RPM Magazine June 2016

V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..........TRISH BIRO trish@rpm-mag.com E-MAGAZINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR.................TOBY BROOKS toby.brooks@rpm-mag.com EVENT MEDIA DIRECTOR...........................RAYMOND KNIGHT events@rpm-mag.com EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR.....SHERRIE WEBER sherrie@rpm-mag.com SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR...........................TOBY BROOKS toby.brooks@rpm-mag.com Photographic Contributions: TONY WEBER, TIM LEWIS, PETE “BOOMER” ORES, MARK goDragRacing.org, TARA BOWKER, GEORGE PICH, TOBY BROOKS, MATT WOODS, TABITHA SIZEMORE, JOHN ULMAN, KRISTAL COWLE, LOUIS FRONKIER, and MIKE COSTIC. Editorial Contributions: TIM LEWIS, CHUCK SCOTT, MARK goDragRacing.org, RAYMOND KNIGHT, TOBY BROOKS, BRIAN WOOD, TABITHA SIZEMORE, KRISTAL COWLE, ROBERT WEATHERS, JAMES WILLIAMS, TIM BIRO, STAN SMITH, and GEORGE PICH

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 fi nd 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 regard to design, performance, and power!

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

WANT YOUR CAR IN RPM?

RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 17 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, along with contributing writers and photojournalists worldwide.

If you have a story that may fit within the focus and scope of RPM Magazine’s coverage, please email our Editor In Chief at editor@ rpm-mag.com. Submission of an article does not guarantee that it will be published.

Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. (RPM) / RPM Magazine IS NOT Responsible for errors or omissions in ANY advertisement or article.

Advertisements may be rearranged or altered at the sole discretion of RPM to allow the ad to fit in the space purchased by the advertiser.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADVERTISING WHICH WE CONSIDER TO CONTAIN MISLEADING, OFFENSIVE OR FALSE INFORMATION. REPRODUCTION OF ANY INFORMATION HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.

Technical Writing Contribution: CHUCK SCOTT, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TOBY BROOKS, TIM BIRO, and ROBERT WEATHERS

Publication Return/Address Change Information

ADVERTISING SALES

USA RPM MAGAZINE (USPS Periodical #023474) is published monthly 12 times per year by USA Publisher’s Agent, 10387 Main Street, Suite 300, Fairfax, VA 22030.

For advertising information contact

TRISH BIRO .............519.752.3705.......trish@rpm-mag.com

Periodicals postage rate is paid at Fairfax, VA and additional mailing offices.

Art & Graphics Director: Toby Brooks

Postmaster: Send address changes to:

Special Events Managers: Chris Biro, Raymond Knight events@rpm-mag.com Special Events Sales: Trish Biro: 519-752-3705 trish@rpm-mag.com Subscriptions/Address Changes: Circulation circulation@rpm-mag.com General Inquiries: 519.752.3705 info@rpm-mag.com

RPM Magazine P.O. Box 24020 Brantford, Ontario CAN N3R 7X3 CANADA PUBLICATIONS MAIL INFO AGREEMENT NO. 40045044 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CDN ADDRESSES TO RPM MAGAZINE P.O. BOX 24020 BRANTFORD, ONTARIO N3R 7X3 OVERSEAS RPM MAGAZINE P.O. BOX 24020 BRANTFORD, ONTARIO, CAN. N3R 7X3

EDITOR’S RANT

by

Chris Biro

because...

MORE RPM IS ALWAYS BETTER!

W

e’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our RPM Magazine advertisers and readers for your overwhelming support, and also welcome you to our 17th year of

RPM! We’ve stuck to our guns, kept our promise and kept RPM “REAL”...17 years later RPM is still all about YOU, and YOUR cars and stuff that YOU are into—street, strip and once in a while, just to shake things up, something completely off the wall. But no matter what, we want to assure you that we intend to continue to set the trends instead of follow them, innovate, not imitate and above all continue to give you the best original, exclusive high horsepower badass rides and cool real world tech and articles you deserve in the world`s top car mag!

In our continuing effort to support the automotive performance and race industries, we’re once again offering a chance for related companies to take advantage of our “Industry Distribution Program” which sees FREE

copies of RPM Magazine sent to performance & racing related businesses in the USA and Canada. So, if you own, operate, or manage any type of performance or race business (ie: speed shop, performance, race or chassis shop, manufacturing firm, installation facility, warehouse, etc.), you need to sign up for your FREE subscription to RPM Magazine today!

Simply complete this form and send it in along with your business card and you’ll start getting your complimentary copy of RPM, right to your business door each and every month.

Because MORE RPM is ALWAYS better, we also offer an enhanced program that enables you to order MORE copies of RPM for an incredibly low price to either give away free to your best customers or sell on your magazine rack.

Industry Distribution Program info can also be found at www.rpm-mag.com and completed online! Or by simply emailing trish@ rpm-mag.com. Do it today!

COMING NEXT MONTH:

Project aPocolypSe .............................................

We get cranking on the last stages of fabrication work and start plumbing and wiring

4

THIS AND MORE IN THE NEXT RPM! june 2016 | RPM Magazine

ADVERTISER INDEX ACC Performance. ................. 33 Accufab Inc........................... 29 Aeromotive. ....................... 108 AFCO .................................... 21 Alan Johnson Performance (AJPE) ................................ 11 Alston Race Cars ................... 44 Applied Racing Components (ARC) ................................. 35 ATI Performance Products .... 45 Auburn Gear ......................... 89 Autoglym ........................... 101 AVAK/Ridgegate Tools .......... 89 Baer Brakes .....................10, 32 Bear’s Performance .............. 24 BES Racing Engines .............. 40 Bill Mitchell Products ........... 58 Blower Shop........................... 5 Borla .................................... 96 Browell Bellhousing ............. 38 BTE Racing ........................... 19 C&C MotorSports................ 108 Calvert Racing Suspensions .. 15 Canton Racing Products ....... 26 CFE Racing Products ............. 87 Chassis Engineering ..........8, 59 CN Blocks ........................... 100 CNC Motorsports .................. 81 Coan Engineering ............20, 62 Competition Products .......... 94 COMP Cams/Karbelt ............. 80 Crane Cams .......................... 17 Crower.................................. 43 CVR Products ........................ 98 DART .................................... 18 Design Engineering .............. 57 Diamond Pistons .................. 85 DIY Auto Tune/MS3-Pro EFI .. 95 Drive Train Specialists (DTS).. 27 DRIVEN Racing Oil .............. 110 Dynocologists......................... 9 Dynomite Dynamometer.... 106 Dynotech Engineering.......... 34 Earl’s Perf. Plumbing .....40, 102 Ed Quay Race Cars .............. 111 Edelbrock ............................. 99 Energy Suspension ............... 92 Engine Research & Development (ERD)................................ 42 Erson Cams........................... 52 G Force Racing Transmissions 90 Gibtech Pistons .................... 25 Greyhound Package Exp. .... 100 GZ Motorsports .................... 59 Harland Sharp ........................ 9 Harwood ............................ 112 Holcomb Motorsports .......... 51 HoleShot Wheels .................. 82 Holley................................... 76 Howard’s Cams ................... 107 Hughes Performance.............. 7 Induction Solutions .............. 48 Innovate Motorsports......... 105 JE Pistons ........................39, 97

