLY “Real Time” “Real World” Car Mag...PERIOD!
Making MemoriesThis........................................... 58 pureblood Ford Mustang has been there, done that!
Jarvis................................................................................................................... 8
The Raven................................................................................................ 88 Chris Diehlman’s
sinister first gen Camaro is back home where it belongs!
Meet Jarvis, a street-looking Vette with a few surprises under the hood!
Shielding The Weld Root
Pro Street Prodigy............................................................................32
This wicked Pro Street/strip Torino definitely stands out in a crowd...
Welding Exhaust Systems - Part 3..................................................................................
Read COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG online at www.rpmmag.com 6
November 2023 | RPM Magazine
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Hughes Performance
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Story & Photos: Wes Taylor
Baer Brakes
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Frank D'Esposito may have started his racing hobby many years ago in his first car, a 1980 Z-28 Chevy Camaro, but he’s not afraid to follow newage technology to get the job done, as evidenced by his killer 2016 Z06 Vette.
D
’Esposito’s ventures in horsepower and street racing continued throughout the late '80s and 1990s until he realized he needed something to drive daily and sadly part ways with his prized Z-28. Along with this decision, Frank spent a number years out of the game so he could advance his career. He would renew his need for speed in 2015, though, when a 1969 Z-28 Camaro – one of his dream cars – caught his eye.
Bill Mitchell Products
Paint is factory and bumps and scrapes are kept in check by the folks at Detail Boss in Scottsdale AZ, who also Ceramic coated the car.
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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The Chevy had already been stuffed with a big block and was race ready, so Frank hit the track once again. With each new generation of cars, manufacturers aim to attract
both new owners of the platform and those dedicated owners of previous model years. General Motors captured Frank’s attention with the 7th generation Corvette in Z06 trim.
Harland Sharp
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Kinsler Fuel Injection
These LT4 supercharged 650hp Vettes came track ready, with tuned suspension, sticky tires, and a host of track derived tech from GM's road racing team. Frank had other plans, though, as he comes from straight-line drag racing. Frank drove and raced the car stock for a short period be-
14
fore wanting more, and that's when he turned to Joe Cordes of Cordes Performance Racing (CPR). The team soon realized the limits of the factory 1.7-liter TVS roots-style supercharger and decided to move into a big centrifugal-style unit before taking it to the next, current level.
November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Power Up. Take performance to the next level with Trick Flow Twisted Wedge® 11R cylinder heads for small block Ford. The heads have 11° intake and 13° exhaust valve angles plus unique “twisted” combustion chambers for more airflow and power capability. High velocity runners are optimized for popular bore and stroke combinations. Premium materials and components ensure uncompromising quality and durability. The fully machined castings increase strength and have a great-looking billet-like appearance. Available in an entry-level form with 170cc or 190cc CNC Street Ported intake runners or in an ultimate performance version with 190cc or 205cc intake CNC Competition Ported runners. Dyno Results
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Test Engine: 11.59:1 compression 427 c.i.d. with Trick Flow Twisted Wedge® 11R 205 cylinder heads (TFS-52615601-C03), Trick Flow Track Max® hydraulic roller camshaft (TFS-51403005), 1.72 ratio roller rocker arms, Edelbrock Super Victor intake manifold, Hooker headers with 17⁄8" primaries, 3" dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers.
Twisted Wedge® 11R with 205cc CNC Competition Ported Runners
Lift Value
Intake Flow CFM
Exhaust Flow CFM
.100"
71
60
.200"
140
111
.300"
208
150
.400"
261
185
.500"
298
212
.600"
321
227
Trick Flow
Tests conducted at 28" of water (pressure). Bore size: 4.030" 66cc CNC-profiled combustion chambers; exhaust with 13⁄4" pipe.
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Track Max® Hydraulic Roller Camshafts Give your small Ford an even bigger power boost with a Track Max camshaft. Available in several hydraulic roller designs up to 250°/254° duration and .595"/.595" of lift, they are dyno proven to produce significant power increases over the entire RPM range.
Roller Rocker Arms These aluminum roller rockers are excellent for use with Trick Flow and other aftermarket heads, plus factory Ford heads, too. They feature heat-treated CNC-machined bodies, premium needle-bearing fulcrums, roller tips, and a machined relief for improved valve spring clearance. Sold in sets of 16 with polylocks.
Trick Flow by Wiseco Twisted Wedge® Forged Piston Sets These lightweight premium alloy, fully skirted forged pistons perfectly match the unique chamber and valve angles of Twisted Wedge heads. They feature oversized valve reliefs, precision-fit wrist pins, and Spirolox retainers. Available in a choice of compression ratios as low as 8.0:1 for supercharged applications.
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Some parts are not legal for sale or use on any pollution-controlled motor vehicles.
D'Esposito decided not to play around this time; his goal was to be extremely fast and appear surprisingly factory. Codenamed "Jarvis," this Z06 does just that! Starting with a billet Noonan LTX
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block, the heart of Frank's new build means business. A Callies Magnum crank, Callies Enforcer rods, Diamond pistons, and a custom grind Cam Motion cam complete the 416-inches of muscle.
November 2023 | RPM Magazine
7.96 second pass of Frank D'Esposito's twin turbo Z06 Corvette
SPEEDTube TV
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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CID LTX heads are stuffed with Rev oversized Titanium intake and Inconel exhaust valves, a Jesel top-end and Pac Racing springs. A billet Late Model Engines intake manifold tops the burley short block; LME had the honor of assembling the long block for Frank, as well. In Frank's ownership of Jarvis, the Z06 went
from stock to bolt-ons, then a big centrifugal blower. Finally, it was time to use the true potential of speed and drivability, so Joe and the team at Cordes decided on a set of twin turbos. Like all Vettes, room in the engine bay is scarce, and Frank's goal was to retain as much of the factory look as possible.
BES Racing Engines
C & S Specialties
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
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www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
So with Thomas Mitchell on board, he got creative and designed a twin-turbo kit around Precision Gen 2 Mirror Image 76/75 turbos that mount in front of the motor without cutting up anything on the car.
Engine Research Solutions
However, the exhaust did need somewhere to go, and the factory Z06 comes with a heat extraction point at the top of the hood, so with the removal of that panel, both wastegate dumps and down-pipes exit without any cutting.
Getting under a Corvette is tough at the best of times, let alone trying to get a shot of the rear end setup! With some trick gadgetry, an RPM 9-inch center section mates directly with the glide in typical Corvette fashion, allowing Jarvis to retain the factory independent rear suspension. The 9-inch pumpkin houses a 3.25 gear, limited slip differential, and RPM axles protrude from it.
Frank D’Esposito’s Twin Turbo 2016 Chevy Corvette Z06 ■ Body & Paint: Original paint Ceramic coated and paint corrected by Detail Boss in Scottsdale AZ.
