RPM Magazine June Issue 2014

V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..........TRISH BIRO trish@rpm-mag.com E-MAGAZINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR................................IAN RAE ian@rpm-mag.com EVENT MEDIA DIRECTOR...........................RAYMOND KNIGHT events@rpm-mag.com EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR.....SHERRIE WEBER sherrie@rpm-mag.com Photographic Contributions: TONY WEBER, TIM LEWIS, BRIAN HANSEN, PETE “BOOMER” ORES, PAUL SCHMITZ, LOGAN WEBER, MARK goDragRacing.org, TOMMY LEE BYRD, STEVEN BUNKER, GEORGE PICH, TOBY BROOKS Editorial Contributions: IAN RAE, TONY WEBER, TIM LEWIS, CHUCK SCOTT, TOMMY LEE BYRD, BRIAN HANSEN, BEN STRADER, MARK goDragRacing.org, RAYMOND KNIGHT, CHUCK GREEN, STEVEN BUNKER, GEORGE KLASS GEORGE PICH, TOBY BROOKS, BRIAN WOOD, PAT McGOWAN Technical Writing Contribution: CHUCK SCOTT, BEN STRADER, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TOMMY LEE BYRD

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MEET THE RPM TEAM

EDITOR IN CHIEF.........................................................CHRIS BIRO editor@rpm-mag.com

RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed in 34 countries and can be found on popular newsstands in the USA, Canada and select newsstands in the UK. If you cannot find a copy near you please call 519-752-3705 or email circulation@rpm-mag.com To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpm-mag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519-752-3705.

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, Musclecars, 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 regards to design and power!

RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.

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EDITOR’S RANT

by

Chris Biro

because...

MORE RPM IS ALWAYS BETTER!

Y

ou want fast cars? Well we’ve got something for everyone! If not, you should probably pick up the golf or dance magazine on the next shelf down!

This issue we continue to give RPM readers the most diverse content on the magazine rack—in the real OR virtual world!

From the street/strip 8-second Nova Wagon of Frank-o Harder in California to the 3,000 horsepower Pro Mod Vette of Bob Nagy in Canada, we’ve got some killer power on tap for everyone once again.

It’s not just about the machines, either. It’s the people behind them and their stories. We understand that a car mag has to be about cars; however, each and every car has not only its own story, but the stories of the owners, drivers, tuners and all the folks who helped make it what it is.

WARNING: There’s no rehashed internet content or articles copied from other mags or websites here. It’s content exclusive to RPM! We make it and we make it fresh, just for you!

Flip to page 11 and you’ll hear how Frank-o’s dad rolled his first Nova sedan and that’s how he found this now wicked wagon.

Bob Nagy was near the bottom, actually dying, when he brought himself back to pursue his passion in fast cars and drag racing at the highest level of doorslammers: Pro Modified.

How about the incredible story of an ultra-rare original 1967 Cutlass 442 W-30 that has an automatic trans and was actually built, from the factory, to be a GM test car and then to be raced in the NHRA? They even tested a prototype 6-speed automatic transmission in this car—and that’s over 40 years ago!

If you’re a Ford fan (heck, even if you’re not!), the “Small Block Nasty” nitrous injected ’95 Drag

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Radial Stang of Tim Knieriem and Daryl Reynolds will blow your mind (and if it doesn’t there’s a problem)! This car is cleaner than when it rolled off the assembly line, yet it’s beat on week in week out and runs hard to the tune of 4.78 in the eighth-mile! And that’s with stock type suspension and tiny little radial tires—now that’s NASTY! We’ve got more Pro Mods too, as DOOR WARS 2014 is in the books and the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mods were lighting up Maryland with mega horsepower!

You’d better keep a close eye on our Project aPocalypSe Horse.

Chances are you’re witnessing the most outrageous soon-to-be street-driven and track-beaten build of the first ever twin ProCharged and nitroused Boss Nine in the world—and it’s being done in RPM, and in real-time! You see it as we do it.

Plus, we’ve got our usual REAL WORLD TECH, REAL WORLD PROJECTS and REAL WORLD BUILDS. It is literally a little something for everyone.

Like I’ve said before, RPM isn’t for the faint of heart. There’re no fake cars here, no made up numbers and everybody here knows horsepower. It’s all the real deal.

We’re not here for us, we’re here for you. The stories of the cars and the people behind them—that’s RPM! Remember, as always, I’m just an email away: editor@rpm-mag. com. I guarantee that I (not an intern or assistant) will answer each and every one of your emails.

Got a car? Send me some photos and your story, because you never know, next issue people around the world could be reading about you!

ADVERTISER INDEX Accufab Inc............................ 56 AFCO..................................... 59 Alan Johnson Performance (AJPE)................................. 29 Alston Race Cars.................... 16 Alston Race Cars Fast Glass.... 93 Applied Racing Components (ARC).................................. 30 ATI Performance Products..... 32 Auburn Shifters Car Show..... 12 Autoglym.........................33, 82 AVAK/Ridgegate Tools........... 40 Bad Attitude Engines............ 75 Baer Brakes......................10, 84 BES Racing Engines............... 76 Bill Mitchell Products............ 91 Billet Specialties.................... 85 Blower Shop............................ 5 Borla..................................... 69 Browell Bellhousing.............. 33 BTE Racing............................ 58 C&C Motorsports................... 86 Calvert Racing Suspensions... 34 CFE Racing Products.............. 23 CN Blocks.............................. 18 Coan Engineering.................. 24 Competition Products........... 18 COMP Cams........................... 95 Crower.................................. 41 CVR Products......................... 44 DART..................................... 13 Design Engineering............... 26 Diamond Pistons................... 72 DIY Auto Tune/MegaSquirt EFI..................................... 46 Dynotech Engineering........... 70 Ed Quay Race Cars................. 53 Engine Research & Development (ERD)........... 32 Fuel Air Spark Technology (FAST)............................... 27 FastMotorsports.................... 11 Fast Times Motorworks......... 91 FORD Racing.......................... 55 Frankenstein Racing Heads .. 30 Gold Living............................ 37 G Force Racing Transmissions.21 GZ Motorsports..................... 73 Harland Sharp......................... 8 Holcomb Motorsports........... 39 HoleShot Wheels................... 14 Holley.................................... 78 Holley Ultra Dominator......... 35 Holley Ultra Double Pumper.. 71 Holley Ultra Street Avenger... 73 Howards Cams...................... 79 Induction Solutions............... 17 Innovate Motorsports............ 43 JE Pistons.............................. 48 Jesel...................................... 25 JET Performance................... 89

J&K Converters...................... 44 Knieriem Racing Engines....... 53 K&N Filters............................ 71 Lokar Performance Products. 94 LUCAS Oil Products.............2, 22 Lunati.................................... 80 Mahle Clevite Inc................... 47 Manton Pushrods.................. 73 Meziere Precision Mfg........... 89 Mickey Thompson Tires........... 7 Midwest Racing Converters... 70 Mile High Crankshafts............. 8 MSD Ignition......................... 77 Neal Chance Converters........... 9 New Century Performance.... 75 Nitrous Pro Flow.................... 73 Nitrous Supply...................... 36 Nucor Building Systems........ 92 Outlaw 10.5 Racing Assoc..... 13 Parts Pro Perf Centers.......... 100 Performance Improvements.. 11 Perf. Plus Connection.......52, 86 Powermaster Performance.... 76 Power Tank............................ 74 Precision Turbo/ProInjectors.. 15 Proformance Racing Trans..... 30 Pro Systems Carburetors...28, 92 Philadelphia Racing Products (PRP).................................. 20 ProCharger............................ 83 PRW...................................... 87 PTC........................................ 52 Quik-Latch Products.............. 20 Racecraft............................... 54 Racepak................................ 35 Racequip............................... 77 Racing Radios.......................... 7 Rev-X Oil Products............45, 90 Ross Racing Pistons................. 5 Rossler Transmissions............ 96 S&W Race Cars...................... 87 Scorpion Racing Prods......21, 88 Scotty’s Racing Engines......... 25 Shafiroff Racing Engines....... 22 SM Race Cars......................... 23 Smith Racecraft..................... 25 Steve Morris Engines............. 46 Summit Racing Equipment... 99 TCI Automotive...................... 81 Ti64....................................... 10 Tom’s Upholstery................... 14 Toronto Motorsports Park...... 31 Trick Flow.............................. 42 TRZ Motorsports.................... 44 Two Guys Garage................... 97 Valvoline............................... 38 VP Racing Fuels................19, 49 WC Enterprises...................... 74 Weinle Motorsports.............. 88 Weldon High Performance.... 70

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www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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JUNE 2014 Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 15 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Racing 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!

THE

SO Much Horsepower Packed Into One Place... That Place IS RPM Magazine!

CARS

COVER CAR

DRAG RACING

ACTION

NEOPMA Season Opens.................................. 70 Horsepower on Steroids: Pro Mods at MIR

Draggin’ Wagon......................................... 8 This 8-second Nova was built to haul...

If You Can’t Beat Him, Buy Him...... 34

Chris Price’s amazing C/SA NHRA 1967 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Sports Coupe

Down But Not Out............................................ 20 Pro Mod driver Bob Nagy is on the comeback trail...

One quarter-mile pass at a time

PROJECTS TECH

THE

AND

Small Block Nasty............................................. 50 Tim Knieriem & Daryl Reynolds’ Nitroused ’95 Stang is definitely nasty!

Traction for the Masses....................................................................................... 76 Thanks to MSD, you don’t have to sell a kidney to get traction control!

Four States of Metal............................................................................. 84

Chassis and custom intake fabrication begin and the Horse gets a new set of shoes for the strip

Part3: Floor Finishing.......................................................................................... 90 Our floor goes from shame to shine with an EpoxyMaster floor coating

READ COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG ONLINE AT WWW.RPM-MAG.COM

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RPM FEATURE CAR

>>This 8-second Nova was built to haul...

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T

he modern station wagon can trace its roots to the American railways of the early 1900s, where the big wheelbases and

story by

Toby Brooks

large cabin spaces were useful as taxi cabs hauling passengers and luggage around train depots. Although conversion companies began building wagons using Model A frames as early as 1919, by the ’20s and ’30s,

photos by

Steven Bunker

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DRAGGIN’ WAGON

GRAPHIC ATTACK The custom paint is a combo of VW Black Magic and Ford Deep Impact Blue separated with a marbelized silver and hand-laid red pinstripe.

STANCE-TASTIC The wicked wagon sits just right thanks to a Chris Alston Chassisworks front clip and a custom fabricated backhalf. It is hard to believe this eight-second capable rocket started life as a sleepy refrigerator-white grocery getter with an anemic inline six.

BUSINESS IN THE FRONT M&H front runner tires mounted on 17x4.5-inch Greg Weld wheels spin just ahead of the massive fender-dump header outlets.

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auto manufacturers started to recognize the utility of the platform and began offering factory-built models.

It is safe to say that those early automotive pioneers could never have imagined how Frank-o Harder could morph one of their big, slow people-movers into a 180+ MPH pavement pounder capable of blasting low eights in the quarter mile.

Harder’s creation, a 1967 Chevy II Wagon, has been a work in progress since he bought it 11 years ago at the tender age of 16.

SO MY DAD WRECKED MY CAR ...

“My dad rolled my first car, a 4-door 1967 Chevy II, and totaled it,” Harder said.

“I wanted something cool and different. Everybody had Camaros and Chevelles, so I decided to look for a wagon,” the Palocedero, CA native recalled.