JET Performance................. 106 J&K Converters ..................... 58 LenTech Automatics ............. 30 Lokar Performance Products109 LUCAS Oil Products ................. 2 LUCAS Oil Racing TV ........... 104 Lunati................................... 93 MagnaFuel ........................... 83 Magnuson Superchargers..... 95 MAHLE Clevite Inc. ............... 46 Manton Pushrods ............... 107 Meziere Precision Mfg. ........... 8 Mickey Thompson Tires .....7, 24 MSD Ignition ........................ 14 Neal Chance Converters ...22, 65 New Century Performance ... 14 Nitrous Express..................... 87 Nitrous Pro Flow ................... 35 Nitrous Supply...................... 66 Parts Pro Perf Centers ......... 116 PBM Performance Products .. 30 Performance Improvements. 10 Perf. Plus Connection ......11, 34 Powermaster Performance ... 16 Precision Turbo ..................... 13 ProCharger ......................... 113 Proform Parts ..................53, 84 Proformance Racing Trans .... 42 Pro Systems Carburetors.. 23,76 Philadelphia Racing Products (PRP) ................................. 37 PTC ....................................... 82 Quick Fuel Technology .......... 32 Quik-Latch Products ........... 111 Race the North ..................... 67 Racecraft .............................. 36 Racepak ............................... 27 Racequip .............................. 77 RAM Clutches ....................... 78 Renegade Racing Fuels. ....... 41 Rev-X Oil Products ...........56, 91 RJS Racing Equipment.......... 79 Ross Racing Pistons ................ 5 RPM Magazine Subscribe! 114 S&W Race Cars ..................... 64 Scorpion Racing Prods. ......... 12 Shaÿ ro° Racing Engines .12, 20 SM Race Cars ........................ 80 Smith Racecraft.................... 28 Steve Morris Racing Engines 61 Strange Engineering ............ 63 Summit Racing Equipment 115 Taylor Cable Products. .......... 39 TCI Automotive..................... 86 Ti64 ...................................... 33 Tom’s Upholstery .................. 83 Trick Flow ............................. 49 TRZ Motorsports................... 31 Tuned By Shane T ................. 18 VP Racing Fuels .............47, 103 WAR BY THE SHORE II ........... 50 WASP Cam ........................... 90 Weinle Motorsports ............. 31 World Products..................... 86

Made in aMerica & designed for: • STROKERS • NITROUS • TURBOS • BLOWERS • NaTURaLLy aSpIRaTEd Ross carries hundreds of proven, race winning, domestic and Sport Compact piston designs to fit virtually any engine combination. along with an extensive line of piston accessories and coatings, Ross has over 35 years of experience in the design & manufacturing of custom piston applications! Call or go online to see what Ross Racing pistons can do for you.

Custom / Stock Pistons

Piston Coatings

Piston Rings

Wrist Pins & Accessories

WWW.ROSSPISTONS.COM | 310.536.0100 WWW.FaCEBOOK.COM/ROSSpISTONS ONLINE

INSTagRaM:@ROSSpISTONS

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

5

june 2016

Be sure to check out our Performance Directory on page 68!

Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 17 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

STORIES

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

RIDES

COVER CAR

The NEW Cool ...................................................... 40 Old school nostalgia drag racing is surging in popularity. Here’s why.

Unstoppable ...............................................................8 Nothing could keep Scott MacDonald from chasing his adrenaline rush

Soul Mates ................................................... 54

This wicked ‘63 split window coupe is the culmination of hard work, persistence, and a shared passion for horsepower

EXCLUSIVES & TECH

RPM

Beyond Sick ................................................................36 Sick Seconds 2.0’s new 4,000-plus horsepower all-billet mill nears completion

No Overnight Success ..............................24 From Grandma’s car to outlaw champ

Well, I’ll be Dipped .....................................................98 We hit some parts with Cerakote ceramic coating and Big Brain Hydrographics for a durable and highly unique ÿ nish

Get (and Stay) Charged Up! ............................................104 OPTIMA Chargers Digital 1200 packs tons of high-tech features into one convenient, portable package

PROJECTS

THE

It Takes a Village ........................................................108 Project aPocalypSe Horse gets rescued by Norovich’s Pro Street Customs & Braddy Custom Auto Body

Big Gun.............................................................................78

Trey and Heather Cavaretta’s 1964 C-10 shortbed was built for one purpose: To blow you away

READ COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG ONLINE AT WWW.RPM-MAG.COM 6

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

7

story by

Kristal Cowle

photos by

Brandon Downey

Chassis Engineering’s Four-Link Suspension and Subframe Kits

(Square & Round Tube Avilable) • Mandrel bent 2” X 3” frame rails, .083” or .120” • 1-3/4” x .134” round tube rails • 1-3/4” or 1-5/8” x .083” chromoly rails • Adjustable lower shock mounts • Strange Engineering aluminum coil overs with springs • Four-link of your choice • 4130 chromoly rod ends • Drive shaft loop • Bolt-on diagonal link • Upper shock cross member

NOTES: Rear end housing not included. Fabricated 9” and Dana housings available. Available welded or unwelded.

Starting from $1,484.95 Call for more details

(800) 208-1755

Meziere.com

Crafted in the U.S.A.

8

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

The chassis prof30esyesioarnas ls for over

Toll Free Ordering: 800-327-9402 Info & Tech: 561-863-2188

chassisengineering.com

"I

t’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” That simple quote from Greek philosopher Epictetus originated thousands of years ago yet still resonates with us today. And Scott

MacDonald truly embodies everything that simple phrase stands for.

When we are young we all have goals, plans, and dreams for the path we see our lives taking. MacDonald was no different, but as a young kid ready to venture out into the world,

drag racing was definitely not on the horizon. No, that would not come until years later.

Plan A: America’s Favorite Pastime: Baseball

As a high school senior, MacDonald found himself a national recruit

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

9

UNSTOPPABLE FACTORY. STYLED. The stock-type suspension has been beefed up considerably to handle the 1300-plus horsepower being produced by the LS. Scott switches between a drag slick and drag radial tire.

with scholarship offers rolling in.

One more season and he was off to chase his dreams. Unfortunately for Scott, a torn rotator cuff would result in those offers being withdrawn and would all but derail his opportunity at a promising baseball career.

Instead of focusing on what might have been, he chose to enjoy the opportunity to play ball at one of the country’s top five junior colleges. MacDonald has never forgotten his love of the game. His jersey hangs framed in his office today and his high school would later honor him by retiring his number.

Plan B: Serving His Country in the U.S. Navy

At the age of 22, MacDonald enlisted in the Navy, where he would ultimately be stationed at

10

Virginia Beach. There was something special about the bonds he formed among the men he served with, the comradere they shared was like nothing Scott had ever known. These were the men who would have your back no matter what, and they became like family.

MacDonald made it his mission to be accepted to the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) program, a goal he would ultimately accomplish.

“I worked my butt off to be accepted to that EOD program. I thought that would be the hardest thing I would do in life, little did I know…”

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

11

UNSTOPPABLE

SLICK AS ’GLASS A new VFN hood was added this winter to give the Camaro an even more intimidating look. said MacDonald recalling his acceptance into the program. Little did he know that 4 years 7 months and 5 days into his military career everything would change. It was then that he would truly be up against the biggest challenges yet in his life.