■ Chassis & Suspension/Modifications: Menser coilovers, RPM roll cage, LG drag wing.
■ Engine: Noonan billet LTX block, CID heads, LME billet intake manifold. 416 cu engine built and assembled by Late Model Engines.
■ Rotating Assembly: Diamond pistons, Callies Enforcer rods, Callies Magnum crank.
■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: Twin Precision Gen 2 mirror image 76/75 turbos, Garret twin core air-towater intercooler: all fabrication done by Cordes Performance Racing.
■ Fuel: Fore fuel hat w/ triple pumps, ID2600X port injectors, DI is deleted.
■ Electronics: Motec M182 ECU- full replacement
■ Power Adder: Twin precision gen 2 mirror image 76/75 turbos.
■ Transmission: RPM ’Glide conversion with Neal Chance bolt together billet steel converter.
■ Rear End: IRS 9'' rear. 3.25 rear gear.
■ Brakes: 15'' rear conversion drag race brakes and lightweight race brakes in front.
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
■ Tires & Wheels: Weld S71 15x10 rear, Weld Alumastar 17x5 fronts. Mickey Thompson 275 Pro Radial rears and Sportsman fronts.
■ Interior: OEM gauges and wheel, Precision shifter, Tillet carbon seats, Stroud fire system and parachute, CPR C7 chute handle mount and Vasko speed chute mount.
■ ET & MPH : 7.634 @ 181.67 MPH
■ Most Unique Feature(s): This car was carefully designed and built by CPR to look as good as it was fast, which was a huge factor in trusting them to do this. We chose to have the exhaust exit the hood and still use the factory hood.
■ Special Reason For Build: We built this car with the intent to be one of the fastest C7’s in the world…
■ Most Memorable Experience To Date: So far it’s my PB best ¼ mile run of 8.008 @ 176MPH! This car is on a course for low 7's and I intend to get there. I ran 8.008 @ 175 on 25 lbs and the goal is to get 35+ lbs of boost out of the twins.
■ Thanks To: Joe Cordes for putting this all together and Thomas Mitchell who is Joe’s tech that built this car along with Nic Desjardins for the tuning… All of these guys knocked it out of the park with the build and continue to support at every track outing in reaching our goal of getting deep into the 7s. Also for the guys at Detail Boss in Scottsdale AZ. for all the paint correction to keep it looking pretty!
Frank also went fancy on the electronics side of the equation, switching the entire ECU and wiring to Motec's premium M182 replacement system. A Fore Fuel Systems triple system with a Walbro 450 primary and twin 525 secondary fuel pumps feed 2600x port injectors. The mill runs on OneR 117
octane 85% ethanol fuel out on the track, but with Motech's fuel sensor, Frank can change tunes and street drive it without issues. Stopping at a standard gas station in an 1100whp twin turbo Vette after an 8-second quarter mile pass is a sight; you just gotta love new technology!
7.96 night pass by Frank D'Esposito's wild Z06 Corvette www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
23
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24 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
A C7 Z06 has two transmission options from the factory, a 7-speed manual and 8-speed auto. Unfortunately, these options will only take these cars so far in the straight-line world before breaking under high power. Thankfully, RPM Transmissions allow owners
like Frank to switch back to the tried and proper Powerglide for drag racing. The upgrade comes built top to bottom, complete with a Precision shifter, while a Neal Chance bolt-together torque converter ties the LTX mill and factory-style Corvette torque tube together.
RM Racing Lubricants Ross Racing Pistons American Racing Headers
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Braking power is one of the talking points in the newer generation Corvette, aimed at corner carvers and pushing to compete with the higher-class European cars. The Z06, in particular, comes with big Brembo brakes for superior stopping power, ideal for the road course, but heavy for the drag strip and in the way when
users like D'Esposito want to replace the large wheels with a set of smaller ones. Thankfully, there are companies out there that have Corvette drag racers in mind and Frank sourced a set of smaller drag brakes for use with a 15-inch drag wheel on the rear, while larger lightweight drag brakes replaced the front units.
All of the factory gaging works perfectly, something Motech is known for – a complete Motec premium M182 system replaces the factory ECU. The mill runs on OneR 117 octane 85% ethanol fuel out on the track, but with Motech's fuel sensor, Frank can change tunes and street drive it without issues.
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Cage work extends to the rear hatch area and makes a solid mounting point for fire system and air bottles, while the cooler tank resides in the left rear corner of the interior.
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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“For me, although I enjoy it, it's not about going head to head at big events to win money, but rather I prefer low key track rentals with all my friends trying to get better and beat our last personal best.” FRANK D’ESPOSITO
Jesel
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Those brakes ride behind 15x10 S71 rear and 17x5 Alumistar front wheels with Mickey Thompson 275 Pro Radials keeping Jarvis planted out back, and their Sportsman front runners controlling the steer. Finally, a set of custom coilovers keep the car launching consistently. Frank entrusted Joe and the Cordes crew to carefully craft Jarvis so that everything else on the exterior, aside from an LG drag wing and chute, screamed factory appearing, and they accomplished just that. Detail Boss paint-corrected and ceramic coated the factory Jet Black paint for the finishing touch. Much of the interior shows the same detail; Frank chose an RPM roll cage that mounts beautifully, and the Tillet carbon seats, Precision shifter, and chute deployment fuse seamlessly.
Tuned By Shane T
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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“Jarvis” (which is the Vette’s code name) has been a best of 7.634 @ 181.67, 7.634 @ 181.67 MPH, after recently turning up the wick on the boost.. There’s a lot of potential left, and Frank intends to have one of the fastest street C7 Zs in the world! “This car is on a course for low 7's and I intend to get there. ”
All of the factory gaging works perfectly, something Motech is known for, along with the in-dash center screen. “Along this journey I became friends with all the guys at CPR and hang out and race the car consistently,” Frank 30
explained. “For me, though, although I enjoy it, it's not about going head to head at big events to win money, but rather I prefer low key track rentals with all my friends trying to get better and beat our last personal best.” Frank has come a long way with the
November 2023 | RPM Magazine
car; with the help of the Cordes Performance Racing crew, Jarvis has been a best of 8.008 at 176, just milliseconds from the 7-second zone. Jarvis has a lot of potential left, and Frank intends to have one of the fastest street legal C7 Zs in the world!
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Story: George Pich Photos: Steven Taylor
I
t was the 1980s and 90s and a wild time to be in the horsepower game.
fat back tires, wheelie bars hangin’ out the back and some serious power under the hood. These cars were The Pro Street move- street versions of that ment was in full swing killer Pro Stock, Pro and before long every- Mod and Top Sportsbody in every neigh- man drag car look that borhood across North gearheads would see America was building on TV and read about a slammed - to - the in their favorite car -weeds machine with mags.