A friend from the local drag strip found the car and alerted Harder to its availability. An hour-long drive and $700 were all it took to take possession of a well-worn 6-cylinder

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DRAGGIN’ WAGON

RAT-I-CAL A potent big block Chevy now resides between the framerails in the same location where the puny factory six-cylinder used to be. Poked and stroked to an impressive 615 cubic inches, the engine most visibly sports Big Chief heads with sheetmetal valve covers , a CFE sheetmetal intake, and a pair of PRO Systems 1150 Dominators but is crammed full of tons of other go-fast internals, too.

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

car with a bashed quarter panel and a ragged blue vinyl interior. Franko’s dad kicked in $300 for the buy, repayment for the value of the 4-door he had totaled just a few weeks before.

Harder drove the car daily throughout his high school years, honing his automotive skills by testing things out on the big wagon along the way.

“It has gone through many different combinations,” Harder said. “I went with a naturally aspirated, nitroused, and even a rootsblown small block Chevy and eventually went with the current combo—a nitroused big block,” he added.

ENTER THE RAT

The current big block was meticulously pieced together by good friend Jeff Simpson, an engine builder from nearby Oroville, CA. The 615 CI Chevrolet Bowtie block was fitted with a Lunati crank spinning Oliver billet rods and Wiseco gas-ported pistons with Hellfire rings. A Dougherty Racing Cams bumpstick shoves around the COMP Cams lifters and Smith Brothers 7/16” pushrods while a Moroso dry sump oiling system with a Fast Time Fab twopiece dry sump pan keeps things well-lubricated.

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DRAGGIN’ WAGON

FRANK-O’S OFFICE The custom fabbed cage helps this car to cert to 7.50, a number Frank-o hopes to hit this season. The interior also boasts a set of Kirkey racing buckets, RJS harnesses, a TCI shifter, a Racepak digital dash, dual Induction Solutions nitrous tanks, and an MSD Power Grid ignition system.

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A Jesel belt drive has replaced the normal double roller timing chain.

Up top, 18-degree Big Chief heads fitted with Jesel shaft rockers and fabricated valve covers help the engine breathe deeply. A custom CFE sheetmetal intake is crowned by a pair of thirsty PRO Systems-prepped Holley 1150 Dominators. A crank-driven MSD distributor handles ignition chores, while a Nitrous Oxide Systems fogger system set up for a 350-horse hit adds power on demand. The

system has been upgraded with a -6 AN feed line running back to a pair of 10-pound tanks mounted to the passenger side of the interior with a billet bracket.

Far from low tech, the old Chevy hosts an impressive assortment of modern electronics. Harder has added an MSD Power Grid ignition system, using both the 7720 and 7730 boxes. He also added a Leash Electronics single stage progressive nitrous controller and a Racepack IQ3 dash and v300sd data logger to

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DRAGGIN’ WAGON

BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS The Alston Fab9 housing is fitted with a Mark Williams third member, Richmond gears, and Dutchman axles. Shocks are Afco Big Gun coilover units that have been revalved for improved performance.

Remnants of the big MT slicks can be found on the undersurface of the chassis tinwork, proving Frank-o isn’t afraid to light ’em up.

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keep track of his runs and make adjustments for track and atmospheric changes as needed.

With the power the stout big block is capable of producing, a fortified driveline was a must. A tried-and-true Chevy Powerglide transmission has been beefed up to handle all the abuse the Rat can dish out, and a custom Spectrite Nitrous torque converter helps get the power to the pavement. An Inland Empire 4” aluminum driveshaft is connected to an Alston Fab9 nine-inch Ford rear housing that has been fitted with a Mark Williams thru-bolt third member, Richmond 3.89 pro gears, a Mark Williams 35-spline spool, and Dutchman 35-spline alloy axles.

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www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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Even your typical grocery store-bound station wagon driver would notice the car’s low-slung stance, fat rear meats, and custom paint.

The chassis has been dramatically improved up front via a Chris Alston Chassisworks A-arm Nova clip with double adjustable coilovers.

Friend Mike Ward assisted with the fabrication work.

Out back, a 2x3-inch mild steel frame was fabbed up with a custom 4-link that rides on re-valved Afco Big Gun coilovers. The car is also equipped with a full cage and is certified to 7.50. Wilwood discs and a single drag chute help slow the weighty wagon after yet another scorching pass.

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The car is all steel with the exception of a fiberglass cowl induction hood. Body and paint work was recently completed by Reed’s Auto Body and Paint. Doug Reed massaged the sheetmetal and worked out the kinks and creases before laying down a sinister VW “Black Magic” and 2014 Ford Deep Impact Blue Nason basecoat/clearcoat paintjob. A marbelizer graphic was added to the body line before Dustin Gall of Gall’s Graphics laid in a cool pinstripe by hand.

Any mention of “wagon wheels” is likely to conjure images of huge wooden hoops in the dusty old west, but Harder’s wagon’s wheels are far from that. The car

DRAGGIN’ WAGON rolls on polished 15x14 Alumastar beadlocked hoops and 31x10.5-15 Mickey Thompson slicks in the rear with polished 17x4.5 Greg Weld wheels and 26-inch M&H tires in front.

Inside, the wagon is all business. A pair of lightweight Kirkey seats with 3-inch RJS harnesses keep occupants secure, while a funny car-style cage ensures safety. A TCI Outlaw shifter manages the gear changes, and lightweight aluminum tinwork covers much of the cavernous interior. With the massive fender-dump open header exhaust, a stereo system would simply be a colossal waste of time and added weight, so Harder instead prefers to listen to the thunderous rumblings of his

lopey stroked and juiced big block.

Although the car currently sees mostly strip duty, it is still plated, insured, and—with a quick tire change—legal to drive on the street. However, unlike its train depot predecessors of old, Harder’s wagon doesn’t haul many passengers or luggage these days. But make no mistake—it does haul—to the tune of 8.00 at 174 MPH in the quarter, a number Harder hopes to improve upon this season.

“I want to run to the limits of the cert,” he said. Whether it takes a bigger motor, more nitrous, or maybe both, I’m not going to be happy until I get it to run a 7.50!”

WAGON MASTER At just 27, Harder is a next-generation hot rodder who knows how to combine classic alternative sheetmetal like this Nova wagon with high-tech cutting edge horsepower under the hood.

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RPM FEATURE CAR

>>Pro Mod driver Bob Nagy is on the comeback trail...

One quarter-mile pass at a time

T

here is a common belief that sometimes a person has to reach the very bottom before they can again realize their potential and build themselves back up. Such is the case for Pro Modified racer Bob Nagy.

You might say that Bob had a privileged existence within the sport of drag racing. Don’t misunderstand— he worked hard for everything he had and to get himself to the point that he once was within the sport.

However, sometimes life has a way of knocking us down,

20

kicking us when we’re there and standing with one foot on our throat until we fight back. Seem a little extreme? Well read on.

Bob started racing in 1965 at the age of 17 driving an L/Stock ’57 Chevy.

“Right from the get go we were competitive and I made a name for myself,” explains Bob. “I raced that car called the “Weekend Warrior” until selling it to my brother and was in and out of drag racing for a number of years until 1984 when I built a 1973 Vega sedan delivery with my first

JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

by

George Pich RRaymond Knight

photos by

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

FAST-N-FLASHY The PSI-blown powerplant is one of two Nagy has for the car depending upon how much power he intends to create.

The wild multi-hued graphics were designed by GOS Motorsports Graphics & Design and applied by Auto FX.

blown Jim Oddy-prepared 368-inch small block. I set my sights on being the fastest street driven car in North America, which I achieved in 1985 running a 9.47 @ 144mph plated and through the mufflers. The car was called “Easy Money” and at the time became a well-known machine. Back

in the day we used to run for money on the street—as much as $500 per race. A constant winner taking home the money easily, the name “Easy Money” was a natural fit. By no means am I a supporter of street racing. That was a long time ago and it’s just what we did.”

Eventually, Bob sold the car, picked up a 1970 Nova out of Texas and built a 502 big block for it that produced nearly 750hp, plus a 150hp shot of nitrous—not bad for a street driven car in the ’90s.

“I outgrew the Nova and had a need to go do some heads-up drag

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2014 Corvette Pro Modified Drag Car Owner/Driver: Robert (Bob) Nagy Chassis & Body: Lowdown Hot Rods Pro Mod full chromoly chassis. Jeffers Pro Cars carbon fiber body.

Suspension (Front and Rear): Front is Lowdown HotRods with rack and pinion steering, coil over shocks, shaft and steering wheel that are all Strange.

Rear suspension is swing arm 4-bar adjustable with coil over shocks and springs by Strange. Custom single wheel wheelie bar.

Engine #1: 521ci ERD with Brad Anderson block, Brad 6 heads, custom cam, Bryant crank, GRP rods, Brad pistons, Jessel rocker assembly, Crane rollers, Pugler dry sump oil pump.

Engine #2: 526ci Brad block, Brad 8 heads, GRP Pro Billet rods, Bullet Camshaft, RCD cover and gear drive, Bryant crankshaft, Ross pistons, T&D rocker assembly, all titanium valvetrain, Pak valve springs, Pugler oil pump and RCD crank Trigger. Assembled in house by Larry Dobbs, Kirk Booth and Bob Nagy.

Transmission: Lenco CS2 3-speed transmission and Molinari 3-disc 10.5-inch Titanium clutch assembly.

Power Adder: PSI screw-type supercharger with “C” rotors. “Almost impossible to find and very very expensive if you can find one.”

Fuel System & Induction: Waterman fuel pump, Brad intake manifold (custom), Bohr carbon fiber hat. Complete fuel system designed by long-time friend Mike Janis.

Electronics: Racepak computer with sensors to monitor literally everything.

Entire ignition system is all MSD. 44 amp mag coil and box. Timing, 2-step and wires all MSD. Rear Differential: Custom 9.5” rear differential housing fabricated and built in Australia by Anderson Engineering with 4.56 gears and 40 spline axles. “The entire rear is as bullet proof as they get.” Bears custom fabricated driveshaft with Strange ends.

Best ET & MPH: 6.28 at 226 mph.

Crew: Kirk Booth, Mark Lawrence, Jason Nagy, Wayne Bond, and alternates Bruce Boland, Aaron Brooks, and technical Larry Dobbs and Mike Janis.

Sponsors and Thanks to: Nagy Contracting, David Chevrolet Corvette, Niagara Powder Coating, Niagara Battery & Tire, Don Holman Pro Tools Matco.

For Technical Support & Parts Thanks To: Jan-Cen Race Engines, Mike Janis Fuel Systems, RBS Superchargers - JR, BAE – Jeremy Evrist, Lenco – David Sumek, Niagara Auto Specialists – The Grainy Bros., Fast Auto – Tony Valerio.

Accomplishments: In 2000 held ET & MPH records at Grand Bend Motorplex in Canada, which stood for three years. At approximately the same time held Route 66 and Cecil County Pro Mod ET and MPH records.

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DOWN BUT NOT OUT racing, so I kept the motor and went looking. Ed Wiens happen to have a real nice Top Sportsman 1991 Corvette built in Maryland that was certified to 7.50 (for quarter-mile ETs). I took the cast iron big block out of the Nova over to Jim Oddy, who had become a good friend of mine, and asked him to build me a blower motor with it,” he added. “Over the years I became attached to superchargers and up until then had a number of them. Jim asked me what I wanted to spend on a motor and I told him $25,000.”

Bob got a call from Oddy a few weeks later with an invite to come over for the dyno test of his new motor. With their first pull on the 509ci mill, it made 1,750hp and 1,400 pounds of torque on alcohol with a 14-71 supercharger on top.

So it was off to the races!