On November 9, 1998 while returning from a visit back home in Connecticut to his base in Virginia, MacDonald

12

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

came across a terrible accident. He stopped to assist at the scene, and in doing so added a couple hours’ time to an already very long trip. With just 30 miles to go to reach his base the unthinkable happened. Scott fell asleep behind the wheel resulting in a single vehicle crash that would leave him paralyzed from the chest down.

Life as he knew it would never be

the same, but it was definitely not over. He would need to learn to adjust to his “new normal.” MacDonald retired from the Navy in 1999, but the bond to his military brethren remains unbroken as he now currently works for a nonprofit with homeless veterans.

Plan C: The Adrenaline Rush of Drag Racing “After a long

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

13

WHEELED WISEGUY Scott MacDonald IS the “Wheelchair Mafia!”

rehab, I was looking for something to give me that rush like things I did before I became paralyzed. Not alcohol—not drugs—but adrenaline!

The kind of cold chill that comes right before jumping into the ocean out of a helicopter!”

That adrenaline rush is what MacDonald was missing in his life and some friends thought the

14

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

answer might be found at the local drag strip. They were right.

“That feeling I was looking for came with the first car I bought after being hurt...that feeling on the line, sitting at the light in my 1999 supercharged Grand Prix. Just being at the drag strip with my friends and their cars was amazing, even if I was only running high 12s.”

UNSTOPPABLE

FAR LEFT: Out back, a braced 9-inch housing is stued with hardcore race parts and a 3.90 Pro gear set.

Meanwhile up front, a manual steering rack, tubular control arms and pair of Afco Big Gun coilover shocks help keep the Camaro on the straight and narrow.

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

15

UNSTOPPABLE

BEWSTED EL ESS Under the hood lies a wicked turbocharged 427-inch LS mill capable of 1300 horsepower to the rear wheels... wait, that’s not true. The Camaro actually made 1311hp with 22-pounds of boost before spinning on the dyno at 27-pounds! Any way you look at it, the fabrication of the big turbo and associated plumbing under the fouth-gen hood makes for a tight fit. Air is fed via the Holley 95mm throttle body to the massive Holley ram-style intake and fuel is introduced to the equation by twin Bosch fuel pumps and 160-pound injectors.

16

Regarding his first experiences at the track, MacDonald fondly recalled his memories.

“I knew this was the one thing that was going to replace all those things I used to do,” he said.

Not only did the track provide the adrenaline rush he was seeking, but the comradere among the guys in his camp was and is the closest thing that can compare to the bonds he felt during his time in the Navy.

MacDonald worked his way to an 11-second car, then into 10s until he took a big jump to the car he has today. Two years ago, the 1999 Camaro SS was ProCharged and run-

ning 5.70s in the eighthmile. Since then, it has seen a lot of changes, most of which have taken place in the garage he rents with some fellow racers.

“I am fortunate enough to rent a garage with some amazing guys who help me with my car, and not just because I am paralyzed, but because we share a common love for something.”

The car itself is a 32,000-original mile ’99 Camaro SS that boasts most of its factory tin except for a 4-inch VFN fiberglass hood and rear hatch along with a carbon fiber wing. Paint work was done by Jason Pratt, and to help save a little

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

bit more weight, Optic Armor front and rear windows were installed.

Chassis wise, the Camaro is stock with a mini tub in the rear and a chromoly cage. A beefed up stock-style rear suspension with Strange double-adjustable coil over shocks hangs on tight to an equally as beefy Ford 9-inch rear diff sporting a 9.5-inch center section and set of 3.90 pro gears. Up front, the Camaro received equal treatment in the suspension area, ditching the original heavy parts in favor of some lightweight mods controlled by Afco Big Guns.

For power, MacDon-

World’s Fastest Door Slammers Rely On Crane cams

Wooo Nation's Keith Berry drove his Z06 Corvette to victory at the 2016 “Lights Out 7” event at South Georgia Motorsport Park. His 4.500 inch bore-space, Small Block Chevy engine was built by Pro Line Racing LLC, using a Crane Cams custom-made, tool steel WoooDoo WoooDooo™ Cam.

MATCH-UP ulti THE ultimate Tool Steel Cams

8620 Steel Billet Cams

Gold Race™ Rocker Arms

Ultra Pro™ Mechanical Roller Lifters

• • • •

Through hardened heat treat For 4.500”–5.300” bore spacing Any journal size, any firing order Resistant to surface wear, twist and deflection • Ability to withstand high loads

• Lightest, strongest, most ratio-accurate • Stud mounted • Built from extruded aluminum billet • Full-roller fulcrum • Heat treated steel roller tip

Sales and Tech. Support 8–5, M–F | 866.388.5120 | cranecams.com

• • • •

Copper plated carburized steel Custom profiles available Standard or large journal sizes Precision ground to close tolerances • Standard or special firing order

• Heavy duty roller wheels • Drop-in vertical tie bar • Precision matched needle bearings • Surface finished billet 8620 steel body • Bearing Focused Oiling™

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

17

SCOTT ROD Inside, the Camaro is equipped for one: driver Scott MacDonald. The passenger area is taken up by the turbo cooler tank. The driver is treated to a mix of factory and race equipment, and of course, hand controls that enable Scott to feed his need for that special adrenaline rush he was searching for after his accident. The hand controls were installed by Advanced Wheels and work with a push for brake, rock back for gas, and the button on the white ball is for line lock and bump box. ald had RPE Machine in Hartford, CT build a killer LS-based mill that comes in at 427 cubic inches and started with a Dart billet LS block that has been stuffed with a Callies Dragon Slayer crank, Crower billet rods, and slugs by Diamond.

The camshaft is a custom billet piece with specs kept under lock and key in Scott’s safe.Trick Flow Gen X 245 13.5 degree cathedral port heads were massaged by Total Engine Airflow and a Holley

18

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

intake and 95mm throttle body take residence atop the near indestructible long block.

Wanting to run in the ever-competitive world of drag radial, MacDonald knew he’d need more than just motor to get the job done. A single 88mm turbocharger was added to the mix complemented by a ProCharger blow off valve, 44mm wastegates, and air-to-water intercooler. Stainless Works took care of fabricating the custom stainless tur-

UNSTOPPABLE

800-626-1828 www.bteracing.com Bill Taylor Enterprises 2 Memphis Avenue • Mt. Pleasant, MS 38649 Some Parts Not Legal for Sale or Use on Pollution-Controlled Vehicles

ASSEMBLED POWERGLIDE TRANSMISSIONS re Signatuoduct r Racing P

Top Sportsman / Top Dragster FEATURES: New BTE Magnum SFI Approved Case, Ringless Vasco Turbo Spline Input Shaft, Mega Racing Band, Two Ring Servo, Performance Servo Spring, Coated Deep Aluminum Pan, BTE Straight Cut Gear set (Available in 1.80, 1.98, and 1.69 ratios), Roller Tail housing/Rear Cover, New BTE High Volume Pump, Roller Governor Support, 10 clutch drum, BTE Top Sportsman High Pressure Transbrake Valve body, Dyno-tested.

$359599 Bracket Powerglide FEATURES: 1.76 Gear set with 4340 forged output shaft and housing, Steel Clutch Hub w/ 5 clutch pack, Rebuilt Pump, Two ring servo, BTE Bracket Transbrake Valve body, Kevlar lined Band, Dyno-tested.