34 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
AFR: Air Flow Research
Lentech Automatics
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Nathan did nearly all of the work on the car including the body work (with the exception of the engine build) and his dad applied the killer paint. The color-matched bumpers and slate grey trim and accents give the car a sinister look.
Nathan Poore's Pro Street Nitrous '69 Torino
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Pro Street cars infiltrated street cruising, street racing and drag strips across the country. The genre eventually died off, but reappeared with a vengeance about 8 or so years ago as Pro Street 2.0. Nowadays, builds can take advantage of the massive amounts of cutting edge tech available, or simply stick to an old school hot rod. Nathan Poore chose the latter, but here’s the rub…he’s only 28 years old! So how does someone born in the mid-nineties embrace the traditional Pro Street scene? Well, it helps if you grow up with your dad racing Pro Stock and Top Sportsman. “When I was young I spent my days playing with Hot Wheels or racing slot cars,” explained Nathan. “I always preferred the slot cars with all white bodies so I could customize them and put my own twist on things.”
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Pro Street 2.0...
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November 2023 | RPM Magazine
28 year-old Nathan Poore built this wicked ’69 Torino in true old school fashion, complete with a low slung custom chassis, big meats tucked up into the wheelwells, wheelie bars hangin’ out the back and a healthy dose of good ole American pushrod horsepower under the hood in the form of a built 388-inch Cleveland motor.
RAM Clutches
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
This car takes up some serious real estate! The Torino is a rather long car to start, but once you lower it to the ground and add a rear wing, the fastback design just makes it look flatout wicked!
Vortech
Magnaflow
40 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
Once he was done with high school and college sports, Nathan knew cars would be at the top of his list so he watched and learned from his father and few friends while he taught himself wrenching and fabrication skills. By his late teen years, Nathan was welding cages, building back-halfs and doing tin work, which worked into the family equation pretty well since his dad, Jeff Poore, owns a speed shop; East Coast Performance Center in Delaware. East Coast works largely on installs and building Pro Street cars.
Holeshot Performance Wheels
Callies Performance Products
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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ET-wise, before the transformation, so before the engine rebuild, extensive cylinder head work and Pro Fogger nitrous system, the car went bottom nines in the quarter. So you can bet it’s a solid 8-second street ride now!
Even with the big wheel tubs, batteries and fuel cell, there’s still ample room for the necessities of day tripping in this hot rod.
42 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
“Once Covid hit and I had nothing but free time to spend in the shop, I knew it was time to build a statement vehicle and the Torino had all the potential in the world to do that once I brought my vision to reality,” he added. This particular 1969 Torino came into the family’s possession by accident and, while the VIN number indicates that the car was originally a 428 Super Cobra Jet-Drag Pack“R” code car when built, purists can relax as it was pretty tough by the time Nathan’s dad Jeff came across it back in 1985. Jeff bought a ’70 Tornio and when he went back into the previous owner’s barn to get the radiator for it, there sat a 1969 Torino with 4 flat tires and inch of dust on top of it. It looked like an abandoned budget bracket car complete with a cage made from steel water pipe and wheel wells made from a 55 gallon drum.
RPM Video Extra
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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A long list of parts went into making this rare Cleveland a serious runner. For starters, it’s a one-year-only option engine for the Boss Mustang. The factory block and heads remain. The block has been sleeved and is 60-over giving a final displacement of 388 cubic inches. The heads have been completely reworked (as if the ports weren’t big enough already). And a boat load of slick parts make up the rotating assembly, all topped with a Weiand Boss 351 Pro Hi Ram and twin Holley Custom Shop carbs….and then there’s the NOS Pro Race Fogger system plumbed in for good measure!
44 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
With a dead 351 C under the hood, Jeff saw something in the car and bought it. With a bunch of work he brought it back to life as a bracket car running 11.01 back then. After a few years, with Pro Street on everybody’s mind, Jeff decided that the car had reached its max point for safety and transformed it into a full chassis Pro Street ride. The fresh Torino was debuted it at the Street Machine Nationals in DuQuion, Illinois in 1992 donned in purple with neon graphics. And for the time period it was no slouch on the strip, running low 9-second hits with the built Cleveland.
Egineered Racing Systems
The setback engine position in the Tornio makes for a coffee table sized panel fabricated to cover the fan, radiator and front end assembly.
Trick Flow Trailer Alarms.com
46 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
By the time Nathan was born in 1995, the car had been retired to the back of the shop and as a young boy he would sit in it and pretend to drive it. “I knew it was always one of my father’s favorite cars because I grew up wearing shirts that had pictures of the Torino and would see the magazine articles about the car in my father’s office. I became so fascinated with it that I finally convinced him to pass the car to me.” And in 2019, this became Nathan’s first full build.
VFN Fiberglass Inc.
Mark Williams
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Nathan Poore’s Pro Street Nitrous 1969 Ford Torino ■ Body & Paint: Rear wheel opening has been stretched to accommodate the big wheels and tires. Marker lights, gas door, and antenna have been filled in. Custom drag wing. Black paint is PPG black, red is House of Kolor red pearl over the PPG slate grey metallic. Clear is PPG. ■ Chassis & Suspension /Modifications: Full tube chassis with 2”x3” main frame rails with 12 point cage with dual funny car cages. Mustang ll front suspension with disc brakes. 4-link coilover rear suspension. ■ Engine: Boss 351 Cleveland (originally out of 71 Boss Mustang. Only made motor one production year). The block and heads are the only original components. The block has been o-ringed and has Darton Sleeves in all 8 cylinders and been bored .060 over, it now has a 388ci displacement. Bill Miller steel I-beam rods Keith black .060 over forged pistons, Eagle forged stroker crank, King bearings and Total seal gapless rings. Howards custom grind cam dur. 299/307 – lift .727/7.15, Howards mechanical roller lifters and Smith Brothers push rods. Melling high volume oil pump with Canton oil pan. ■ Engine Miscellaneous: Moroso valve covers. Comp cams double roller timing gears. Sanderson stainless headers. Powermaster ultra starter. Powermaster 140amp alternator. Speed Master balancer. Mildon water pump. ■ Cylinder Heads: Original Cleveland 4V Boss Mustang heads that have been port matched to the intake, and ported on the exhaust side. Manley severe duty stainless valves and PAC 1300 series triple valve springs. 2.19 Intake and 1.71 exhaust valves. Crane 1.7 ratio rocker arms. ■ Induction: Weiand Ford Boss 351 D/Q Pro Hi Ram 2 Holley 750 Dominators made by Holley Custom Shop originally in 1990. Holley Blue Max fuel pump and regulator. ■ Power Adder: NOS Pro Race Fogger with 2 bottles of nitrous you can see through the back window. ■ Electronics: MSD Pro Billet distributor, MSD ignition Red Blaster SS coil, Taylor 8mm wire set, E3 spark plugs.