“I was at London making some license passes in the Corvette during a Pro Mod event in 1994 and they were short cars,” Bob said about his first venture into the world of Pro Modified drag racing. “The track owner, John Fletcher, asked me to compete and I told him I was only there making license passes. He said to go down the track flat-out and you’re in. With that, I ran a 7.16 @ 198mph, thank you very much!

At that point I was Pro Mod-addicted and raced alongside Jim Oddy and Fred Hahn, Mike Janis, The Grainy Bros, Al Billes and all the originals.”

“A while later Mike from Mike’s Transmission out of California heard about me running the Vette with a powerglide automatic transmission and he wanted to have the first automatic to go 200mph.

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DOWN BUT NOT OUT

ROCKET POWERED The Vette chassis has been meticulously crafted from chromoly by Lowdown Hot Rods. Fit and finish on the entire build is second to none and the car drives straight and true regardless of which of Nagy’s two incredible engines happen to be bolted in.

Vic Richards from API wanted the same thing. Of course I wanted to be the first to pilot that car, so it happened—200.07mph.

Bingo!”

If there was any doubt, now Bob was totally hooked on Pro Mod and came out in 1995 with a

brand new LJ Chassis built Pontiac Formula. Unfortunately, that race car was stolen from the chassis builder’s shop and recovered at the same time Bob’s wife of 23 years was diagnosed with cancer. “I was prepared to sell it all but it was my wife’s wish that l

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didn’t. I went on to campaign that car successfully.

After treatments, my wife’s cancer went into remission and in 1998 LJ Chassis built me a new race car.

It was a beautiful 1963 Corvette split window with a 526ci blown alcohol Jim Oddy-prepared motor pro-

ducing some 2300hp!”

The Corvette instantly made a name for itself, and Bob, racking up a list of wins and final round appearances and even a feature in Corvette Fever magazine with cover page notoriety and centerfold, only at about the same

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www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

DOWN BUT NOT OUT time Bob’s wife’s cancer returned with a vengeance.

“It had been seven years since remission and now it was nothing but hospitals, treatments and doctors,” continued Bob. “I needed to sell the race car and everything that went with it in order to care for my wife who to this day l love more than ever. Money was very, very tight with neither of us working. I was always self-employed in construction and my wife was a GM employee for over 20 years.

To go from making a decent income to zero really takes its toll. Taking care of Carol was a full time job. On March 22, 2004 at 2:30 am Carol took her last breath in my arms. She fought so hard and with so much courage.”

Devastated, Bob eventually went back to rebuilding his business in Welland, Ontario (Nagy Contract-

ing) as best he could. “Carol’s death destroyed my spirit and took my purpose away. I tried to lose myself in alcohol and in 2011 had literally destroyed my health and ended up in a hospital dying. Eventually, they sent me home on palliative care to die. I believe it was divine intervention as somehow I began to recover. With that, the spark to go fast once again and regain some sort of purpose in my life began to take over. I needed to get back to do the thing I loved to do for so many years—DRAG RACE!” For his return to Pro Modified, Bob has acquired a 2014 Corvette built by Lowdown Hot Rods who have built some of the fastest and finest race cars, street machines and hot rods in the world. “This is a state of the art chromoly tube chassis meticulously

www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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DOWN BUT NOT OUT

AUSSIE-UM REAREND The bulletproof fabricated 9.5inch rear housing was built in the Land Down Under

by Australiabased Anderson Engineering. It has been fitted with Strange 4.56 gears and 40-spline axles.

built by Lowdown,” Bob said.

“The chassis is powder coated with carbon fiber tubs and panels. In fact, when being inspected by the NHRA for chassis certification the inspector said it was one of the nicest and safest chassis he has inspected.”

The Corvette body is all

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

carbon fiber by Jeffers Pro Cars out of St. Louis, complete with carbon wing. Race car graphics and color were designed by GOS Motorsports Graphics & Design.

Dixon’s Auto Body (a local body shop) did the body and paint while Auto FX in St. Catharines, Ontario applied the graphics.

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DOWN BUT NOT OUT GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Every competitive pro mod car is backed by a committed and capable crew and Nagy’s Corvette is no different. Pictured here are crew members Kirk Booth, Bob Nagy, Aaron Brooks, and Jay Nagy (left to right).

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As for power, Bob has two engines to choose from but wants to ease back into things. The first is a 521-inch ERD (Engine Research & Development) powerplant which he’ll be starting off with that is more than capable of running low 5.80s, and with conditions right, a 5.70. Engine number two is the “ROCKET” 526 cubic incher and boasts over 3000hp. To back up both motors is a new Lenco CS2 three-speed transmission and Molinari three-disc 10.5-inch Titanium clutch assembly that will transfer the power back to a virtually indestructible custom

9.5-inch rear differential housing fabricated and built in Australia by Anderson Engineering with Strange 4.56 gears and 40-spline axles.

“Everything to do with this race car has been over the top,” added Bob. “Nothing was overlooked or compromised. It exceeds all of my expectations and has the capacity of being a record breaker. This is it, my comeback, and I am surrounding myself with the many friends that I have made in the sport. I hope to make 2014 one of the most enjoyable years I have had in the last ten!”

www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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RPM FEATURE CAR

IF YOU CAN’T BEAT HIM...

by

Pat McGowan photos by

Isaac Ireland

Y HIM U B

>> Chris Price’s amazing C/SA NHRA 1967 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Sports Coupe

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

IMAGINE REPLACING THIS

C

hris Price’s 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 442 W-30 Sports Coupe is an actual 31,952-mile car that was originally built for NHRA’s C/SA class back in late 1966.

The 442 package was offered only on the Cutlass Supreme series in 1967, a change from ’66, when it could be had on cheaper models. Another change from the ’66 model year was that an automatic

transmission became available, which this car has.

The 1966 442 W-30s were manual 4-speeds only.

Chris stated that this car is one of just 121 with the TH-400 automatic, which was equipped with a shift kit from the factory and switch-pitch torque converter activated by a second “dimmer” switch on the floor. How cool is that?

When this car was pegged for the strip, it was followed down the line by

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RPM FEATURE CAR TRICKY SWITCH Seen here is the floormounted second “dimmer switch” that can be used to trigger the car’s “switch pitch” torque converter. The system can be set in one of two positions to change stall speed. Low stall mode provides less slippage at highway speeds, while high stall mode is preferred for slow speed cruising to improve street manners.

specific GM engineers and was painstakingly guided in and out of the production cycle. Things that were done outside of the normal build were deletion of all seam sealers, sound deadening materials and anything else that added unnecessary pounds to the future race car. With only 502 of these built, the 1967

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

442 W-30s are extremely rare, and pillared sports coupes like this one are even rarer as just 129 were produced.

Before this W-30 Cutlass actually hit the quarter mile it was subjected to rigorous testing at the division’s proving grounds in Milford Michigan for a short time before being relegated to a full-time race

car at NHRA events.

Originally, the W-30 option was introduced for 1966 to comply with NHRA rules requiring a minimum amount of factory-built cars being available for sanctioned drag racing events, and additionally, to make the 442 more competitive against other muscle cars produced

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RPM FEATURE CAR CREAM PUFF Whether it is the ultra-clean factory black interior or the era-correct spatter-painted trunk with rubber floor mat, looking at the Olds is like stepping back in time. Owner Chris Price and friend Mark Tucker restored the rare classic in just ten weeks.

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RPM FEATURE CAR DICK HAAS: The First To Drive Chris Price’s W-30

GM Test Driver, GM- Oldsmobile Road and Drag Racing Manager

W

e recently caught up with Dick Haas, the original owner of this beautiful Olds W-30 442 and former GM race program manager at his retirement home in Arizona.

This Olds W-30 442 got its start with Dick Haas in 1967 when Dick, while working at Oldsmobile in Lansing, Michigan was offered to look at another position at the coveted GM Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. Dick was lucky enough to get tapped on the shoulder by GM brass to graduate from a test driver running midnights on the grounds to work a newly created position as a “special test driver,” as GM put it.

Being part of the special test team was the coveted racing opportunity cloaked with some real-world special testing that increased the safety of the cars being engineered, built and driven on the road.

“I once had a test that had been requested by the higher-ups to research potential fires in engine compartments.

So part of the experiment was that they had me put on a fireproof driving suit complete with a self-contained breathing system and then they rigged a cork in the side of the carb that I could pull out to have it drip gas on the running engine,” Haas said. “The idea was to find out how fast it would start on fire and figure out how to prevent fuel leaks altogether thus eliminating the fire risk,” he added.

It seems the reward for being the human fireball was to start testing and driving the new Olds 442 at the drag strip. The Olds W-30 442 featured in this article was driven by Dick Haas for a year and was campaigned under the Labadie Oldsmobile banner running NHRA C/SA. Part of the ingenious “testing” back then was Dick, Art Weidman (GM Hydramatic) and the rest of the team

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figuring out how to make the Turbo 400 into a 6-speed automatic, which they successfully did (yes, a 6-speed auto trans 47 years ago!).

“The Turbo 400 transmission actually had two planetary gear sets with six detents on the factory floor shift,” Haas said. NHRA actually let the Labadie Olds 442 C/SA auto car run with a prototype 6-speed which in all outward appearances was years ahead of its time. Dick sold this car after one year and campaigned two 1968 442’s, one an automatic and one a 4-speed. Dick went on to set the NHRA D/S record with the 4-speed 442 while his teammate drove the automatic 442.

The cars were named “Uptight” (automatic) and “Outasite” (4 speed) by Haas because the automatic car had a trick to staging as they had to carefully preload the rear suspension very tightly before launching, thus the “Uptight” moniker. The 4-speed car was “Outasite” as it “...was a blast to launch it with your foot nearly to the floor before dropping the clutch,” he recalled.

Haas went on to help run Oldsmobile’s Road Racing efforts with success with Irv Hoerr winning multiple races in the 1989 Trans Am season. In the drag racing program, Haas was instrumental in bringing Warren Johnson to the Oldsmobile-GM Drag Racing Competition Engine (DRCE) party. From 1988 to 1995, GM engineers and racers like Johnson worked to optimize the big block Chevy for the short-stroke, large-bore, and high-RPM environment of pro stock racing. The result was the DRCE. Part of Haas’s job was to get the NHRA to certify the block and cylinder heads and make them available to all racers, and that in turn made competitive power more easily available to potential rivals. It was rumored that The Professor once quipped “I built the gun they shot me with.”

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

RPM FEATURE CAR

COOL SNORKEL The car features a rare “Track Pack” option and a dual-snorkel air cleaner. The unique Force-Air inlets are mounted between the quad headlamps and the ducts feed each side of the air cleaner, providing a cooler intake charge and improved performance—some 40 years before you could buy a “cold air intake” off of eBay.

by Ford, Chrysler and other GM divisions. Although the option was a bit obscure, there were 54 W-30s built that year by the factory, but once the news was out about its performance it became available as a dealer conversion option.

The W-30 package reportedly turned these cars into real beasts with the addition of a hot cam and high tension valve springs installed for the 400-cubic-inch V-8 along with suspension modifications that included revised shocks (90/10 front, 50/50 rear), springs and sway bars as well as boxed rear control arms connected to a 12-bolt with 4.33 gears to put the additional W-30 power to the ground. Chris’ 1967 W-30 “Track Pack” has a single Rochester quadrajet whereas the 1966 models originally had a triple-carb setup. The dual-snorkel air cleaner is also part of the ForceAir induction system and the red fender wells are correct for a factory-built W-30. The Force-Air inlets

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RPM FEATURE CAR were mounted between the quad headlamps and the ducts were fed to the air cleaner. It was Oldsmobile’s subtle approach to a forced air induction system compared to the hood scoops used on other cars of the era.