$84995 www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

19

SCOTT MACDONALD’S 1999 CHEVY CAMARO SS STREET/STRIP Chassis Type & Mods: Stock chassis, stock-style suspension with mini tub

by Kurt Urban. Chromoly roll cage certified to 8.50. Chromoly parachute mount.

Suspension: FRONT: BMR K-member and control arms, Afco Big Gun shocks, custom limiters. REAR: Ford 9-inch with 9.5-inch center section, BMR torque arm, control arms, drag sway bar and Strange double adjustable shocks.

Strange race brakes.

Body & Paint: 32,000 original miles. 4-inch VFN Sunoco hood, VFN fiberglass rear hatch, Optic Armor windshield and rear window, Burkhardt Chassis raw carbon wing, Paint by Jason Pratt, Vinyl Work by Ferrauola’s Custom Graphics.

Engine: 427 cubic inch. Dart 9.24 deck billet block, 4.0 stroke, 4.125 bore (9.6:1 compression). Callies Dragon Slayer LS7 crank, Crower Billet rods, Diamond pistons with Total Seal rings. Custom billet solid roller cam. Jesel valvetrain, LS7 dry sump with Peterson tank, LS7 oil pump, Moroso catch cans, Kurt Urban Performance steam vent system and Meziere electric water pump. Trick Flow 13.5 degree cathedral port 245 cylinder heads done by Total Engine Airflow.

Ferrea Titanium intake valves and Super Alloy Inconel exhaust valves. Trend custom pushrods with cup ends. Cloyes custom timing set with LS7 crank gear and pulse cam gear with “Z” chain and hex adjust timing. Stainless Works turbo headers.

Induction: Holley high rise Intake with Holley 95mm throttle body. Twin Bosch fuel pumps to support 1,400 RWHP. Power Adder: GTX5518R 88mm turbo, ProCharger race blow off valve, 44mm wastegates, air-to-water intercooler, 10 gallon Ice tank and Rule 3700 pump.

Electronics: Big Stuff 3 engine management with data logger. Boost Leash boost controller.

Transmission & Converter: Rossler TH400 with transbrake button on hand controls. Second gear leaver and pro mod drum added by Anthony at Accurate Transmission. PTC 4600 stall converter and Precision shifter CO2 air shifter with RPM controller.

Misc: All fittings and lines provided by Fragola Performance Systems. Turbo set up and custom fabrication by Paul McDermott Outlaw Racecraft in Connecticut. Car tuned by Frank Soldridge of PSI Speed Solutions. Hand controls installed by Advanced Wheels: push for brake, rock back for gas, and button on the white ball for line lock and bump box.

Performance: 5.21 at 137 mph in the eighth-mile with 1.19 60-foot on 15 psi.

20

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

UNSTOPPABLE

Not much cargo room once you move the fuel tank up into the rear. The Camaro needed to tie everything together with a chromoly cage that also keeps Scott safe during those wild eighthmile hits on the dragstrip.

Shout Outs & Thank Yous: I am fortunate to have great people in my camp that have really stepped up to help me out with this build. Bobby at RPE Machine in Hartford, CT and Jose at ForcedInduction.com; every fitting and line came from Brint at Fragola Performance, all the fabrication for the turbo set up is from Paul McDermott of Outlaw Racecraft, Matt Lombardi was the go to man for fabricated parts, and thanks to Eric Vicary of Midwest Chassis, as well. The transmission is a 1+2 Rossler TH400 that was freshened by Anthony at Accurate Transmission. Wiring was all done by Paul Albino of Total Induction Tuning Solutions and all the tuning is by Frank Soldridge of PSI Speed Solutions. I want to give a huge thank you to my wife Amy. Without her support this would not be possible. Thanks also to BMR, Moroso Performance, and to Gary Gonzalez for your help and advice in this build. A huge thanks to all of my garage mates and great friend Dave LeVasseur. Dave and I spent many nights losing track of time working on the car making sure everything was perfect. He is just as excited about this build as I am!

DOUBLE ADJUSTABLE DRAG STRUTS

bo headers, and a Rossler TH400 transmission with PTC 4600 converter that has been recently freshened

by Anthony at Accurate Trans-

mission is charged with the duty of sending the enormous amounts of boosted power rearward.

When all is said and done,

BIG GUN X DRAG SHOCKS $599.99

$749.99 AVAILABLE FOR ‘79 - ‘04 MUSTANG

‘05 - ‘14 MUSTANG

‘10 - ‘15 CAMARO

‘82 - ‘92 CAMARO

SCIROCCOSTYLE DRAG RADIATORS $344.99

| AFCORACING.COM | 800.632.2320

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

21

UNSTOPPABLE HIT THE TRACK Scott hit the track about a little over a month ago and slammed down some low 5-second eighth-mile hits with more to come as he gets a handle on the potential of the monster between the rails. Scott Murphy photo

Scott hopes to see the mid 4-second zone with the combination and is heading that way fast.In testing just a month or so ago, he knocked out a solid 5.35 in the eighth with a mild “shakedown” tune. From there, the very next week, he blasted a 5.21 at 137 mph “while blowing through the converter,” he said.

“We made 1,311 hp to the tires on 22 psi,” added MacDonald. “We can make 27 psi but I blew the tires off on the dyno, so we have to turn that at the track.”

22

And since Scott plans on running some Outlaw and maybe a bit of no-time drags, we’ll leave the rest to the imagination!

Possibly the best quote we can give you from Scott MacDonald during our interview was more of a Freudian slip when he summed up the build and all the people involved. “This whole project really has been a work of heart,” he confided. He quickly corrected himself to say “I mean, a work of art.”

We think he had it right the first time.

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

23

story and photos by

Tabitha Sizemore

W

ith 21 years of racing under his belt, Craig Watson and his small tire 1973 Chevrolet Nova have many tales and memories together. The duo began evolving from the time Watson hit the ripe age of 17, and the team spun many a story together in the years that followed.

The Chevy, which has been nicknamed The Death Nova by some of Watson’s closest friends, hasn’t always

slain the competition.

The sleek black bowtie has progressed over the past two decades from a “grandma’s car”, to an Outlaw 8.5 Champion.

“It has taken 25 years to get the car where it is now. From November of 1990 to this very moment has been fi lled with changes, upgrades, ideas, testing, races, bloody knuckles, mistakes, back tracking, and most of all a lot of lessons learned,” exclaimed Watson. “The car started as a 31,000-

mile, original green, grandma’s car, and for $2500 it was ours. My dad thought it was too much, but it was too solid and nice to pass up. It was a bone-stock 307 car with green shag carpet on the dash and rear package tray. It was a cream puff that wouldn’t turn a tire without a neutral drop,” recalled Watson.

Once the Chevy was in the possession of the teenager, the changes started and the Nova began to take shape into the

RULE THE

24

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

STRIP

TWO DECADES OF GOIN’ FAST 2016 will mark the 21st year of racing for Kentucky native, Craig Watson

“Their pistons are awesome, we use Gibtec flat tops in our Small-Block Modified engines and in every Comp Eliminator engine we build. The specifications are exactly what we call for and their service is impeccable. We have yet to put one in an engine that didn’t improve the power”– Tom Martino, MB Race Engines

Custom designs to fit your needs...fast!