■ Transmission & Converter: Ford Top Loader with billet gears. Long gated shifter. Lakewood 50lb steel Flywheel. Lakewood blow proof bell housing. RAM 10 Inch single disc billet 3 lever clutche. ■ Rear Differential: Ford 9” with 35 spline axles, spool and 5.14 Richmond gears. ■ Tires & Wheels: Cragar Supernova true directional wheels that were made in limited production in 1990. Rear, 15x15’s with 4” back spacing. Front, 15x4. Tires are Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pros. Rears are 33x21.50x15 and fronts are 26x7.50x15. ■ Interior: Joes aluminum steering wheel. Autometer Tach, oil pressure, water temp, battery voltage, fuel pressure gauges. Jaz Racing seats with custom covers. RCI 5 point harnesses. ■ Best ET & MPH: Hasn’t been run with the new chassis and motor. In 1991 it ran low 9’s as a bracket car without the ported heads and nitrous oxide. ■ Most Unique Feature(s): It’s a Factory 428 Super Cobra Jet Drag Pack car that is rare and it’s paired with a rare one year production Boss 351 engine. ■ Special Reason(s) For Build: I built this car because growing up I saw the first version of it in magazine articles in my father’s office. I was always fascinated with this car because of how wild it looked with the styling from the 90s. Every time I went in our shop and the car was out from under the car cover, I would always envision the changes I wanted to make to it to make it mine. It’s nice to bring back a part of my father’s Pro Street history and make it my own. ■ Most Memorable Experience: Being part of the “Designers Dozen” at the Syracuse Nationals in Syracuse NY ■ Thanks To: David Tucker for help whenever we need it and help getting this beast running again.
Induction Solutions
What the interior does best is show off the fabrication talents of Nathan. While it resembles a drag car inside, with dual funny car style hoops, two seats and cup holders, there’s no doubt the car sees its fair share of street time.
Canton Racing Products
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Design Engineering
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When Nathan pulled the car out of hiding, he found engine issues that warranted pulling it. While the motor was out for freshening, the aging chassis also showed some areas of concern, not to mention that with Nathan being 6’ 4” tall, he didn’t fit in the car very well. The decision was made to start fresh, with the exception of the two main frame rails. With everything being shut down for Covid, over the following two years Nathan rebuilt the chassis, plumbed the motor and car for nitrous, redid all the suspension and tin work, rewired and re-plumbed the entire car, and reassembled the whole thing. The only two things he didn’t do himself were the motor rebuild and paint work, which his father tackled.
SPEED SAUCE PLUS TM
INJECTION FLUID
Speed Sauce Plus water-ethanol mix comes premixed and ready to use straight from the bottle. VP Racing Fuels 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
VPRacingFuels.com/SpeedSauce www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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The Tornio sits Pro Street perfect – low, with the big rear tires tucked as far up into the body as possible – giving the already lengthy body the appearance of being even longer. And from the rear, well there’s no missing the ginormous tires, custom wing and wheelie bars. The body and paint speak for themselves, and Nathan and his dad kept the look dark and mean, with just the right amount of modern graphics. What the interior does best is show off the fabrication talents of Nathan. While it resembles a drag car inside, with dual funny car style hoops, two seats and cup holders, there’s no doubt the car sees its fair share of street time. One of the few “factory” pieces left here is the dash pad with gauges.
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Looks twins – nitrous bottles that is! Two nitrous bottles are visible when looking through the large rear window of the Torino, a clear indication that this muscle car has some serious extra muscle!
The third pedal on the floor means sit down and hang on ’cause this hot rod is stick shifted! A Ford Top Loader with billet gears, Long shifter, Lakewood steel flywheel and scattershield, and a RAM 10inch single disc billet 3 lever clutch was used.
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Billet Specialties
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Period correct limited production 1990 Cragar Supernova true directional wheels were used with 15x15 rears and 15x4 fronts. Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro 33x21.50x15s provide the hook out back.
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For more accurate measurements though, Nathan installed an array of aftermarket gauges. Oh, and you might have noticed a third pedal on the floor and that’s because Nathan rows the boat in the big bodied Ford via a tricked out Ford Top Loader with billet gears, Long gated shifter, Lakewood 50lb steel flywheel and scattershield, and a RAM 10 Inch single disc billet 3 lever clutch. By 2022 the car was complete and Nathan and his dad hit some of the large shows to put some miles on the Tornio and in the process gathered up a number of awards. While the car has not seen the strip yet, it’s expected to be a solid 8-second runner, considering it was running low nines before the rebuild without ported heads or nitrous. The final question is, what else does this 28-year old Pro Street Prodigy have in store for the world of cool cars? Besides customer’s vehicles, Nathan is working on a ground up Pro Street F100 pick up for his brother along with a drag radial Ultra Street car for himself. “I am now 28 and have plans to keep building Pro Street cars and keep trying to get a younger generation in to these cars,” he added.
Nathan started from almost square one when he took on ownership of the Torino. After pulling the engine, he noticed areas of the chassis that he wanted to change, so he put in on his dad’s shop chassis table and started with just the two main frame rails and built the rest from there. A Mustang II front end with rack and pinion steering was used and a 9-inch Ford diff is suspended by a 4-link coilover setup out back. www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Story: George Pich Photos: Blake Farnan
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This ’94 Mustang was bought, sold, then bought back and has been making Silva family memories ever since.
P
aul Silva is well known in the circle of Ford horsepower and drag racing, not just in his home country of Canada, but worldwide. Silva, Owner/Operator of Paul Silva Performance (PSP) since 2003, which specializes in small block Fords, has raced and won in the United States and Canada, and more recently has passed the torch to his sons who cut their teeth in this very car. But there’s one thing we need to straighten up right out of the gate, during a time where our streets and tracks are inundated with Mustangs harboring a Chevy LS engine under the hood, rest assured that anything Paul Silva builds or drives won’t have any of that!
Neal Chance Converters
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You won’t see near as many SN95s as Fox Bodies, there were just nowhere near as many produced. This example has been there, done that, having been campaigned with many different PSP-built small block Ford combos, power adders and even transmissions. It has proven to be an integral part of both the family racing and family business.
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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!
KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST IN HARDCORE HORSEPOWER...SUBSCRIBE!