Chris Price owns Price Engineering (Engine Machining and Performance, Brighton Michigan) and was responsible for the rebuild of the original powerplant of the 442. The 400 ci engine was bored .030 over and refitted with JE 11:1 pistons. The cylinder heads were then freshened up with a three-angle valve job and the original factory W-30 camshaft was installed. The W-30 had a cast iron intake manifold and the quadrajet carb, so all of those parts are as shipped and raced back in 1967. The exhaust is being handled by Hooker Headers and its unmistakable throaty Olds tone of power is well announced as it drives down the street. Chris dynoed the engine and it reported a respectable 418 horsepower and 444 lb. ft. of torque which puts it right back to its heyday in 1967.

This ’67 442 W-30 was restored

by Price and friend Mark Tucker within a ten-week period of time.

Ten weeks?

“The car needed paint so we stripped it down to bare metal and other than two match-head sized dings in the body panels, it was flawless, which made the whole process that much easier. This is all original steel!” Price noted.

Upon finishing the restoration, Price drove the W-30 442 to the

JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

Featuring laserstraight sheetmetal, pictureperfect onyx-black paint, and timeless 15-inch big-n-littles, Owner Chris Price’s rolling history piece would be just as well suited for display in a museum as it would be at a drag strip.

Fear not, because plans are to hit Milan Dragway for some test runs soon!

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Oldsmobile 100th Anniversary celebration in Lansing Michigan and took notable acknowledgement from renowned W-30 expert Curt Anderson. Anderson examined the car at the Olds anniversary and said it was one of the finest ’67s he’s ever seen.

So the question remains as to how Price was able to discover the whereabouts of this ultra-rare and ultra-clean 442.

“I knew Dick Haas and also the second guy he sold the car to, Carl Berke. After Dick sold it to Carl, it was driven on the

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

streets back then with a wellearned reputation of being the baddest street car around,” he said.

Price owned a 1970 440 6-Pack Super Bee back then that had a pretty nasty reputation as well.

“I heard that Carl was street racing Dick’s 442 and figured I could teach him a thing or two and earn some money while I was at it,” he laughed. Friends of friends set up a race and Berke brought the 442 to the line to an awaiting Price.

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RPM FEATURE CAR

“We raced six times and we each won three, so we were dead even. I knew I could beat the 442, so we agreed to meet a week later to do the rubber match,” he said. “We decided to not tell anyone about the day or time and were sworn to secrecy.”

So when that Friday night at 8:00pm came, Price was driving to the old deserted road and as he approached he knew someone (Berke!) had leaked the secret.

“I turned down the road and saw what had to be 200 people lining both sides of the road with the black 442 sitting there and Carl leaning on the fender. I thought ‘Holy cow, this is gonna get busted by the cops.’ Well, we lined up and I got the holeshot but

Carl reeled me in,” he recalled. “I was hotter than hell thinking, ‘How could I lose this?’ I talked Carl into just one more race and he agreed. And the rest is history. HE BEAT ME AGAIN!” Price lamented.

After that night, Price figured that he—being a MOPAR man—had met his match. Over the years, Price and Berke remained friends with Carl ribbing Chris every time he could about the race.

“I bugged Carl for years about buying the car and he said he’d never sell it.” Many years had passed and Price received a phone call from Berke.

“Carl called me and said I could buy the car if I still was interested. I asked why the change of heart and that’s when Carl told me he was dying of cancer,” he said somberly. “Carl said the only person he’d ever really considered selling it to was me, and that he would rest comfortably knowing that he had sold me the only car that ever beat the Super Bee. I was shocked, honored and saddened by the call.”

Berke sold the car to Price and died shortly after. Price holds the car close to his heart as he still owns this W-30 442 and sold the Super Bee long, long ago. He plans on taking the Olds out to Milan Dragway this year to do some test-n-tunes and see if he can’t beat Dick Haas’s low 12-second elapsed times and maybe enter into a pure stock class to see if he can’t get some additional wins under his belt.

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by

George Pich photos by

50

Tabitha Sizemore

JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

>>Tim Knieriem & Daryl Reynolds’ Nitroused ’95 Stang is definitely nasty! www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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SMALL BLOCK NASTY

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

W

hen you’re 15 years old, been around fast cars as long as you can remember and already making runs down a drag strip, you’re pretty much hooked.

“I grew up at the race track and around cars,” explained Tim Knieriem. “My dad went bracket racing nearly every weekend for as far back as I can remember. As I got older and more interested in cars, naturally I wanted to race too. Somewhere around 12 years old is when I really got involved with working on the race car and helping at the track, and when I was 15 I actually made some runs in my dad’s car. It was a super stock T-Bird that ran 6.50s in the eighth.”

By 16, Tim was able to actually race (legally) and started driving his dad’s ’68 Mustang that was raced prior to the T-Bird. A natural at it, Tim raced with his dad at Ohio Valley Raceway every Saturday night in the Super Stock class, won a few races along the way and even the track champion-

ship in ’95.

During all this, and like a lot of others during the Fox body Mustang craze, he bought a modified 1985 Mustang street car. “That ’85 had a nice 306 motor that was built at our shop, Knieriem Racing Engines,” continued Tim. “My dad and I run the shop and had built this motor for a customer a few years prior and I wanted my own ride to start racing with, so I bought it. I had a lot of fun on the street with that car before it became a race car…I mean, with nitrous and a five-speed, who wouldn’t have fun? It ran 7.00s in the eighth-mile at the track and I could drive it anywhere. Back in the late ’90s, that was fast.”

Like everyone else that has ever raced, Tim wanted to go faster, so the transition from street toy to race car began. He built a 347 small block Ford with TFS twisted wedge heads and all the other stuff of the day to make it “bad.” A cage was installed and a more race friendly automatic C4 transmission was used. “And anything else it needed to go faster,” laughed

SMALL BLOCK...BIG POWER Not only is the build quality and detail of the Knieriem Racing Engines small block Ford exceptional to any standards, this thing makes some serious, serious grunt!

www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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SMALL BLOCK NASTY 1995 FORD MUSTANG

Team Owners: Tim Knieriem and Daryl Reynolds Chassis Type & Mods: Stock type suspension, 25.3 cert Fast Chassis cage with modifications by John Shelden Suspension (Front and Rear): Racecraft control arms in the rear with Afco/Menscer shock and spring package.

Racecraft drop spindle up front with Afco struts and springs Body & Paint: Glasstek fiberglass doors, Shields lexan windows, paint by Doug Reynolds (Daryl’s brother) Engine: Knieriem Racing Engines 400+ cubic inch small block Ford, Dart block, GRP rods, Ross Pistons, Edelbrock GV2 heads with cnc work by RFD, Total Seal rings, “the right cam” by Comp Cams, PBM .904 lifters, Manton pushrods Tim. After several years with that combo and running a best of 5.76 in the local True Street heads up class, Tim took another big swing.

“Our shop had just finished a new 427 Windsor for our customer and good friend, Bryan Gordon. Now he was running 5.50s in True Street trim and whipping everybody, including me! So of course I built another motor to try to go faster again.”

A 434 with Victor heads and new Double Cross nitrous plate system from Jeff Prock at Applied

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

Nitrous was now finding its way into the Mustang. Always willing to learn, Tim said, “...getting hooked up with Prock was one of the best things I ever did. He has taught me a lot about nitrous tuning during the last 10 or so years dealing with him.”

The new combination did the job for a while running 5.40s and winning several OSCA races and True Street races at Ohio Valley.

“Those days were fun because Bryan and I went back and forth winning in the True Street class, and he was my customer. We

Induction: Edelbrock intake, Quick Fuel QFX carburetor Power Adder: Applied Nitrous dual fogger nitrous system Electronics: MSD digital 7, Racepak digital dash, RPM data logger, XS Power 16 volt battery Transmission & Converter: Bilbrey Racing Transmission powerglide, PTC converter Rear Differential: Custom fabricated 9-inch by Racecraft, Strange Ultra Case & 40 spline axles Tires: Rear - Mickey Thompson 275/60R15 ET Street Radial Pro Best ET & MPH: 4.78 at 145mph (eighth-mile)

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

SMALL BLOCK NASTY

BLACK BEAUTY. BAD BRUISER. It is jet black and straight as an arrow and this is no run of the mill ’95 Mustang. From the cowl hood to the custom wing, the fit, finish, and detail could go head to head with most show cars— only this one is anything but as it is beat on regularly with Tim behind the wheel.

met in the finals several times and as the builder of both motors I really enjoyed it.”

As the natural progression of the day for most nitrous guys seemed to go, Tim switched to a fogger system in 2004 because he liked the idea of being able to tune cylinders individually. Even though he had to add weight as per the rules, he went faster.

“I went 5.30s with the fogger and had a great year in 2004, winning six of seven races and the championship in True Street with OSCA. After a subpar year in 2005 with only one win, I decided to sit out a while and save some money. The cost of com-

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SMALL BLOCK NASTY peting in heads-up categories had exploded and it didn’t make sense to continue to spend so much money if I couldn’t compete,” Tim added.

In late 2006 he put the car back together with a few new pieces, but for the most part it was the same combination. However he continued to fall behind the big blocks that had begun to dominate.

It was about that time that Tim and a friend he grew up bracket racing with decided that they both wanted to go heads-up racing, but could do it more competitively as a team. “A friend, Daryl Reynolds, wanted to get into the heads-up game but had no interest in driving himself. So we partnered up using a car he had just bought and my drivetrain.”

Tim made a few upgrades to the motor before fitting it into the new chassis, using the same basic bottom end stuff but also a new set of Edelbrock GV2 heads CNC’d by RFD, a new valvetrain, and a new cam from COMP Cams. The car that Daryl bought was a 1995 Mustang that had been started but never finished. The cage was 25.3 certified and completed by Fast Chassis, then

a local racer and fabricator, John Shelden, helped them finish the car and Daryl’s brother, Doug, painted it. The outcome of all that hard work definitely speaks for itself.

“It took nearly three years and a lot of help from family and friends, but we finally got it finished,” continued Tim. “Neither of us could afford to just pay somebody to do the work so it took us longer than I guess it should have, but it was all done right here by us and a few friends. To see how well the car works makes it all worthwhile. It drives great and has some of the best sixty-foot times ever in its class.”

Since completed, Tim and Daryl have run the car at a number of races that draw some of the baddest cars in the country and won the “second chance X275” race in 2013, despite being 200lbs. over the minimum weight. They also won two races at Ohio Valley in 2013 and finished second in points with OSCA. Then, in February of this year, a new opportunity opened up in the creation of the NitrousX class. It seemed as if it was designed for their car. Tim explains, “NitrousX is a small block nitrous only

class. Plus, the minimum weights are heavier, so our car fits in perfect.

We went there and qualified #1 with a 4.86, won first round with another 4.86, but then the rain came and the rest of the race was canceled.

With only two full years of racing this car under our belts, I think the future looks good based on its performance so far.”

Like all racing efforts, Daryl and Tim have a lot of help. “We’d like to thank Mike Tindall who helps get the car turned around at the track. My wife Amy, who has always been there with me since my first runs down the track. Shelby and Cole, our two kids who have gotten involved in the sport with their Jr. dragsters. Plus a lot of companies have been helpful too; Jason at VP Fuels, PBM, Zack at Quick Fuel,

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

CAGED HORSE The SFI 25.3 certified cage was built by Fast Chassis and modified

by John Shelden. continued on page 68

www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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RPM Connections Performance Directory... Connecting YOU With The Industry

Chassis Body Suspension

Fabrication, Parts, Service

Engines & Cylinder Heads Parts, Service, Machine Work

RPM Connections Performance Directory... Connecting YOU With The Industry

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Race Orgs, Tracks & Events

Power Adders Incl. Nitrous Oxide Blowers/Superchargers Turbochargers, Systems/Parts/Service

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Tires & Wheels

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Page 67

MISC.