Phone: 303.243.3340 and visit: GibtecPistons.com

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

25

NO OVERNIGHT...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! After wrecking his first Nova, Craig and his Dad found the ‘73 Nova on his 17th birthday.

26

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

ACCURATE GROUND SPEED REGARDLESS OF WHEEL SPIN OR WHEEL STAND THE NAME IS ON THE PLATE The Chevy has been nicknamed ‘The Death Nova’ by Watson’s longtime friends, as it slays the competition! small tire, nitrous powered machine that it is today. Watson had a 350 from a 1974 Nova that he had owned prior to the ’73, but convincing his dad to allow him to do a motor swap was not yet in the cards. “Many think this is the same car I had when I was 15.

But that was a ’74 Nova that I wrecked when I was 16. That about killed me

since I had already promised myself I would never have one of those ‘car that got away’ stories.”

The new Nova quickly fi lled the void after Watson and his father found it on his 17th birthday.

“We reused a lot of the parts from the ’74, so in my mind, those two cars almost became one and this ’73 still feels like my first

car,” explained Watson.

Even though he was unable to finagle his way into dropping a few more cubic inches of motor into the engine bay, Watson was able to convince his dad to let him begin modifying the 307.

“Some headers, a cast iron four-barrel intake, Q jet carburetor, and some 1.6 stamped rockers was all

Add ground speed to any Racepak V-Net recorder or dash, utilizing our new GPS Ground Speed module.

• Requires no externally mounting rpm sensor pick-up • Requires no calibration or special programming • V-Net plug and play installation simplicity

SALES@RACEPAK.COM / 949.709.5555 / WWW.RACEPAK.COM

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

27

...SUCCESS

SMALL TIRE, BIG PERFORMANCE The Nova tips the scales at 3200 pounds, per OSCA Nostalgia Street rules and boasts a personal best of 5.30 at 133 mph at London Dragway on Hoosier 8.5-inch tires. Above, Craig is guided into the beams by good friend John Warren of Warren Racing at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

it took to wake up the stock motor,” Watson said.

After starting college to get his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Kentucky, it didn’t take long for Craig to realize the hot rod wasn’t going to survive four years on a college campus without taking some damaging

28

licks. For four hundred bucks, a ’69 Plymouth Valiant let the Nova stay safely at home and become a weekend toy.

“That 350 was still sitting in the corner of my parents’ garage and was begging for go-fast parts.

An Edelbrock 2101 intake, Cam Dynamics 272 cam, and a fresh set of

gaskets got it ready for an eventual swap. I guess Dad figured I was ready to handle more power and finally let me make the change, and he even helped. That was around 1993, and the 300 or so horsepower was pretty stout for a kid’s street car back then.”

A bent valve and a broken valve

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

spring gave Watson the opportunity he needed to make some more upgrades and the ’73 began churning out regular 13-second passes.

Watson recollects, “I upgraded from the stock 882 heads to ported 461 double hump 327 heads. I added in some 3.70 gears and had a hot rod running 13.60 at

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

29

IF I’M PLAYIN’ I’M SPRAYIN’

CRAIG WATSON’S 1973 CHEVY NOVA Chassis Type & Mods: 12-point chromoly cage with funny car cage addition by Bivins Race Cars.

Suspension: FRONT: TRZ upper/lower control arms and steering arms. Pinto rack and pinion. Moroso Trick Springs, Menscer shocks, Aerospace brakes. REAR: Calvert Caltracs and split mono leaf springs, mini tubbed by Bivins Race Cars with Detroit Speed tubs, AFCO shocks by Mark Menscer, Speedway sliders on self-fabricated custom mounts.

Body & Paint: Paint by Danny Abrell of Columbia, KY. Harwood fiberglass hood. VFN trunk lid. Glasstek bumpers and air dam. All stock glass with roll up windows.

Engine: 437 “Oldsmopar”—SBC based on a GM Oldsmobile Rocket block with 12-degree Pro Action heads ported by BES. Induction: Mopar 420 intake by BES. C.A.M. intake spacers to match heads by Uratchko Race Engines. 1050 Quick Fuel carburetor custom spec’d by Zach Baker and tuned by Matt McCullough.

Power Adder: Induction Solutions Sledgehammer plate. Baseline tune by Steve Johnson and fine tuned by Watson.

Electronics: MSD distributor, HVC coil, and 7531 box.

Transmission & Converter: Bradco 2-speed TH400 and custom 9.5-inch converter.

Di˜ erential: Owner-built 9-inch Ford. Moser aluminum center section, Strange spool, and 35-spline axles. 4.29 or 4.56 gears.

Best Perfromance (eighth-mile): 5.30 at 133 mph Thanks: Craig wishes to thank his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Warren Racing family for their teamwork, advice, support, and race day assistance. His family: wife Angella, son Timothy, mom Jane, dad Philip, and brother Mark. Patrick Higginbotham, Kenny Smith, John Heard, Chris Uratchko, Nathan and RL Stinson. And also to his sponsors: AEM Electronics and Lawson Mollica, Bradco Engineering and Brad Ector, Rapp Racing and Mark Rapp, Bivins Race Cars and Derek Bivins, Competition Automotive Machine and Jason, Matt and Dave. Quick Fuel Technology and Zach Baker, VP Racing Fuels and Jason Rueckert, and Carnivore Performance.

30

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

The ‘73 Nova has a Sledgehammer Plate by Inductions Solutions and was base line tuned by Steve Johnson.

NO OVERNIGHT...

OLDSMOPAR The 437 is a small block Chevy based on a GM Oldsmobile Rocket block with 12-degree Pro Action heads, a Mopar 420 intake, custom dished and coated Diamond pistons, Oliver steel rods, Howard’s crank by Callies, and is balanced by Competition Automotive Machine.

101mph at Beech Bend Raceway.”

Call it beginner’s luck, or being a natural, the young Watson’s first time out on a real track landed him a win in the quarter-mile trophy class and the rest, as they say, was history.

“The first Saturday night testn-tune that I was going to with the car was rained out, so I went back the next day and entered the quarter mile trophy class. I kept going rounds and ended up winning. From that point on I was

definitely hooked.

An older gentleman walked up to me and said, “You probably think this stuff is easy,” and I laughed to myself as he walked away. I still have all those time slips from that day, and I don’t think I technically won a

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

31

...SUCCESS

The Nova is equipped with an AEM AQ 1 data logger with the new X series high speed O2 sensors.

RIDIN’ RIGHT The Chevy has TRZ upper and lower control arms and steering arms up front, with a Pinto rack and pinion, Moroso Trick springs, and Menscer shocks.

32

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

single round. The other guys either red lit, slept at the tree, or broke out on each run. But you take a win however you can get it,” Craig laughed.

Watson spent years as a test-n-tuner, but the heads-up bug finally bit from frequenting the NMCA/PRO races at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

He found the perfect compliment to his Nova when the heads-up Outlaw 8.5 class came about and he began racing in it at Ohio Valley Dragway in 2003. “I quickly

saw that a naturally-aspirated small block couldn’t compete with nitrous breathing engines. I bought a used NOS Sniper kit, and a new nitrous junkie was born.”