E3 Spark Plugs
64 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
“We do engine builds/assembly on street cars or drag race cars and have specialized in the Fox Body and Ford motors since the mid-1980s,” tells Silva. “And this particular car has been with the family for quite a while – all 3 of my sons have had the opportunity to race it.” Paul found the car back in 2004 as an accident recovery
The 1994 Mustang was the body style change year for Ford’s popular model and is often referred to as SN95. This one was found by Paul Silva as an insurance write-off, the perfect candidate for race car. A lineup of Joe Van O fiberglass parts were added and include the custom designed hood, front bumper cover and rear decklid. A custom aluminum rear wing was also installed and JD Auto Collision took on the task of laying down the bright yellow skin.
vehicle. Once back at the shop the car was stripped and prepared for chassis work at Phoenix Performance Fabricating. Plans were to construct an 8.50-cert cage in preparation for a specific class, however, when the class rules changed during the process, Silva sold the car to pursue a 7.50 certified car more suitable to his needs.
Ian Hill Racing Kinsler Fuel Injection
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A few years passed and the opportunity came up to purchase the car back from a customer, so Paul made the deal and contacted Luch at LA Chassis to upgrade the car to a 7.50-legal piece. “With the chassis set, we now had the building block to proceed in completing the original vision with the car,” Silva added.
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Parts Pro/Total Truck Centers
Paul Silva's Supercharged '94 Mustang GT loves wheelies Little did Paul know that vision would include almost 20 years of racing with multiple engines, multiple power adders and multiple drivers, all a testament to the abilities of PSP and the family that runs it. Over the years, the Sil68
va family has competed with this car equipped with combinations ranging from natural aspirated and nitrous, to ProCharger setups in order to fit into different classes from local all-motor to heads-up power adder classes.
November 2023 | RPM Magazine
The sleek lines of the SN95 model, the first generation of which ran from 1994 to 1998, offers a taste of something different in the staging lanes. The custom hood and Cobra styled front fascia give the car an intimidating vibe from all angles.
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Bill Mitchell Products
AED Competition
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At 3,400 pounds with driver, Silva’s ’94 has ran a best eighth-mile of 4.70 at 157mph in class-legal trim. The family has won more races with this car than we could list here!
Vortech Browell Bellhousings
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Paul went on to say, “This race car is ever-evolving as it used both automatic and Liberty transmissions depending on applications or class rules. Several different PSP SBF engine combinations have also found their way into this race car, from 392 CID NA to 438 CID.” Once the car was rebuilt body wise, to shave some weight a lineup of top quality Joe Van O fiberglass parts were added and include a fiberglass hood, front bumper and rear decklid. A custom aluminum rear wing was also installed and JD Auto Collision took on the task of laying down the bright yellow skin on the SN95 4th Gen Stang.
Meziere Enterprises
Paul Silva's wicked yellow Mustang busts out another awesome pass! 72
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Paul runs two different short blocks in this car, depending on the class requirements. The first is a PSP RDI aluminum 9.2 deck height 394 inch SBF, and the second is a PSP Man O War 9.5 deck height based 438. Both share similar parts rotating inside and the same cylinder heads, but have lower intakes and a few other pieces unique to each. Both are supported by a ProCharger, but, depending on class, it could be an F3D-106 or F3R102.
GRP Connecting Rods
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Joe Van O
PRW - USA
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RCD Engineering
An extremely clean install of the boosted small block between the rails of the Mustang. The Supercharger is hung off the front of the engine and charge tubing is expertly routed through the passenger side firewall to the Intercooler
During chassis mods the car would undergo a reconfiguration to a mini tub and Competition Engineering ladder bar coilover suspension that suspends a Moser 9 inch housing with Moser 40 spline axles and 3.90 gears. Up front, Silva relies on a Racecraft front end including spindles, A-arms, and steering rack with AFCO double adjustable front struts. As mentioned, the chassis now carries a 7.50-legal SFI certification.
Up close and personal with ProCharger!
AFR: Air Flow Research
Lokar Performance Products
Clearshot Customs
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Paul Silva’s Supercharged SBF 1994 Ford Mustang GT ■ Body & Paint: Painted by JD Auto Collision. Joe Van O fibreglass hood, front bumper and deck lid. Aluminum rear wing.
■ Chassis Modifications: Ladder bar set up with mini tub. Certified NHRA 7.50.
■ Suspension : Front – All Racecraft front end suspension (including spindles, A-arms, and steering rack). AFCO double adjustable front struts. Rear: Competition Engineering ladder bar setup with AFCO double adjustable (Big Gun) shocks.
■ Engine: Block Type, Cid, Modifications/Parts Specs, Etc.: We have two different short blocks we run: Paul Silva Performance built and assembled RDI Aluminum (9.2 deck height) 394 CID Paul Silva Performance built and assembled Man O War (9.5 deck height) 438 CID
■ Rotating Assembly: Callies Magnum crank, GRP aluminum rods & custom Diamond pistons.
■ Cylinder Heads: Edlebrock SC-1 (CNC machined), 1.8/1.60, T&D steel rockers, Manley Nextek series springs, retainers and locks & Manley 7/16 pushrods.
■ Miscellaneous Engine: Comp Cams Camshaft (Custom PSP spec). 0.937 Isky Red Zone lifters. Jesel Belt Drive. Moroso Vacuum Pump. Jeff Johnson custom oil pan. Peterson Oil Pump.
■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: CID EFI lower intake (4500 Flange) on 438CI. Edelbrock lower intake (4500 Flange) on 394CI. Holley EFI 105mm upper intake elbow on 438CI & 394 CI. Magnafuel Outlaw 1000 manual fuel pump. 275lbs Atomizer fuel injectors. VP Racing Q16 race fuel.
■ Power Adder: ProCharger F3D-106 & F3R-102 depending on rules ProCharger Air to Water passenger mount 2400 Intercooler. Dual Procharger blow-off valves. Custom built Intercooler & engine water tanks by Moore Fabrication.
■ Transmission: Liberty 5 Speed with 10.5 McCloud twin disc soft lock.
■ Rear End: Moser 9 inch hosing, Moser 40 spline axles, 3.90 Moser gears & Bears 4-inch steel driveshaft.
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■ Exhaust: Custom headers and front exit exhaust designed by Paul Silva.
■ Brakes: Complete Wilwood front and rear cross drilled brakes.
■ Tires & Wheels: Front: Weld Alumastar 2.0 with Mickey Thompson front runners. Rear: Weld Alumastar 2.0 (15x12) with 28 inch Mickey Thompson Pro Bracket Radial.
■ Interior: Joe Van O Fibreglass dash, Jazz race seats, Grant steering wheel, Liberty 5-speed shifter, Racequip 5 point harness, Racequip fire suit, Simpson Bandit helmet, head/neck restraint, Fire Bottle Fire Suppression system & Stroud parachute.
■ ET & MPH – Race Only: 4.70 @ 157MPH – Eighth mile (3400lbs w driver)
■ 2023 Times: 4.64 @ 161 MPH 1/8 mile and 7.48 @ 144 MPH 1/4 mile.