Incl. Buildings, Flooring, Insurance, Tools, Canopies, Tents, Graphics

Tuning & Electronics

Incl. Ignitions, Control Systems, Parts & Service

RACE CRAFTED The Racecraft fabricated 9-inch rear diff is supported

by Racecraft control arms and Afco coil over shocks.

PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF Tim purges the nitrous system while readying for another 4-second eighth-mile blast.

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MAY 2014 | RPM Magazine

SMALL BLOCK NASTY UNREAL BUILD The attention to detail and craftsmanship displayed in the car are incredible and rival that of any show car. That seems unlikely considering how hard the car is pushed week in and week out, but Tim and Daryl like to keep it pristine.

THE CREW From left to right: Eric Saffel from Afco, Mike Tindall, Tim, Daryl, Allen from Afco and Johnny Hopewell.

Afco, Mark Menscer, COMP Cams, RFD, Manton, Applied Nitrous, XS Power, LAT Oil, Bilbrey Transmissions, PTC, Total Seal, Ross Pistons, GRP Ross, Jesel, Cometic Gaskets, Danny Bee, Randy at RPM data loggers, and many others who have helped us along the way. Afco was actually with us at our recent test session.

We tested their new struts and went faster than we ever had.

Also, Jason Rueckert from VP prepped the track for us and it was the best surface we’ve ever been on…1.10 sixty-foot time!

Thanks again guys!”

By the way, during that test session noted above, on the weekend of April 26th, 2014 Tim and Daryl lowered their best elapsed time to a blistering 4.78 in the eighth-mile at 145mph (and were still 200lbs heavy for the X275 class)… now that’s nasty!

De signed t o mee t t he demanding r igor s of r acing.

Engineer ed to WIN.

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DRAG RACE ACTION

story and photos by

goDragRacing Mark

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

additional photos by

Tara Bowker Black Rock Photography

AND THE WINNER IS...Your

Door Wars champion Dwayne Wolfe pulling his 2002 Firebird down with chutes open and front end plowing the wind past the 1320ft mark on another sub-6.10 pass. Wolfe’s “bracket car” consistency and dead-on lights landed him right in the winner circle.

T

here’s no doubt that with the effects of the worst winter in 20 years from coast to coast that fans of any and all outdoor sports have been anxiously awaiting their opportunity to again break open the doors and venture out to get their first fix.

For motorsports fans awaiting the opening day when horsepower hits the ground, MIR (Maryland International Raceway) provided this much-needed lead-in to the season. The professional drivers in all classes barely had time to become accustomed to the almost overnight change of seasons in the Northeast. Just a week prior, snow and freezing temps were still in the forecast. Once the gates were opened though, the mighty ¼-mile responded well to the sudden rise of 80+ degrees on the initial test day. The outstanding weather followed through the whole weekend as racers performed to packed stands; a

>> Horsepower on Steroids: Pro Mods at MIR glorious way to begin 2014!

I myself was just itching to see all the classes bring on the action, and they did not fail to perform. Pre-race testing on a fairly “green” track showed promise as it came to life fast.

The staff (lead by Jason Miller and father Royce Miller) is known for their neck-snapping track prep. Teams would now have the opportunity to rekindle the old battles of last year, regain their titles, and bring on the personal, yet friendly, wars between one another.

Both lanes were capable of draining the “bad blood” and begin a new year of rivalries with no excuses.

One very cool addition for 2014 for fans was that for the first time ever in drag racing they could hear all the action live through Action Audio Apps, new technology where smartphone users can actually tune into the racers, tower, and pits.

Did we happen to mention the NEOPMA series has some of the most beautiful Pro Mods from just over the border in Virginia? This car is spectacular! Painted by Bruce Mullins himself, even the airbrushing was done in his own shop where he restores and paints many of the finest rides in the Mid-Atlantic States. Bruce comes to the series sporting 526ci of show-quality Hemi power under belt-driven pressure.

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DRAG RACE ACTION A name you will be hearing more of in the future, Carl Stevens, Jr. struggled after going over the car during the winter. This gorgeous 2014 Camaro was capable of 5.88 @ 258mph last year after a few test hits and a little unhappy ending at Maple Grove when the chutes didn’t deploy. The car, out of his own shop (www. xtremeracecars.com), is back in race form now and is powered by a twin turbo 521ci Hemi.

Hot off his recent debut in the newly formed PDRA series, Gerry Capano and his wife Heather visited MIR on a two-weekend stretch of racing. The Hemi under the hood of this wicked classic-styled Vette of Split Racing decided it didn’t want to go the distance and the call was made not to push the engine any further.

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The year 2013 ended at this same track for the ultimate door cars of the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) with the Inaugural Canada vs. USA event. Canada took home the honors and for the racers of this organization it was an event to remember.

Points Champion Gary Courtier was in a headto-head battle with Fredy Scriba which was settled in the second round as Scriba was eliminated giving way to Courtier. Top speed and MPH was captured again and again going back and forth between David Hance and Robert Patrick. It is all null and void now though, as this first race of the new season would throw down the gloves and put all on notice, “2014 will be ours!”

QUALIFYING

A huge 24-car field of competitive race cars was in the house; turbos, blowers and nitrous would be on the menu for the weekend.

Back for this race, after a hiatus running NHRA and other venues, Peter Farber blistered the quarter-mile to spot number one in his brilliant red supercharged CRC Daytona with a 5.881 at 247.93 mph. Craig Pio, well known for his Outlaw 10.5 record, took ownership of a record-holding 1953 Corvette Pro Mod sporting twin turbos. Pio had not been down a full 1320ft in years (as Outlaw 10.5 is all eighth-mile) but you wouldn’t know it as he ran it out the back door to the tune of 5.950 at 250.74mph, capturing top speed.

2013 points champion Gary Courtier would plaster 5.996 at 238.22 on the boards with another flaming nitrous pass from his 855-inch powered ’68 Camaro.

All eight cars in the top half of the ladder were sub 6.10 passes followed through to the final sixteen with respectable sub 6.20s.

This indeed was going to be a WAR!

As the track tightened up, Peter Farber hit the tires hard on his stunning red Daytona filled with 529-inches of Hemi power. The car responded in the dense late night air leaving low ET on the boards with a 5.881 @ 247. Farber will also be running in this year’s NHRA schedule.

ELIMINATION HIGHLIGHTS

Round one in Pro Modified was nothing but upsets. Dean Marinis would deny Angela Ray another round by .013-seconds at the stripe. Back in action after a horrific accident two years ago, Ed Burnley’s nitrous-assisted 872-inch beast returned strong to the Association after rebuilding the car and running in many eighthmile venues. Burnley laid the smackdown to crowd favorite George Williams. III, both cars performing with wicked flame-throwing nitrous passes.

Everyone in the win column was 6.00 or quicker!

Back for round two and no one was let down on action as Gary Courtier won on a brilliant holeshot with a .054-start and 6.085 run at 238mph to Fredy Scriba’s unusually late .132 6.031 at 235. The margin of victory was just .024-seconds. Dwayne Wolfe had the complete package, a .038 start and a 6.028 at 236mph run as Tommy Gray regained his composure but fell short in the sleek Undertaker Corvette (6.152 at 235mph). Craig Pio would get treed bigtime, leaving with a .131-second start but running a searing 6.031 at 249 only to lose to Ed Burnley’s stellar .064-second light and slightly slower 6.083 at 235

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It didn’t take long for 2013 points champion Gary Courtier to get right back into the mix. The ‘68 Camaro is shockingly brilliant on this pass with pipes blazing under spray. This 5.99 @ 238 pass is right back where he left off. The fans love this car!

mph…it was all won on the starting line!

Peter Farber would toss the blower belt off his Daytona at mid-track against Dean Marinis who was already into tire shake.

Marinis felt it was not an option to try and re-start the car while filled with nitrous to catch Farber who was just out of reach.

The semi-final war unfolded with Ed Burnley, who stunned everyone earlier with his “off the trailer” 6.08 in qualifying, rolling up on the huge slicks between his hand-rowed gear changes and shutting off early as Gary Courtier slowed to a 6.258 at 221mph. The old-school head-to-head doorslammer race of the day happened moments before Peter Farber said “I seriously underestimated Wolfe’s car.”

Farber put down a solid 6.009 at 245mph to Wolfe’s slower 6.011 at 237 but was just slightly slower off the start. The margin of victory for Wolfe was a mere .012-seconds.

The long-awaited final was upon us in the failing light of an incredible weekend.

And yes, it was a blower vs. nitrous final!

After the long smoky burnouts subsided, both Dwayne Wolfe and Gary Courtier were led into the beams. Courtier mashed the throttle and the car immediately

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

jumped through the beams red lighting before the tree fell giving Wolfe’s stellar 6.009 at 237 run the win after a hardfought weekend. Wolfe made very few changes to the car during the off-season other than the Noonan cylinder heads.

“The Wolfe Racing Pro Mod was working perfectly. Royce Miller, his Family and all the staff at MIR took care of all the racers, and prepped the track perfectly,” Wolfe said afterwards.

The Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association runs a full 10 race schedule in the Northeast. More details can be found at www.NEOPMA.com. Follow them on facebook at www.facebook.com/NEOPMA for all news and updates.

NEOPMA would like to thank their associate sponsors: ATI Performance Products, Jesel, Stupid Fast Racing, USA Auto Supply, Performance2Way, Switzer Dynamics, Resolution Racing Services, Jeff Miller Performance, American Racing Headers, RPM Magazine, Goodyear Racing Tires, Star Transporters/Renegade, VP Racing Fuel, Barker Racing, Split Racing, Scriba Welding, Star Cab Co., T&F Racing, Ram Clutches and Action Audio Apps.

Down in this area of Maryland, George Williams from Upstate New York is what many of the fans come to see. And why not, this image depicts the ferocious nature of his beast with “top secret” cubic inches and large amounts of nitrous added into the mix. Here, at 60-feet out, the car’s candles are fully lit even though he’s in severe tire shake.

DRAG RACE ACTION

Also coming right from the recent PDRA race, Ed Burnley was back with the Association banging gears and taking names, FAST! His opening shot of 6.03 in qualifying told the tale of things to come.

872 cubic inches and lots of nitrous is all he needed until the track couldn’t handle the amount of power he laid down. The fire show from the pipes during his runs had the fans on their feet.

Newcomer to the full quartermile Craig Pio is well known for his record run’s in Outlaw 10.5. You probably won’t find a car with more history either as this is the ‘53 Corvette driven to an earlier Pro Mod record

by Melanie Troxel. Pio jumped right in and responded with a number two qualifying spot and took top MPH at a blistering 252!

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RPM PROJECT CAR

TRACTION FOR THE MASSES

>>Thanks to MSD, you don’t have to sell a kidney to get traction control by

Chuck Scott

I

don’t have to explain to you guys why wheel speed control is valuable to drag racers. For years real traction control was something that only big money racers could take advantage of. It was taboo in heads-up racing for a long time, with most guys keeping their little boxes secret.

Then along came the beloved MSD 7531 Digital 7 boxes that gave the average racer a taste of wheel speed control. Riding the dots became as common as golf carts at the drag strip. The 7531 worked but it did so by a time-based rev limiter that would hit a rev limit if the engine accelerated faster than the user plotted run curve.