After a converter and gear change, the car dropped from high sixes in the eighth-mile to the six-teens, “But that certainly wasn’t enough,” explained Watson, “so the short block was sold off and the Brodix 18-degree top end was bolted on a fresh 434. That same basic combo ended up going 5.43 at 128

CAGED BEAST The 12-point chrome moly cage and funny car cage addition was done by Bivins Race Cars!

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

33

34

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

FEATURE CAR PARADE DAY CRUISER Determined to prove a fast car could be street worthy, Watson drove the car through the Christmas parade one year in Columbia!

Kenny Smith (left) and Craig Watson (right)

The Nova rides on Calvert Caltracs and split mono-leaf springs

mph on Hoosier 8.5s and winning the 2008 Outlaw 8.5 Championship at I-40 Dragway. That was the only place running the 8.5 class in 2008, so I got a nice jacket saying ‘World Champion’. A little misleading maybe, but technically true I suppose!”

Not all of Craig’s adventures with the Nova have been focalized on racing and it doesn’t get much better than him entering the ’73 in the local Christmas parade!

“I was determined to prove that a fast car could handle the slow parade pace and give a thrill to the kids. Well, during the drive, the carburetor sucked up junk from the stock tank, started flooding over, and I ended up coasting through half of the parade

route. Thank goodness there’s a big hill in Columbia! A co-worker held his hands up to his ears and mocked the fact that the car was dead silent! By the end of the route, the battery was dead and I had to be pushed out of the way. Not the most fun night at the time, but funny looking back on it now.”

Watson continued, “by the end of 2010, the 434 engine was tired and I was ready for more power. That’s when the current 12-degree 437 was started. By mid-2011, it was ready to test and by the end of that year it had gone 5.30 with a lot left in the tank.

But a quick trip into the wall at US-60 Raceway had me rebuilding the car for all of 2013.”

Rolling out in 2014, The Death Nova was back, better than ever, and ready to rumble in the new Outlaw Street Car Association Nostalgia Street Class, and a 4th place finish in points in the extremely competitive class was a solid return to racing.

2015 had its up and downs, with lots of new things tried and lessons learned. By the end of the year, Watson had the car running near the top of the Nostalgia Street class, so the forecast for the duo in 2016 looks to be full of promise.

Craig has faith that upgrades over this past winter should put him and The Death Nova right in the thick of things!

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

35

RPM EXCLUSIVE

Beyond by

Dana Galus

>> Sick Seconds 2.0’s new 4,000-plus horsepower allbillet mill nears completion

36

“S

o here we are, another month or so has passed by and the engine is ever-closer to making it onto the dyno,” tells street car mad scientist Tom Bailey of his 4,000-plus horsepower billet bullet which will eventually take up full time residence between the fram-

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

erails of the already-famous Sick Seconds 2.0 Camaro.

“We made a change to the injectors so we are waiting on them to come in,” he continued. Bailey will be using screw-in injectors so that at the higher boost levels that Sick 2 will see, there will be no worries about pushing the injectors out.

1

1: Work continues on Tom Bailey’s billet masterpiece, even while strapped to Steve Morris’ dyno!

2

2 & 3: With the top of the intake removed you can see the fabricated rams horn shown before and after the divider being installed to help smooth out air fl w into the intake.

3 4: The intake manifold’s 16 upper injector orifi es have been tapped and are awaiting the new screw-in injectors.

“This engine would be fine without them, but we are also setting up a 481x that needs them, so rather than get two sets of different injectors, we are getting one set and some spares so that we can use them in either engine. As you can tell from the photos, the street injectors on the under side of the intake are a standard push-in style.”

Bailey also had oxygen sensor bungs put on each of the header tubes so that they will be able to fine tune the air/fuel ratio per cylinder instead of as a group. “We have already done this to the mule motor and have been able to dial it in for improved power,” said Bailey. “The crazy thing is that we used to do the fine tuning by EGT’s (exhaust gas

Billet

4

Caps

The largest cap on the market!

No need to fight getting ice into your intercooler again! With PRP’s new billet machined extra-large filler caps it is not a problem at all. These one of kind extra-large caps offer almost a 7” opening and are sealed with a Buna-N O-ring for a water tight seal. All kits are completed with an anodized finish in either clear, red, blue, or black. Two available styles complete with stainless steel hardware in either a weld on version, or bolt on version.

www.prpracingproducts.com

268 Geiger Road • Philadelphia , PA 19115 Phone: (215) 969-3550 Fax: (215) 969-3548 Email: info@prpracingproducts.com

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

37

BEYOND SICK 5 & 6: Twin Wilson throttle bodies will direct the airflow into the intake.

5

6 temps) and after fine tuning with the O2’s the EGT’s are all over the place, yet we have the right air/fuel in every cylinder.”

“Skinny Kid did a masterful job on the headers and they are in place with a set of modified Garret 94mm turbos—thank you to Marty at Turbosmart

38

7: The injector rails for the third set (yeah, you read that right...) of injectors are mounted under the intake. These will be for street use only.

for making that happen! It also has the Peterson pump ready to be mounted in place and the Aeromotive fuel pump on the way.”

The design will see the fuel pump driven off of the front of the oil pump, so that when running on the street it is as simple as removing a key to turn off

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

the mechanical pump, which means no belt to remove!

The Sick 2.0 mill will also be running Turbosmart wastegates and their Big Bubba blow off valves. Controlling the air to the engine is a pair of Wilson Manifolds throttle bodies and keeping the crank settled

down is an Innovators West damper, while a Holley computer will be controlling all the electronics.

“The plan is that next month you will be able to see some dyno results for this beast!

We will then get it into the car and out on the track.”

As for the Sick 2.0

Camaro itself, Bailey and his team have been working on getting all the bugs worked out with the mule motor in it. “Things have been progressing well with the new Camaro,” told Bailey. “We actually put some radials on it and went down to Memphis. We qualified, and with a few more

7

passes we will have her running with the pack, so the goal is to be in Georgia with radials on it come October. We also went to Rockingham for the PDRA race and qualified for that event as well, even with a pedal pass! Things are very close and we have a busy schedule ahead of us, but you can

10 10: As of the first week of May the worlds wildest street motor sits quietly on the dyno waiting for some final pieces to the puzzle so it can be fired up for the very first time.

8: O2 bungs have been installed in every header pipe for fine tuning the program, also note the EGT bungs installed, as well.

9

8

9: The Peterson oil pump awaits installation.

The Aeromotive fuel pump will attach to the left side of this pump so they will both run off the same belt.

expect us to have her flyin’ high by the time we drop this billet bad boy in and can turn up the wick even more!”

“So to all these race car guys, you better look out, because a true street car

will be driving to the track to whoop their ass… and then driving home!”

Join us next issue for the dyno numbers and a wrap-up on the world’s wildest engine build!

SOURCES Bailey Racing www.bailey-racing.com

Steve Morris Engines www.stevemorrisengines.com 321.747.7520

Skinny Kid Race Cars www.skinnykidracecars.com 248.668.1040

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

39

story and photos by

Tim Lewis

nos·tal·gia näˈstaljə,nəˈstaljə/

noun A sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

– Miriam-Webster Dictionary

T

he word nostalgia can make us think of many different things, but for horsepower and drag racing enthusiasts, most reflect back to the 1960s, before many of us reading this were even born. Some consider it the golden age of drag racing where many stars first cut their teeth in fast cars.