■ Most Unique Feature(s): All 3 of my sons have had the opportunity to race it. Over several years we have competed with this car having naturally aspirated, nitrous or supercharger setups and different transmission combinations to race in different classes from all-motor to heads-up power adder classes.
■ Special Reason(s) For Build: Just to race it and paint it yellow…
■ Build Timeline: From start to finish about 3 years.
■ Most Memorable Drag Racing Experience To Date: Back in the day (1997) we drove from Toronto, Canada to race in Pure Street in Orlando for the 6th Annual World Street Nationals. We qualified down in number 13 out 32 car field for the Sunday race. As one of the only competitors from Canada and being the underdog we managed several round wins on Sunday. We went into the Finals against Mike Hill and came up just short running 8.33 @167 to a 8.29 @168. This race showed me that regardless of qualifying position we all have that chance on Sunday. Taking second place and the money home to Canada definitely made our trip home sweet!
■ Thanks To: Chassis: Phoenix Performance Fabricating, LA Chassis and Moore Fabrication. Paint and Body: JD Auto Collision. Tuning: Tuned by Ernie Zambri (Tuned by EZ). • Jerry Scott for helping and mentoring over the years. • Ice Boy Toronto for providing Ice for the intercooler system . • Craig and team at Liberty Gears for all the help on the 5 speed set up. • McCloud for helping with the clutch. • To my family (Ryan, Brandon, Michael and my grandson Jayce) for always being on the starting line supporting me. • To my wife for dealing with this crazy racing lifestyle for over 40 years.
The Mustang interior, while retaining a number of OEM trim pieces such as door panels, has been converted to handle the business of drag racing. A funny car style driver hoop provides pilot protection and a Joe Van O fiberglass dash houses an array of analogue gauges,
while an air-to-water 2400 series Intercooler takes up the passenger area. A Liberty shifter was installed, since the Mustang was equipped with a Liberty 5-speed trans at the time of photo shoot. Silva uses a 10.5-inch McCloud twin disc soft lock clutch for this application.
Tri-Lobe Oil Pumps built in mounting bracket
Moroso
Liberty’s Gears
Tri-lobe scavenge sections feature individual timing gears to ensure proper clearance at high rpm
Spur Gear pressure sections based off Moroso’s highly successful Billet Wet Sump Pump Design
MOROSO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC. phone 203.453.6571 • www.moroso.com
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Paul runs two different short blocks in this car, depending on the class requirements. The first is a Paul Silva Performance built and assembled RDI aluminum 9.2 deck height 394 inch SBF, and the second is a PSP Man O War 9.5 deck height based 438. A Callies Magnum crank, GRP
aluminum rods and custom Diamond pistons rotate inside both. And both share Edlebrock SC-1 CNC machined heads with 1.8/1.60 valves, T&D steel rockers, Manley Nextek series springs, retainers and locks and Manley 7/16 pushrods.
Magnafuel
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Manton Pushrods
A funny car style driver hoop provides pilot protection and a Joe Van O fiberglass dash houses an array of analogue gauges, while an air-to-water 2400 series Intercooler takes up the passenger area
Derale
DERALE.COM
TECH SUPPORT: 323-266-3850
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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T&D Machine Erson Cams
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A Comp Cams custom PSPspec camshaft was chosen for each short block specifically, specs of which we are not permitted to share. An Edelbrock lower Intake is used on the 394 and a CID EFI piece was chosen for the 438CI, both are 4500 flange. A Hol-
ley EFI 105mm upper Intake elbow is used on both mills. When it comes to power adder, at this point the Mustang is boosted and runs a centrifugal supercharger specific to class rules; either a ProCharger F3D-106 or F3R-102.
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Toll Free Ordering: 800-327-9402 / Info & Tech: 561-863-2188 www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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TREMEC
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A fully Moser-equipped 9-inch Ford hangs from a Competition Engineering ladder bar coilover setup with AFCO Big Guns and handles the power from the boosted small block via a Bear’s 4-inch steel driveshaft. Note the extensive chassis bracing under the car.
Alumastar 2.0 wheels are skinned with Mickey Ts, with 28-inch Pro Bracket Radials being the choice for the rear.
Misener Motorsports
Moser Engineering
moserengineering.com
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When all is said and done, at 3,400 pounds with driver, the Mustang has been as quick as 4.70 in the eighth at 157mph! Those that know Paul understand that he is a true sportsman through and through – he is the last to complain and the first to help his fellow racers. And, even though Paul himself has seen and done so much over his years in fast cars and drag racing, this particular car has been instrumental in making memories for both his family and his business. “We, as a family business, were able to run this race car in OSCA True-Street with all 3 of my sons as pilots during the 2016 season,” added Silva. “The car was a 396 SBF with nitrous at that time and we also ran both Powerglide and Turbo 400 setups to gain experience and help both our racing combo and our customers.”
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Ultimate Headers
84 November 2023 | RPM Magazine
AJE Racing
Memories made and many more yet to come. The Silva family; Brandon, Michael, Lucy, Paul and Ryan, and Jayce is the little guy in front.
World Products
Lutz Race cars
Karbelt Speed & Custom
Canada’s Performance Source!
8 Chisholm Ct. Ajax, ON. Canada 905-619-6660 www.karbelt.com
www.rpmmag.com | November 2023
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Article By Vince Roman: Burns Stainless
Welding Exhaust Systems – Part 3
Shielding The Weld Root
I
n Part 2 we discussed the importance of tube fitment when fabricating headers. This month, we will discuss techniques involved with shielding the weld root and back purging exhaust tubes. When heated to welding temperatures, alloys such as stainless steel and Inconel are prone to the formation of oxides if not shielded from oxygen present in the air. Technically known as "sugaring" or "noogies," these oxides will result in poor weldment, characterized by a black, crusty appearance of the weld metal on the inside (root) of the pipe and an irregular root cross-section. Weld defects include lack of fusion to the base metal, root-pass cracking, and incomplete penetration. Since it is most often impossible to see the weld root in an exhaust application, many poor fabricators may think "out of sight, out of mind." But this could not be further from the truth. Figure 1 - GTAW Back Cap Torch Handle
Electrode Cable Water Outlet Hose
Collet GasHose Gas Orifice Nut Gas Nozzle
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Water Inlet Hose
GTAW Figure 1 or TIG welding provides a gas shield around the welding electrode to prevent the formation of these oxides on the front of the weld. In the same manner, a shield must be provided on the root, or backside of the weld to prevent "sugaring." There are several techniques available including shielding the weld root: Weld-backing tape (Figure 2), Solarflux (Figure 3), and gas back-purging (Figures 4 through 6). Tape does not lend itself well to tubing, as it would not be possible to apply and/or remove the tape except possibly in the case of short 4" or 5" tubes. Solarflux is a powder that is mixed with alcohol (methanol, ethanol, or isopropyl) to form a paste. The paste can be applied with an acid brush onto the backside (inside) of the tubes prior to tacking. Figure 3 - Solarflux When the base metal is heated by the welding torch, the Solarflux paste crystallizes and forms a shield preventing oxygen from contaminating the weld. Solarflux B is an excellent option for stainless steel welding. Solarflux 1 is also available for high nickel alloys such as Inconel.