The 7531 box only measured engine speed

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

instead of actual wheel speed, which isn’t nearly as accurate due to varying converter or clutch slip. Hot lapping your car could result in increased slip which would cause the time-based rev limit to hit if set very close. The 7531 contributed to a big

leap in performances over traditional ignitions with many advance features like timing curves, individual cylinder timing, multiple stages of retard, boost-referenced retard or the ability to log crankcase vacuum. Still, if you wanted a fast timing based traction control using driveshaft speed, you had to cough up enough to buy a good used car to get one.

In the first issue of 2011, I covered the hottest new parts at the 2010 PRI Show

from December. The one that got the most attention was, no doubt, MSD Ignition’s brand new Power Grid. The Grid took the Digital 7’s dominance to another level with a new modular design and improved features like more stages of retard, more total available degrees of timing that can be pulled, data logging to a removable mini SD card and a USB communication port replaced the dated serial port. The modular design allows multiple configurations to fit every racers needs. You just buy the add-on modules you need and add new ones as MSD dreams them up. A few issues later, we did an install of the MSD Grid-7 7720 ignition, the Power Grid 7730 controller and the 7740 CAN-BUS Hub in Project 4-Lug, but at the time the slippery track taming 7761 ARC module wasn’t

1 1: MSD Power Grid ARC module with the included 8’ driveshaft sensor harness extension. Also shown are the required Racepak Hall Effect sensor (part number 800-SS-MSC-5) and the Racepak 8 magnet driveshaft collar. Racepak has three different sizes in the 8 magnet collar and we used the 2.187” inside diameter model to fit the Mark Williams yoke in 4-Lug Thug. If you don’t already have an MSD 7740 CAN-BUS Hub, you will need one to plug in the ARC module.

available…yet. We had intended to add the ARC module when it was released later in the year but got sidetracked with other projects. Now, with Spring in the air and a finished car about to bust the garage doors down, we realized that we never added the spin buster.

ARC stands for Advanced RPM Control and that, in a nutshell, is what is does. It controls your engine and driveshaft RPM at every inch of your pass. By having total control of the vehicle RPM, you in turn control traction or wheel speed.

When you spin, whether it be slightly hazing the tires or a full

smokefest, the driveshaft RPM climbs faster than intended and the racing surface will allow.

The ARC module plugs into the Powergrid system’s CANBUS hub and integrates into the Grid’s MSD View software.

It allows you to copy a good prior logged run from MSD ReView and paste it into the driveshaft curve graph in the ARC section of MSD View. You can then use it to lay out your limit curves. You have three different curves to plot with the familiar connect-the-dots run graph. You have an “A” retard curve, a “B” retard curve and if it spins through two levels

www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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2 2: The aftermarket pinion yoke on our 8.8 Ford rear end has a nice flat section to accept a 2.187” driveshaft magnet collar. Not all pinion yokes have a provision for a collar. Space it as far forward as possible so there is a decent gap between the collar and the pinion seal.

3 3: Racepak supplies an Allen wrench to install the two countersunk bolts clamping the two collar halves onto the pinion yoke. Alternate between the two fasteners so that the collar cinches up evenly.

of retards and it’s still killin the Mickey Thompsons, there is a rev limit curve that will knock the wind out of its sails.

Typically, you would draw your first retard curve close above your best clean pass with only a few RPM difference between the retard curve and your actual pass’ logged RPM curve. You can determine how much timing is pulled from each retard curve if it is touched during a pass and you can vary the amount pulled by how far along the pass you are when it touches the dots. That first retard curve may be just a couple degrees or less since it is so

close to the projected run curve.

A moment with two degrees pulled can often be enough to prevent any noticeable traction loss. A few RPM above the first retard curve you would add a second that will pull a little more timing if the tires slip enough to get much past the first retard curve. Then, above both retard curves you can plot an “all else has failed” rev limit curve. So if it the driveshaft RPM spikes up past the first and second timing barriers, the final rev limit brick wall will clamp the motor to stop further acceleration until the driveshaft RPM is back at its

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RPM PROJECT CAR 4: When building the crude rear housing braces, I included a tab on top of the old mounting point for the OEM vibration damper. It now comes in handy as a spot to bolt up the Hall Effect sensor bracket. When bolting up the sensor, make sure it is squarely pointing at the collar and lines up with the magnets.

4

5: Racepak specifies an air gap between the sensor and collar with an allowable range from .050 to .100 inch. I set this one at .065 inch. I ran the sensor cable up through a grommet in the floor pan. Be sure to leave enough slack in the harness to allow for suspension travel without pulling on the sensor.

5

6 6: Before connecting any new modules to the Grid system, connect the Grid controller to your laptop with an internet connection and check the Help menu on the MSD View software for updates. If you can’t get an internet connection where your car is, you can manually update your software. I was able to connect but the software was confirmed by the system as the most recent version. I found a nice cozy spot to mount the ARC module beside the other Power Grid equipment and plugged in the ARC’s MSD CAN connector into the CAN-BUS strip. Once it is plugged in you can connect to it in the MSD View software and check the ARC driver software the same way to ensure it is the most recent version.

One sheathed pair of cables are optional to use. The white wire with a blue stripe is to send the driveshaft signal from the ARC module to a Racepak data logger. This prevents having to run two sensors if you are sending driveshaft data to your Racepak. The yellow wire is an output wire that switches to ground whenever the ARC is retarding or rev limiting.

You could use it to turn on an indicator light to tell you in real time every time the ARC is correcting wheel speed. You could probably come up with some other tricky stuff to use it for as well. If you aren’t using either wire, they will need to be insulated to prevent a short.

Wrap them individually with electrical tape or heat shrink.

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7: The last cable coming out of the ARC module is the driveshaft sensor harness. It can plug directly to the Racepak sensor cable or to the provided 8-foot extension cable. With our electronics board mounted where the rear seat used to be, I could actually plug it in without the extension but it would be dangerously tight.

8: With everything mounted and connected, I believe we have enough room to squeeze in a couple more Power Grid add-on modules if they are needed.

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9 9: Without an actual logged pass to use as a reference, I just plotted a hypothetical set of retard curves and rev limit curve. If I had a good clean pass data logged on MSD ReView, I could paste it onto this graph and plot my first retard limit curve (bottom red trace) just above the actual run following its path. The bottom trace is the first line of defense, the second or middle trace is the second retard limiter barrier and the top black line would be the rev limit curve if it spins bad enough that the two levels of retard does not bring the wheel speed back in line.

predetermined allowable speed as compared to the time since launch.

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RPM PROJECT CAR

10

the safe A to B tune and your opponent goes with a hail Mary and sticks it, you will likely be loading on the trailer. If you choose the rotate the earth tune and the guy in the other lane plays it safe, you could spin or take out the retaining wall while the slower car goes to the next round.

Track conditions can

10: This screen shot shows the Retard Above Limit graph. This is how you select how much timing is pulled if the driveshaft RPM breaks out of its allowed acceleration rate. The vertical numbers up the left side indicate how many degrees are pulled with zero at the top. The numbers going horizontally across the bottom are seconds from launch with release of the transbrake represented by the zero on the bottom left corner. The top black trace represents the desired amount of timing you want pulled if the driveshaft speed hits the bottom trace (red trace from screen shot/photo 9). Here, I set it a little less than two degrees early in the run and even less by two seconds down track. The lower blue trace would be the timing pulled if driveshaft speed isn’t brought back into control by the first retard limit curve of less than 2 degrees, this one would pull almost 5 degrees early and 4 later in the pass if the second retard limit curve is hit (blue middle trace from photo 9).

You can choose anywhere from 0 to -20 degrees pulled as long as total timing pulled combined with other retard functions of the Grid controller do not go past 30 degrees. We will let you know how good it works and show some actual run logs as soon as we get our Thug project to the racetrack.

change drastically by even a passing cloud shading the track momentarily. Using the ARC module isn’t a guaranteed clean pass and it won’t allow you to make a killer run on an ice covered drag strip, but if used wisely, your chances of not having to abort a run on race day will be much better.

SOURCES MSD Performance

www.msdignition.com Ph. 915.855.7123

Racepak

www.racepak.com Ph. 949.709.5555

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www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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RPM PROJECT CAR

PART 6: by

Four states of metal

Toby Brooks

I

n science class, you probably learned that matter exists in three states: gases, solids, and liquids (For the record, there are actually five. Google it). In the case of Project aPocalypSe Horse, this just isn’t true. At the moment, our build exists in at least four states. But how could this be? Read on.

In our last installment of Project aPocalypSe Horse, we told you about our incredible twin ProCharger induction system that Terry Woods and The Supercharger Store in Huachuca City, AZ scratch-built to help equip the world’s first double-blown Kaase Boss Nine engine.

Using parts from March Performance, Tuff Stuff, PRW, and Innovators West, Terry added a custom gear drive and also carved up several one-off billet pieces to get the entire system buttoned up, working together, and ready to ship to Jon Kaase Racing Engines in Winder, GA. This month, TIG welders in two other states were humming, as Rich Gebhardt and the

>>Chassis and custom intake fabrication begin and the Horse gets a new set of shoes for the drag strip crew at Gebhardt Pro Cars in Jacksonville, IL got rolling on the full tube chassis and Mike Weinle at Weinle Motorsports in Cleves, OH neared completion on a trick one-off sheetmetal intake.

Gebhardt started by taking the Mustang shell we had delivered and further stripped it down. Although the drivetrain and much of the interior had been gutted, we left the dash and door panels in place in order to help Rich build a cage that would fit closely around the factory pieces.

Gebhardt’s crew promptly pulled the doors and front clip, stripped the remainder of the interior, and removed the remaining suspension and tires and wheels.

Once nearly every bolt, nut, and screw had been removed, Gebhardt’s understudy Tommy Fox got out the Sawzall and happily cut away the front doghouse (Tommy is a diehard Bowtie fan, so cutting up our Ford gave him an extra satisfaction). The Pro Cars crew then pulled out the plasma cutter and blasted out the factory floor

pans and firewall after moving what was left of the shell over to the chassis jig.

In order for the chassis to meet tech requirements once completed, a host of special construction features have to be included along the way. A veteran of over 500 completed race or high performance street machine chassis builds, Gebhardt could probably recite the various sanctioning body tech standards by heart if prompted.

The first step in the process was to lay out the dual main bars that will serve as the primary attachment points for the remainder of the frame. Using S&W Race Cars 0.83 wall 1 5/8” chrome moly tubing, Gebhardt carefully positioned the pieces and initiated the build.

The VFN Fiberglass nose for our project features a seven-inch stretch that provides a more stable extended wheelbase and also gives a bit more breathing room for our wild block-mounted induction

1 84

1: Upon arrival at Gebhart’s Pro Cars, Rich and the crew stripped out the rest of the interior and removed the front clip prior to putting the car on the chassis jig. In this pic, the firewall has been readied for removal before being cut out with a plasma cutter.

JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

In this photo, the car has been placed on the chassis jig and the doors, firewall, floorpans, wheelwells, and trunk floor have all been removed. This is as bare as it gets, kids.

Building a full-guns tube chassis late-model pro streeter is NOT for the faint of heart!

system. However, after talking with Rich, we decided to extend the nose and front suspension by just five inches. This will afford us the additional space we need while also allowing some flexibility when it becomes time to fit the front clip without dramatically altering the car’s proportions as much.

Gebhardt crew members Steve Comstock and Rick Surratt then dove in, smoothing the shell where the factory metal had been cut away and laying out the other tubing that would soon become the skeleton of the floor. Using a tape measure, a fishmouth tube cutting jig, and a TIG welder with deft precision, the pair started to stitch the various pieces together. Meanwhile, Gebhardt continued to bend up the pieces that would soon become the main hoops of the roll cage. Expect to see more on the process in coming installments.