Some fift y years ago, the world as whole was a simpler, seemingly less complicated place to be.

Since then, so many things

have changed, not the least of which are the technological advancements that now impact everything we do in life.

In 1966, ˜ e Sounds Of Silence was the top song of the year, the Orioles won the World Series, Green Bay picked up the first win in Super Bowl history, the Daytona 500 was won by Richard Petty, gas was $.32 a gallon, and Raquel Welch was the hottest woman in Hollywood. The number-one selling car was the Chevrolet Impala and 1966

BLAST FROM THE PAST A pair of nostalgia nitro funny cars blast through the traps with their chutes out. These cars are what funny cars should look like. Five-second quarter-mile runs from these cars put on one hell of a show!

START

&

FINISH

WITH EARL’S!

Earl’s Performance Plumbing brought aviation fluid transfer technology to the automotive and marine performance markets over four decades ago and today’s top teams still rely on Earl’s. With the most extensive line of plumbing products available, you can count on Earl’s from start to finish. From every level of hose & hose ends, adapters, brake lines, radiator & heater hoses, to coolers, gaskets & accessories, Earl’s has the highest quality plumbing selection that is still second to none!

TECH LINE: 270-781-9741 www.earls.com

40

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

41

RPM EXCLUSIVE was also the year of what is arguably one of the biggest events in drag race history that took place at Bakersfield: the last time the March Meet held a 64-car Top Fuel field and Mike Sorokin and “The Surfers” (Bob Skinner, Tom Jobe and Mike Sorokin) would take home the money. As so many other things have faded away, the March Meet continues on at the Bakersfield, California track.

When the first flip-top funny car came out of the Don Nicholson camp and Ford Motor Company commissioned Logghe Stamping Company to build four Mercury Comets, drag racing would change forever. Following Nicholson were Ed Schartman, Jack Chrisman, and Kenz & Leslie who all drove the flip top ’66 Com-

42

‘‘STRAIGHT’’ OUTTA HISTORY This super retro-built ’56 Chevy is powered by a built straight-six.

The H/Gas tri-five has all the right touches: no front bumper, tow tabs, front mount tank, white rear wheels and a name on the fender, something that has all but passed us by these days.

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

43

ets. Paula Murphy moved into the history books by becoming the first female funny car driver when she got behind the wheel of the Miss STP blown ’66 392 Chrysler-powered Mustang. John Mulligan in the Beebe Brothers dragster would set the Top Fuel mark in 1966 with a 6.95 at 221. Sadly, John was killed just three years later after succumbing to the injuries he sustained when his dragster crashed at speed during the 1969 US Nationals.

And we can’t forget Houston Platt driving his Dixie Twister ’66 Chevy II, becoming the first Chevy-powered match racer into the 8-second zone.

Running 8.88 at 161mph, it was mighty

44

impressive for an unblown 466 ci Rat motor.

Match racing was the biggest draw and the crowds that were coming to the drag strip on a weekly basis put the so-called “big” events of today to shame. Names like Ohio George Montgomery, Dick Landy, Bill Lawton, Ramchargers, Gas Ronda, Ronnie Sox , Maynard Rupp, and Malcolm Durham were some of the biggest stars in their day and they didn’t rely on “reality TV” to become household names.

If you’re building or have built anything high performance, wouldn’t it be great to take advantage of 1966 pricing? M&H 10.5-inch slicks would

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

WILLY COOL Big John Mazmanian and his Armenian Army, as the crew was called, rained terror to all the gassers of the ’60s. If not for nephew Rich Siroonian sneaking off in John’s new Corvette back in the early ’60s, Big John may not have gotten involved.

We can somewhat live a small part of the glory days through rebuilt cars such as this Willys.

THE NEW COOL

Winners Rely on ATI! 2 Wins in 3 Races!

Running with ATI’s T400 Outlaw Lock-Up Trans filled with Max Duty Super F ATF, a 10” Outlaw Converter and a Super Damper, Steve Drummond has racked up 2 Wins and a Runner-Up spot in 3 events so far driving Johnny Foltz’s Outlaw Camaro!

Why the ATI Lock-Up Combo?

• ATI Lock-Up Outlaw T400s

are rated to over 3,000 HP!

• Locks-Up in just .03 seconds with ATI SuperCase & Pump

• Optional Bolt-Together

Converter provides 0% slip up to 4,500 HP!

1-877-298-4728 · ATITransmissions.com www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

45

RPM EXCLUSIVE

GORGEOUS THROWBACK The Fred Bear S& S Racing Team 1940 Willys coupe is a full tube chassis car with Hemi power.

DELIVERING PERFORMANCE WITH INNOVATIVE HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS

SMART PRO(duct) www.mahle-aftermarket.com

H-Series performance bearings have high crush for better seating

All Clevite® engine bearings are manufactured on OE equipment, using OE knowledge

Visit us at PRI booth #1601

46

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

Clevite® engine bearings have a precision wall tolerance of +/- .00015“ with strong, extra thin overlays to withstand high loading

WHO YOU CALLIN’ OLE? Tyler Winters piloting “That ole ’56.”

cost you $60 each. Headers with 3-inch collectors would set you back all of $80, and a cool set of four Mickey Thompson wheels tipped the scale at an astronomical $150—yeah we said a set of four! And if you wanted to cam up your motor with the world’s most powerful

hydraulic camshaft of the day with a mountainous .505 lift, you gave Ed Iskenderian a call and ordered one up—but you’d better blow the mothballs off the wallet ’cause it would set you back a whole $95!

Moving ahead to today, things certainly have changed.

A pair of 28x10.5 slicks cost just over $400. A decent set of headers (not custom built) run you around $500, and wheels… don’t even get me started. It’s nothing to spend $3,000 on a pair of double beadlocks these days. Sometimes you have to ask yourself: are we making tentimes as much money as we did back then?

Well the good news is that we do have more technology, faster and safer cars, the internet to help us compare notes and shop for deals, and if you want to live somewhat in the glory days of drag racing, guess what? Nostalgia is the new cool!

There is a lot, and I mean a lot of nostalgia racing growing across

the US and beyond. Some do it because they were actually around in the 1960s and ’70s, and we have to give them a huge RPM thank you for keepin’ on with what they do. Yet others, both young and old, have taken to nostalgia drag racing just because they love the look and feel of what is old over what’s new.

Groups like Goodguys started out on the west coast and have spread like wildfire, and a load of younger people are getting into the scene. Here’s the really cool thing about it: you don’t have to go out and spend every dime just to impress people who forget about you once the next “star” comes along on the web or TV. To the harder core drag race fan, the real past matters and will never fade away, so it’s pretty cool to see a younger generation taking an interest in the older iron and the way of life of the golden age of drag racing.

We wouldn’t be racing today if not for what went on in the

READY FOR THE

NOT ‘TIL YOU’VE CHECKED WITH VP! DON'T LEAVE POWER ON THE TABLE

VP East

(DE)

VP South

(GA) (706) 335-3355 I vpsouth@vpracingfuels.com

For assistance with fuel selection and tuning, contact VP Tech Support today!