Figure 2 - Weld Tape
pers would be placed at each end of the tacked-together tube. The gas line is attached to one of the stoppers (Figure 5), and the other stopper left open. The shielding gas is metered into the tube until all the air in the tube is displaced with the inert gas. The gas should flow through the tube continuously during welding. Figure 5 - Back Purge Plugs
At Burns Stainless, gas back-purge is the preferred method of weld root shielding. Almost all stainless steel or Inconel welding done at Burns is back-purged with argon gas. Reasons include minimized tube preparation, easy availability of argon gas, and the fact that it provides strong and consistent weld quality. It would be difficult to duplicate the "Burns weld" using any other technique. At Burns, Solarflux is used for welding when back-purging is not feasible such as welding flat plates such as flanges or for some repair work. Figure 4 - Back Purge Regulator
Weld the tube as usual. Before welding the last joint, it is a good idea to stop the purge-gas flow. The combination of heating the gas and eliminating one of the "leaks" can cause the stopper to blow off the tube. Loud bangs are best avoided when under the welding hood! When welding stainless steel and other exotic alloys, shielding the root of the weld is extremely important to ensure the integrity and strength of the weldment. For welding exhaust tubing, inert gas-purging and Solarflux B are excellent choices for shielding. Figure 6 - Open Stopper
Back-purging requires an inert gas supply, a metering system, and a gas dam system. The gas supply is typically the gas cylinder used for TIG shielding gas, typically argon. A back-purge metering system (Figure 4) is "tee'd" off the regulator and a gas line runs to the gas dam. For welding exhaust tubing, rubber stoppers with holes make excellent dams. For example, when welding a primary pipe, the stop-
Next month, we will conclude the series on welding with a discussion of welding techniques and help you achieve that "Burns-look." Source: Burns Stainless
Read Part 1
Read Part 2
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Story & Photos: Eddie Maloney
W
e have all heard the phrase, “like father, like son”, well for Chris Diehlman, the bond between father and son is so much more; his father David was his hero. Not only was David a U.S. Army, Vietnam Veteran, he was an amazing father to Chris. Chris hails from Miami, Florida but grew up in the Davie/Hollywood Fl. area. He was around cars as far back as he can remember because the automotive industry was part of his family’s livelihood. “My dad owned several auto body /restoration shops and tow companies. He would regularly take me to Moroso Motorsports Park (formerly West Palm) to watch him race the Camaro I now own,” explained Chris.
Burns Stainless
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ACC Performance
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This Camaro was lost for 23 years and once back at home in the Diehlman family, a complete rebuild was in order which included new rear quarters and various other body parts along with substantial work to the aging rectangular tube chassis.
Ian Hill Racing
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CALTRACS The Original Patented
Unfortunately, Chris’ father passed away in June of 1999, leaving him in a state of depression, searching for answers. “All the cool cars, the racing, everything my life revolved around was gone.” Chris spent a lot of time grieving his father’s death but knew he wanted to continue the legacy his father created, however, with limited resources after his dad’s passing, Chris learned how to make things happen and do more with less. At 19, he started his first build without his father by his side, a Chevrolet Silverado. “It was my daily driver, and next thing I knew it was a nitrous small block street truck. We all street raced, and the truck was super competitive. On a bare road it would leave on a 200 shot and always 60 footed everyone!” Diehlman remembered fondly.
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Chris spent many nights testing because he just didn’t have the budget to compete with the other street racers, but he worked hard, never quit and never took no for an answer. He eventually
went on to have a daily driven 9-second 2001 Camaro, nicknamed BBQ, and from there he would campaign a few different hot rods that ultimately led to something pretty magical.
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The front end and hood mixed with the satin black paint and purple decals set off the Raven theme.
Moser Engineering
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The Raven That 1968 Camaro that Chris used to watch his dad race was long gone. After pouring money and time into the car, it had a major engine failure during a pass and caught on fire, and that’s when David decided he was done it and sold it to a friend, Rick Costanza, back in 1993. Sadly, from there the Camaro was parked for 10 years, stored under an overhang at Ricks shop until he decided to bring it back to life and race it once again. It was sold two more times, eventually ending up in the hands of Troy Blake who grudge raced it all over the southeast. As you can see, under David’s ownership the Camaro was a sweet piece back in the day. It’s eerie to see David’s son standing in front of the Camaro he once stood in front of as a child.
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That Camaro was always on Chris’ mind, and he knew he had to find it. “I made a Facebook post one day wishing I could find it, and to my surprise someone sent me the link of it for sale. To say
I was excited was an understatement,” Diehlman added. Chris tried to make a deal for the car, but just didn’t have the funds to buy it, and once again it slipped through his grasp.
Chris visits his loving father David’s grave, confident that he would be proud of his son and what he has done in life and with his prized Camaro. The Raven is a fitting dedication from a son to his father.
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Once the car was returned to the Diehlman garage, work began to transform it into a solid contender. Since then, Chris has seen much success with The Raven and hopes to build on that with the most recent turbo combination.
Lentech Automatics
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As everything happens for a reason, it was a blessing in disguise, as life was about to throw a few more major curve balls his way. Chris’s wife Heather went into premature labor with their son Luke, and it nearly cost her life. Luke was born 3lb 5oz at just 29 weeks.
Both Heather and Luke were critical, but after being hospitalized for several weeks, they pulled through. Medical bills started piling up and Chris just couldn’t make ends meet as Luke required 24/7 care from Heather. Something just had to change for the good.
Baer Brakes
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Chris Diehlman,s ,68 Camaro runs a wicked pass!
Total Seal Rings
ECAM Racing Engines
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Rage Wraps
Chris once again pulled out all the stops to get them back on their feet financially. “I started detailing on my days off to earn extra money. Then I sold off my 1986 Camaro I was building to start my full time detailing business. I worked at UPS loading trucks from 2:30 am to 9 am 5 days a week, then I detailed vehicles all day long until dark.” Finally, things started turning around for Chris and his family when he scored a huge contract for commercial detailing, and a few months later, he sought out to buy back that ’86 Camaro he was previously building.
Since Chris is a grudge racer…we don’t know many details of his combo. What we do know is that he is winning.
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GoDragRacing.org Deez Performance
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Judging by what we can see, there’s no shortage of power in this 400+ cubic inch turbocharged LS. Once again, workmanship throughout the engine planning and execution is meticulous. With a Forced Inductions GT55 turbo as the centerpiece, Troy Pirez Jr. at Innovative Racecraft created the turbo system plumbing.