In order to accurately fabricate the rear frame rails, the S&W Race Cars fabricated Ford rear housing and Moser axles appro-

2 2: Nearly everything you see in this picture with the exception of the roof will be replaced with custom fabricated components, including a full tube air strut front suspension and custom firewall.

priately to accommodate the massive rear tires and wheels, we needed the actual parts we would be running. As we stated in an earlier article, the car will eventually feature a gorgeous set of one-off Budnik billet wheels and Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR rubber on all four corners. However, given the anticipated performance of the car in the high sixes at or around 200 mph in the quarter-mile, a set of race-only wheels and tires would be needed. As a result, we ordered up a set of Billet Specialties beautiful SFI-certified Street Lite wheels with Goodyear Eagle rear slicks and Moroso front runners.

We were fortunate enough to receive one of the first pairs of 17x4.5-inch Street Stars Billet Specialties has ever produced.

The new size not only looks more at home on late model muscle cars than the traditional 15-inch diameter fronts, they also provide more room for larger brakes. The one-piece design is carved from 6061-T6 billet, boasts the hardcore SFI 15.2 cer-

3 3: The factory struts and engine cradle were removed in addition to what remained of the factory wiring harness. Plans call for a full Ride Tech front suspension and aftermarket wiring. We’re currently trying to sell all factory parts on Craigslist to recoup our costs.

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RPM PROJECT CAR 4: The entire front end from the firewall forward was cut away with a reciprocating saw. Raw edges were then dressed with a plasma cutter.

4

5

5: Gebhardt’s Steve Comstock places the main tubes and clamps them into the frame jig. It is critical to get every piece just right, but none are more important than this pair.

6

6: Gebhardt crew member Rick Surratt grinds the factory body shell prior to cutting a cross bar to be installed just ahead of the S&W Racecars 4-link.

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9

7

10 8 7: Here Comstock measures the position of another crossbrace to be added to the floor. NHRA rules clearly stipulate everything from tubing size to wall thickness as well as acceptable placement of all bars. Gebhardt’s 500+

chassis builds help him to know exactly where and how everything has to be fabricated.

8: Full tube fabrication is a meticulous process requiring both patience and skill.

9: Our 17x4.5-inch Billet Specialties Street Stars were some of the first wheels built in the new larger diameter skinny fronts. Here they are at the factory ready to be boxed and shipped.

10: The newly released17-inch diameter Moroso Front Runners are a perfect complement to our wheels.

tification required by many sanctioning bodies, and at just 14.5 pounds also enhances acceleration and braking over heavier wheels. With a 4.5-inch bolt circle and a 2.25-inch backspace, they will work nicely with our factory spindles and Baer Brakes.

Mated to the new fronts is a pair of the new 17-inch Moroso Front Runner tires. Like the wheels, the front runners have been available in 15-inch diameter for some time, however, due to growing demand for larger diameters, Moroso recently released the larger diameter DS2s.

The low rolling resistance and aircraft-inspired tread design are perfect for strip duty. The lack of DOT approval won’t be a problem for the Horse, as the previously mentioned MT Sportsman SRs will handle street chores.

For the rear, we got a massive set of 15x15-inch dual beadlock Street Stars and equally fat Goodyear Eagle 33x17 slicks.

Although 20-inch or bigger diameter wheels are all the rage in some circles, they aren’t in ours. We wanted plenty of torque-wrinkled sidewall girth and there is simply no better look than a 15x15 rear wheel in our opinion.

Fox installed the valve stems, mounted up the tires, torqued down the beadlocks, and inflated the new hides. By the time he was finished, we had a gorgeous and functional set of tires and wheels that will not only help during the chassis fabrication but also allow us to pass tech and hook up like we’re running on Velcro once the entire car is complete.

Meanwhile in Georgia, Kaase Racing had received pretty much every part necessary to initiate the engine build with the exception of the intake manifold.

We opted to ship the block to nearby Best Metal Polishing to apply some trick metal finish-

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RPM PROJECT CAR

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12

11: Gebhardt understudy and all-around good guy Tommy Fox tightens down the beadlocks on the massive 15x15-inch Billet Specialties rear wheels after mounting up the equally ginormous Goodyear slicks.

12: The finished set is balanced and ready for chassis mockup. With the exact same dimensions as our custom one-off Budnik Wheels and Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR radials, we shouldn’t have any issues with fitment when changing between the two sets.

13: After bolting down a pair of Boss Nine Kaase heads to a mockup 460 Ford block, Weinle starts by fabricating an aluminum valley pan using customcut components.

14: Weinle previously had to send out all CNC work to another company.

However, his company now has their own in-house CNC mill and can cut their own runners and other parts. Seen here is one of the Horse’s runners that will soon be welded to the intake base.

15: The pair of massive 90 mm Accufab billet throttle bodies are held in place for mockup.

13

14

15

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

ing treatments to the block, heads, and supercharger and accessory drive (more on this next month as the shortblock assembly will begin). At the same time, Weinle Motorsports in Ohio got busy fabbing up the one-off intake.

Using a pair of Boss Nine loaner heads provided by Kaase, Weinle kicked off the process by cutting and welding up a valley pan to serve as a starting point. He then custom cut eight enormous runners on his CNC machine. CNC runners not only look dead sexy and eliminate a huge amount of welding compared to fabricated versions, they also ensure that air, fuel, and—in our case—an occasional shot of nitrous, flow smoothly into the engine.

With the runners cut, Weinle welded them to the base. We had to make room for the MSD Pro Billet distributor that we opted to leave unmodified. Although an offset drive or front mounted unit could have allowed us to go with a lower overall profile on the intake, this is, after all, pro street.

If a little is good, a lot is better.

A ten-inch tall tunnel ram with twin Accubab throttle bodies with orifices large enough to swallow a herd of small domestic animals should be just about right. At the same time, there will be plenty of room for our distributor. Problem solved.

With the base and runners done, we had to settle on a shape and design for the upper plenum. Our piece needs to accommodate the twin Accufab throttle bodies, a set of 250# TRE Performance injectors,

(800) 208-1755

FAST billet fuel rails, two stages and at least 12 NOS nitrous fogger nozzles, and a pair of trick fuel and nitrous rails. That’s a lot of accommodating.

We scoured the interwebs to try and come up with a unique, functional, and cool looking design. You’ll have to tune in next month to see if we hit the mark on all counts.

It is cruel irony that building a fast car can be such a slow process. As much as we’d love to mash the pedal and finish our build quickly, the reality is that craftsmanship of this quality just simply shouldn’t be

rushed. However, we’re certain that the end result will be worth the wait.

So if you were keeping track, between Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, and Ohio, that was a total of at least four different states in which fabrication was going on our build.

That’s a lot of states of metal.

Tune in next month as we continue our quest to build the wildest pro street Mustang the world has ever known. In the meantime, you can follow our progress on rpm-mag.com and facebook.com/rpmmag.

Join us as we usher in the Second Coming of Pro Street!

SOURCES • The Supercharger Store 314 W Highway 82 Huachuca City, AZ 85616 520.456.9706

• Billet Specialties 500 Shawmut Ave. La Grange Park, IL 60526 866.317.5936

• Jon Kaase Racing Engines 735 W. Winder Industrial Pkwy.

Winder, GA 30680 770.307.0241

• Goodyear Racing 200 Innovation Way Akron, OH 44316 330.796.2121

• Gebhardt Pro Cars 1407 Elm St. Jacksonville, IL 62650 217.370.0308

• Moroso Performance Products 80 Carter Drive Guilford, CT 06437 203.453.6571

www.thesuperchargerstore.com

www.jonkaaseracingengines.com

• S&W Race Cars 11 Mennonite Church Rd. Spring City, PA 19475 800.523.3353 www.swracecars.com

www.billetspecialties.com

www.racegoodyear.com

www.moroso.com

• Weinle Motorsports 4817 E. Miami River Rd. Cleves, OH 45002 513.607.2592

www.weinlemotorsports.com

Meziere.com

Crafted in the U.S.A.

www.rpm-mag.com | JUNE 2014

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BEFORE

RPM’s continuing do-it-yourself shop series shows how you can put together your own modern workspace, too! by

Toby Brooks

PART 3:

L

ast month we showed you how we finished up initial construction on our all-new Nucor Building Systems 30x50-foot utility building. With 11.5-foot sidewalls and a sturdy 2x6-inch steel stud construction, our multi-purpose shop space was ready for some amenities, including a durable high-tech floor coating, a full complement of wiring, outlets, switches, and lighting, and a new 4-post lift. Needless to say it has been an ambitious month around the Hardcore Horsepower Garage, but we’re thrilled to say we got it all done and have already started enjoying the new functionality.

>>Our floor goes from shame to shine with an EpoxyMaster floor coating We started out by addressing our raw concrete floor. We actually started this project in July by having the slab poured by a shady local contractor.

That said, it had had plenty of time to cure and coating would not be a problem. At the same time, the heavy equipment that had been used during construction had left heavy tire marks all over the concrete.

We called up the experts at EpoxyMaster to ask about one of their available high gloss showroom shine kits. We had seen the cheapie kits at the home improvement store, but have read page after page of bad reviews about hot tire pick up, peeling, and

other durability issues. After speaking with Tony Zaccagnini at EpoxyMaster, we decided to splurge and go for their 100% solids two-part epoxy system.

On Tony’s suggestion, we went with four of their three-gallon kits in tan with autumn brown, white, and black chips. We ordered two kits with tools and two without.

Prior to applying the floor coating, we had to get the surface prepped and ready. Although chemical etching is one option, by most accounts it is much preferred to use a grinder to prep the surface mechanically.

We rented a two head floor grinder from a local tool rental store and

!!!

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RPM GARAGE

AFTER WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Our shop was built upon a slab poured in July, and although it is relatively fresh and new, the construction process of our Nucor Building Systems utility building required the use of a rough terrain forklift that left the surface covered with tire tracks, not to mention a thick layer of dust due to the relentless West Texas wind. After a full day of prep work and a day and a half of installation time, we ended up with a floor that is not only functional, but beautiful as well. Unlike the unfinished floor, the glossy surface makes our workspace brighter and more professional and is also impervious to oil spills and stains. The decorative chips add depth and hide imperfections while also enhancing traction on the shop floor. We couldn’t be happier with the showroom shine, too!

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1

3: CLEAN IT OUT Our slab had been cut with expansion joints and nearly every inch was packed full of dust and mud. We scraped them all out with a screwdriver and used a shop vac to suck up the debris.

3 1 : GOTTA START SOMEWHERE Although our slab was new, it was covered in tire tracks from construction and lots of dust.

2

2: SWEEP IT UP We started the process by sweeping the entire floor. We also vacuumed out all the base panels and gave the expansion joints in the slab extra attention.

purchased a set of six grinding stones. Most such stores have both electrical and gas-powered units available.

Although electrical units are quieter and don’t produce fumes, our store had rented out their only electrical unit indefinitely. We threw up both garage doors and got ready to work with our gas unit.

Prior to grinding, we gave the whole shop a thorough sweeping and hit it with a leaf blower. We also took a shop vac to the perimeter and attempted to remove as much dust as possible. You can never get the surface too clean.

Grinding the floor was an arduous task that we really only got the hang

of when we had nearly completed the whole surface. Our first mistake was in over-wetting the surface. The unit had an attachment for a garden hose, so we hooked it up and let it spray. Unfortunately, while the water helps keep the dust down, it also dramatically reduces the effectiveness of the grinding stones.

The mistake cost us at least an hour of our lives in extra work.

Once we got the hang of the grinder, floor prep went along pretty easily. The water eventually dried, but left behind a powdery residue. We ended up mopping the entire surface, followed by another sweeping. Although that probably would have been good enough, we didn’t want to take any chances, so we repeated the process again, this time

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RPM GARAGE 6 4 4: ROCKS AND ROLL

5

The set of six grinding stones were positioned on the grinder heads before use. The rental store charged us $40 for the set. Buy two sets and return the spare set if you do not use it, because if one of the stones breaks, you’ll have a hard time finding one elsewhere and will have to drive in order to do so.

5: GRIND IT OUT The grinder cost $80 to rent for the weekend. In total, the grinding process took about three hours. A mask would be advisable in confined spaces and/or when grinding dry, but we opened both doors and used water to keep the dust down.

6: TIME TO SWEEP. AGAIN. The grinder did a good job of removing the heavy tire marks, but because we used too much water, we had a powdery residue left behind. We swept the entire surface before hitting it with the leaf blower.

7

7: START ’EM YOUNG

After sweeping and blowing off the surface, we mopped the entire floor with a hand mop followed by an old-fashioned hands-and-knees scrubbing. RPM’s youngest staffer, aspiring hot rodder Taye Brooks, was happy to get in on the action.

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RPM GARAGE 9

8

8: ITS ALL THERE We ordered four total three gallon kits—two with tools and two without. The kits with tools include resin and hardner, decorative paint chips, safety glasses, paint mixer and stirring sticks, trim brush, rubber gloves, a squeegee, and a roller. Other than masking tape, it was everything we needed to complete the job.

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10 9: BUCKET LIST The EpoxyMaster kit comes with a unique packagein-package system that provides the hardner in a gallon can in a removable nesting tray with the resin in the bucket below. Simply pull out the tray, mix the two parts thoroughly, and you’re ready to coat.

JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

10: GOTTA BE THE SHOES This was possibly the best $30 we have ever spent in our entire lives.

Without these spiked shoes, it is impossible to walk on your floor surface while the epoxy is going down.

With them, you can walk anywhere you want without making tracks.

Buy a pair if you plan to do the job!

11 11: YOU DO KNOW ABOUT THE CUPS, RIGHT? With two big bags of decorative chips and a 30x50-foot area to cover, we were concerned that we would apply too heavily at first and run out by the end of the job. To ensure we applied the chips evenly, we dividied the entire amount up into foam cups that we placed around the shop. As we finished a small section, we applied that section’s allotment of chips. As a result, we ended up with a consistent distribution throughout the entire floor.

mopping with a towel on our hands and knees. Although we plan to install wall panels that would cover the edges, we opted to go ahead and mask off the perimeter of the floor with masking tape prior to painting. This step was probably not necessary for our application, but it did ensure the end result would be clean and free of messy splatters.

One final blow out with our cordless leaf blower and we were ready to coat.

Before mixing, we donned appropriate protective gear and our spiked shoes. The shoes allow you to walk on the wet floor surface while working. Without them, you’ll be unable to step anywhere you have coated while wet. Trust us, if you are willing to invest this

much in coating your floor, the spiked shoes would be worth ten times their $30 additional cost.

They make things that much easier.

Provided you stride carefully, your steps will be undetectable.

Mixing couldn’t be easier. The EpoxyMaster kit comes shipped in a five-gallon bucket with the epoxy Part-B hardener neatly packaged in a removable nesting tray in a one-gallon can with the Part-A resin beneath. To prepare the solution, you need only to open the bucket, remove the gallon can and packaging, pour the hardener into the resin, and mix with the provided mixing tool for two minutes. We used a kitchen timer to be sure our time was perfect and used a corded drill. The mixture is thick and

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12

14 16 13 12-15: FINALLY TIME FOR COATING!

16: LOOK AT THAT SHINE!

15

First, we poured the one gallon hardener into the resin (12), then stirred with a corded drill for exactly two minutes (13). Once the two parts were thoroughly mixed, we poured the contents straight from the bucket onto the floor (14). We then used the squeegee to spread the epoxy evenly over the working area (15). We would suggest using either an old kitchen timer or a friend with a countdown timer app, as you don’t want to handle your phone after you’ve started working with the epoxy.

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After the epoxy has been roughly distributed, it is time to hit it with the roller to really smooth out the finish. The 100% solids mixture is self-leveling, meaning it will hide small imperfections in the surface.

The shine is unreal and is not dulled by the drying process.

RPM GARAGE 17: GETTIN’ CHIPPIE WIT’ IT Once we hit the coating with the squeegee and back rolled it with the roller, the surface was smooth and even. While still wet, we the sprinkled down the evenly-divided three-color paint chips. The chips not only add dimension and beauty, they also help hide imperfections and add a bit of traction, as well.

17 would have probably been too much for our tired old cordless drill. Take our advice—don’t risk it.

Once the two parts are poured together, the clock is ticking. After mixing thoroughly for two minutes, the coating is ready to apply. We poured the contents of the bucket onto the floor as directed in the EpoxyMaster instructions then spread it evenly using the included squeegee.

After the coating was evenly distributed, we went

back over the surface with the high quality roller included in the kit, back rolling the entire application for a smooth, glossy sheen.

We were able to cover approximately 350 square feet with each three-gallon kit. We applied the coating along the borders cut in our slab by the initial contractor which helped minimize any roller marks as we worked over the entire surface.

Using the spiked shoes, the process was straightforward and simple, but the constant fear of the product hardening kept us continually in motion.

Once one section was complete, we distributed the allotted paint chips for a decorative finish.

With two bags of chips and a whole surface to cover, we really didn’t know how best to pace our chip distribution, so assistant Christi Brooks came up with a simple solution. She simply di-

18 18: WHAT ARE THE ODDS? Although it hadn’t rained at our shop’s location in nearly seven months, it rained the day we applied our coating. Although the interior coating was fine, the small strip that extended past the garage door openings got wet prior to curing.

We scuffed and dried the surface the next day, masked off the area, and reapplied a new coating.

The finished floor seams are undetectable, which is encouraging because we now know the surface can be spotted in if necessary.

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RPM GARAGE vided the chips evenly into foam cups, allowing us to distribute the mixture with relatively even consistency throughout. Without this step, we probably would have over-applied the chips early and ran out as we worked. Good thinking, Christi.

We continued the process until the entire floor was done and the six-inch entry apron just in front of the rollup doors. Now keep in mind that our location in West Texas is in the midst of a near-historic drought. We hadn’t seen rain once in nearly seven months. As luck would have it, all that changed while our floor was still drying. Although the building is leak-free, the coating just outside the doors got wet.

Darn the luck.

We addressed the rain-wetted surface the next day and finished the job. Remarkably, the floor

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was ready for light foot traffic in just 24 hours and ready to be driven on in just two days. The glossy sheen is remarkable and adds an incredible finished look to the entire space. We’ve already dropped tools and spilled oil on the surface and it has survived without a scratch or stain.

Just like any automotive paintjob, the finished product on any floor coating is only as good as the prep work that goes in first. In our case, we are confident that we did everything we could to get our floor scuffed, clean, and dust-free. After that, the application of the EpoxyMaster kit was a straightforward process that produced an incredible result. Be prepared to sweat and work hard for as long as it takes to complete the job, but trust us—in the end you’ll thank yourself!

SOURCES EpoxyMaster

900 Wilshire Dr., Suite 202 Troy, MI 48084 www.epoxymaster.com 248.373.0000

Nucor Building Systems Waterloo, IN: 260.837.7891 Swansea, SC: 803.568.2100 Terrell, TX: 972.524.5407 Brigham City, UT: 435.919.3100 nucorbuildingsystems.com/utility

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International Sales: USA 1.330.630.0230 Tech: USA 1.330.630.0240 • SCode: 1405RPC Call by 10 pm EST: In-Stock Parts Shipped That Day! Find it at Prices good through 6/1/14 • Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction.

Some parts are not legal for sale or use on any pollution-controlled motor vehicles. ©2014 AUTOSALES, INC. SCode: 1405RPC

Anti-Roll The ultimate Kits in tunable suspension performance.

Eibach Anti-Roll kits enable you to perform critical fine tuning of your car's handling that results in reduced body roll.

Eibach’s Anti-Roll kit brings increased cornering grip in all high performance driving situations as the result of increased design stiffness over the stock bars.

Ask your Parts Pro salesperson for more info

Strut Tower Braces

Your car's suspension can't work properly if the mounting points are moving around. A strut tower brace will tie these points together and give your suspension a solid base to work against. The parallel beam construction of this strut tower brace makes it strong without adding a lot of extra weight.

StarTek Starters

Designed to provide high torque and power in a NEW from wide range of demanding B&M applications. With 4.5:1 reduction gears coupled to a high power 300 Amp motor, hard starting becomes a thing of the past.

Available for Ford, Chrysler and GM applications.

High Performance Street Camshaft Kits The "Thumpr" uses profiles and grind characteristics that produce a powerful and hard hitting exhaust note and a rough idle without sacrificing power output or streetability. Available for many popular applications. Ask for details

Atomic EFI TBI Install Saturday Morning, Make The Cruise Saturday Night!

This is a complete kit for anyone planning to convert from a carburetor to Atomic EFI. You get the Throttle Body, Power Module (with Wide Band O2 sensor), Handheld Controller, and the Standard Fuel Kit for up to 525hp (at the crank). PN 2900

Shorty Headers

BBK's shorty headers are among the most desirable and well known performance headers for your vehicle. Designed for direct bolt-on installation and when used with BBK's mid pipes, will bolt on to existing factory systems.

Ask your Parts Pro salesperson for more info

Offering 5 series of exhaust systems that produce that distinct Flowmaster sound in mild, moderate, aggressive, and very aggressive tones, and widely available in aluminized or Stainless Steel construction.

Header Bolt Kits

Allows easy installation of headers.The compact 12-point heads lets you get a socket into tight spots next to the header tubes.

A great performance upgrade for your boulevard cruiser or your tow vehicle

HardDrive Cat-Back Pistol Grip Exhaust Sticks Systems

This new modern interpretation of the classic “Pistol Grip” design is a perfect fit for your modern muscle cars equipped with a Hurst manual shifter. Available with a brushed aluminum or black delryn handle.

Available for various GM, Ford and Dodge applications. Ask for details.

PN 641090

Designed for 4150 Carburetorseries dual inlet carbs.

Line Kits Adapters included.

Available in Proclassic 2 and Proflex series Proclassic 2 Black

PN 641093

Proflex Silver

8mm Spiro-Pro Universal Fit Wire Sets The best high performance wire you can buy. The perfect choice for a street machine or bracket racer. Featuring two layers of insulation made from 100% silicone so they withstand temperatures up to 600º.

Available in 11 different colours.

Translife® Oil Coolers

Flex-a-lite® coolers have long been trusted to protect automatic transmissions, power steering and other vital components from damage caused by oil overheating. Reducing the temperature of your transmission and engine oil with a Flex-a-lite® oil cooler will extend the life of your transmission, engine and components.

Innovations In Lubrication Technology

Driven Racing Oil, born from Joe Gibbs Racing, is formulated specifically for all-out race and high NOW performance engines. AVAILABLE

Wet Sump High-Volume Oil Pans Designed for street performance machines that see occasional strip use, these Moroso oil pans are modified with deep or kicked-out sumps, for increased capacity and oil control under hard acceleration.

®

Gauge

A great way to install Consoles additional gauges in your vehicle to monitor critical systems or just to provide more information. They are available with two or three short sweep mechanical or electric gauges, come with either matte black or chrome panel and they mount easily under most dashes.

Billet Steel Timing Sets

Recommended for Street/Strip, Circle Track, Claimer & Hot Rod applications. Large diameter seamless double roller chain, with billet steel cam sprocket and heat treated crank sprocket.

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JUNE 2014 | RPM Magazine

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