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Once again, things started to happen for a reason. While at a race in Georgia, Chris saw Heather Carter running a new car and was wondering why she wasn’t running his dad’s old Camaro, since she purchased it almost 2 years prior from Blake. “I immediately went to see Heather and she explained and told me my dad’s Camaro was up for sale. I didn’t ask her
a price or anything, I just told her ‘it’s mine and I’ll be their next weekend to pick it up!’” After 23 years, David’s Camaro was finally heading back to his family, and to come full circle, Heather met Chris at Moroso where he had watched his father race. “It was such an emotional time for me,” Chris explained somberly, “The car was rough and beat up. I knew
Hitman Hot Rods
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Chris and Luke Diehlman’s 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
■ Body & Paint:
Bo Garcia in Plant City installed new quarters on the car to make it small tire again. Twisted Garage did all the finish bodywork and sprayed the car satin black. The owner Mike was friends with my dad, and I was having him spray the car in primer. I always said I’d paint it after it was back running again. When I picked it up, he surprised me and had painted it satin black (the car has recently be painted purple). Chris at T-fab LLC powder coated various items on car along with Kris at Retro Powder Coating.
■ Chassis Modifications: Was a 2x3 chassis car originally. Cameron Johnson at CJ Race Cars cut it off at the firewall and did a strut front end along with mounting the doors, front end, hood and deck lid, flush mounted Lexan and CJ Race Cars wing. He also installed new floors, drive shaft tunnel and firewall and rebuilt the bulk of the car. Pro Fab Performance Plus did all the finishing work on car such as wiring, the fire system, seat fuel system plumbing etc.
■ Suspension: Strut front end with Innovative Racecraft limiters. 4 link rear with Afco coilovers.
■ Engine: Dart LS based motor with over 400 cubic inches. Trick Flow heads.
■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: Aeromotive belt drive pump, fuel filter, and regulator. Billet Atomizer injectors supplies the M1 fuel. 417 Motorsports lid on top of a Holley Hi-Ram intake. Motion Raceworks icon throttle body.
■ Power Adder: Forced Inductions GT55 based turbo. Troy Pirez Jr. at Innovative Racecraft in Plant City did the turbo kit. All stainless 3-inch hot side. With Race Parts Solutions clamps/piping/flanges and twin 46mm wastegates with stainless dumps. The cold side is 4-inch piping with a Precision blow off to a Motion Icon throttle body and clamp.
■ Transmission: FTI Powerglide with a Pro Fab dump valve. Circle D billet bolt-together torque converter w/Circle D billet flexplate.
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■ Rear End:
Dana 60 converted to 5 lugs. Ultimate 60 rear cover.
■ Tires & Wheels: RC Components 17” fronts and 15x14 double beadlocked rears. Pro 275 rear tire.
■ Electronics: Holley Dominator system with Pro dash. Tons of Low Doller Motorsport sensors from front to back. Wired by Pro Fab Performance Plus with some modifications and additions by Jared at AEB performance in Georgia. Induction Performance smart coils and Scott’s plug wires.
■ Interior: Holley Pro dash with ARPC carbon mount. Innovative Racecraft steering wheel and trans brake button. Race seat with head supports. Pro 1 harness, Safecraft fire suppression system,M&M shifter, Stroud window net and Motion Race Works co2 bottle and kit. Pro Fab Performance Plus did the transmission belly pan and carbon fiber panels. CJRC battery mount.
■ ET & MPH: No-Time/Grudge
■ Thanks To: Heather for always supporting me and skipping vacations and everything for 5 years so I could finish the car. Troy Pirez Jr for all his knowledge and fab work. Don Lamana at Pro Fab for all his help and support. Joey Salas. Jace for all his tuning and advice and teaching me so much about Holley. Nate aka “Dr Tune em all” for also teaching me about tuning and getting my new setup squared away. Teddy Mullins for all the work on The Raven when I first got it and for always doing last minute fab and weld jobs to keep me on track. Pete Nichols at Circle D for all his knowledge, support and help. Michael Carpenter at Speedline Performance for his dyno and always leaving the door open to use his tools and lift when needed along with his knowledge and help. Rick Constanza, my dad’s friend who owned The Raven after my dad and helped me find it and also for always being there for me.
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, Chris Diehlman s wicked Camaro runs straight... down...broadway!
A well thought out interior is dedicated to racing with a Holley Pro dash sitting front and center. Cage and tin work are top quality and the FTI Powerglide is on full display beside Chris during each run and is controlled by an M&M air shifter.
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I had a lot of work ahead of me, but I knew I would never sell it so it didn’t matter how long it took.” And so work began on what became known as “The Raven”. Chris chose the name since ravens have been said to be able to communicate with the dead, and fittingly, the car would eventually be satin black. “I’ve had so many weird things happen with the car since the very night I
brought it home and my smoke detectors went off at 3am, and my house smelled like cigarette smoke for no reason! The irony of that is that my dad died from lung cancer.” Then there’s the time when some friends told Chris that an older man they work with showed them a picture of his dad’s Camaro. It turned out that the fellow was a friend of David’s and even had a piston from the car!
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Strange things just keep happening that tie Chris and his dad to the Camaro. Chris continued; “My buddy Matt Larue was working at Pro Fab finishing up the car and called to let me know he’d been working late nights so I could have it home for Christmas. He said ‘how about you pick it up December 23rd and drive it home’. Matt had no idea, but that was my dad’s birthday!” Hours upon hours went into
the car along with a fair share of funds, but Chris never gave up. When the first iteration of the Camaro was complete, Diehlman’s racing career really took off. During his first year out he ran solid in various radial classes as well as no-prep and amassed a win in Outlaw 28/29-inch tire, 5 finals on radials and 3 semifinals in No Prep Kings and was featured at the 2021 PRI Show in Indianapolis.
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Today, with a completely fresh body and substantial updates to the original frame, the 4-link rear/strut front-end Camaro was fitted with a serious new power combination. The LS Dart blocked mill sports cubic inches in excess of 400. Exact data was not shared since Chris like’s the no-time and grudge scene. We can tell you that a Forced Inductions GT55 based turbo backs up the capable LS and a tricked out FTI ’Glide transfers power rearward to a heavily fortified Dana 60 rear end. While getting things figured out with the new combo had its share of headaches, Chris saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Over the summer he went to the finals and took a runner-up finish at a Florida no-time race, and shortly after, at the reunion at Bradenton, won their no-time event! But no matter what happens racing The Raven, one thing makes it all worthwhile…the memory of his dad and the fact that after 23 years, the Camaro is back home where it belongs!
Just as it was was when Chris was young, racing is a family affair.
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