VP Midwest (IN)

(812) 466-1175 I vpmidwest@vpracingfuels.com

VP Central

(TX)

(210) 635-7744 I vphq@vpracingfuels.com

DragTech@VPRacingFuels.com or 812-878-2025

VP West

(CA) (951) 696-5100 I vppacific@vpracingfuels.com

(302) 368-1500 I vpatlantic@vpracingfuels.com

VPRacingFuels.com

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

47

THE NEW COOL

RUNNING OF THE IMPALAS The Chevy Impala was a favorite among drag racers. Cars like this 1962 409 draw people to stands and fence to watch its exciting hard launchin’, gear jammin’ runs.

1950s through ’70s.

Many contend that the ’60s alone saw more significant changes in the sport than we have had in the last 20 years. For me though, it’s the love of an era that shaped things to come, and an interest in the things that went on to kick-start the competitive nature of the drivers and teams.

Ever heard about the Cam Grinders Wars? Ads were being run in the weekly and monthly magazines that made light of the competition between cam builders such as Jack Engle, Ed Iskenderian, Howard Johansen and Weber Tool Company. That just doesn’t happen today.

I loved hearing the stories from those days

from my grandfather and his buddies at his shop and I knew I was hooked when I found an issue of Super Stock in the shop when I was 14. Right there and then I knew I had to learn more about drag racing and I happened to run across a story about A/FX Mopars in a Mopar magazine that featured a local racer on the cover. The story had photos from a man named Skip Norman and at the end of the story it said that more info and photos could be found at his shop in Ashland, Virginia. Well, after taking the 45-minute ride south with my grandfather, I started collecting 8x10 photos from the ’60s and ’70s.

Skip also made VHS tapes of races

that just blew my mind, and ever since that moment in June 1991 I can say that I have loved nostalgia drag racing! I now have a collection of hundreds of pictures, time cards (before time slips), posters, flyers, and hours and hours of videos. I have every single issue of Super Stock, Drag Strip, Drag Racing, Street & Strip, All American Drag, and so many others that I have lost count.

While the love of all things nostalgia in drag racing is cool again, it originally started in the mid’80s. From what many say, Fremont Dragstrip, better known as Baylands Raceway, was the track that gave the nostalgia craze its

Soft Line Kits Now Available!

Our kits have a larger diameter tubing than competitors’ kits resulting in more horsepower from similar tunes

Our kits have options for different solenoids, nozzles, and jets because we know every racecar is NOT the same!

In order to be the BEST, you have to have the BEST!

www.inductionsolutions.com • (352)593-5900 • www.woodys-plumbing.com

48

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

Win Big.

Trick Flow’s PowerPort ® 365 aluminum cylinder heads were designed and built for you to win races.

These extreme performance race heads for big block Chevy engines flow a massive 424 cfm @ .900" lift. The high-strength castings can withstand enormous amounts of compression and RPM. Rectangular-shaped 365cc CNC Competition Ported runners, 119cc heart-shaped chambers, CNC bowl blended valve seat transitions, 24° intake valve angles with 4° side cants, and the highest quality valvetrain components help make PowerPort 365 heads the best choice for your car.

Use PowerPort 365 heads on your engine and turn your goal of winning into reality!

Dyno Results PowerPort 365

Test Engine: 13.86:1 compression 572 c.i.d. with Trick Flow PowerPort® 365 cylinder heads (TFS-4141T804-C02), solid roller camshaft (285°/298° duration @ .050”; .900”/.828” lift; 114° lobe separation), 1.8/1.7 ratio shaft mount roller rocker arms, Trick Flow R-Series intake manifold (TFS-41400111), Holley Gen 3 Ultra Dominator 1,425 cfm carburetor, Trick Flow by Stainless Works headers (TFS-DBBC238250), 3½” dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers, Q16 racing fuel.

1606RPCT

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

49

Some parts are not legal for sale or use on any pollution-controlled motor vehicles.

THE NEW COOL

FORD IN A CHEVY? Gordie Ford and his Marylander ’37 Chevy have been around from the good ole days and still show up at nostalgia events to race the D/Altered Chevy.

50

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

start. After closing in 1988 the love for the old cars and meeting the hero’s from the 60s started moving across the country, all the way to the east coast.

The March Meet at Bakersfield though, is still one of the biggest independent drag races in the world. Every year more cars and more people go through the gates to make this the biggest race on the west coast.

The Smokers Car Club started the March Meet in 1959, which was originally known as the “US Fuel & Gas Championships.” The March Meet has had made champions and in 1966 “The Surfers”

conquered Top Fuel through a massive field of Top Fuel dragster competitors. Winning driver Mike Sorokin smoked the tires the entire pass (which was normal for the day) and ran bottom sevens. Back then you worked with what you had and made it work.

Sorokin’s son Adam actually followed in his father’s footsteps and won Top Fuel in 2010 and also holds the title of having the world’s quickest and fastest small block with a 5.67 at 247mph.

And, just for kicks on that pass, he ran 3.77 at 211 to the 660 mark. John Force won Funny Car at

WHICH DO YOU WANT TO HEAR FIRST? The BAD NEWS altered wheel base ’65 Dodge of Steve Moth heats the tires at VMP during a match race. The stacked injected Hemi sounds as badass through the zoomies as it looks.

www.rpm-mag.com | june2016

51

RPM EXCLUSIVES SLINGSHOT TO THE PAST What is cooler than a blown front engine dragster? Nothing much comes to mind today with the sea of lookalike cars that run most events.

HANG ON! Wheels up and the injector is closed! It takes a bit of guts and nuts in the head to wheel these cars. This car runs in the 4s to the 1/8th and looks to be a handful through the whole pass.

the March Meet three times, in 1984, 1986 and 1987.

In 1982 was a drag racing first, two women squared off in the Top Fuel final. Lucille Lee and Shirley Muldowney with Lee taking the win.

Living on the east coast, we have started to see more and more nostalgia races coming into their own, and personally, I am all for it.

Today, in the mid-Atlantic area we have guys like Gary Gore whose family has been around drag racing since the 1950s in Virginia and have now started up a series of races held at a number of small tracks that were around back then. Gary and his crew have worked hard

52

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

to get more people and cars involved with every race.

Another group putting on a great show in the East are the 422 All Stars. Based out of Pennsylvania, they have likened this new nostalgia movement to the factory super stock wars of days gone by. Big blocks, small blocks, stick shifts, automatics, Fords, Chevys, Dodges, and Pontiacs do battle on the quarter-mile. With 53 different cars signed up to run the points in 2015, this group looks to add even more this season. Run on a .400 full tree and a bracket format, the big-body cars leave wheelsup from low 12-seconds all the way down to Frank Pellegrini’s Dearborn Thunder ’65 Falcon that has run 8.26 at 161 mph.

And if you’re into gassers check out the Southeast Gascontinued on page 88

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

53

Ronda Certo ph

Will McDougal photo

oto

story and photos by

W

Chris Biro

e’d be lying if we didn’t admit that the love of fast cars is a male dominated thing, and often misunderstood by our better halves. Finding a female who doesn’t think we’re nuts for ogling over the sheetmetal of a well-restored muscle car, breaking out into a cold sweat every time we have an opportunity to head to the dragstrip, or missing damn near anything

SOUL MATES AT THE HIT Sandra gets a good hold of the starting line at TMP on her way to a mid 7-second quarter mile hit!

DragNden photo

!!!

56

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

GRAPHIC IMPACT Chuck and Sandra called on Clearshot Customs to polish and maintain the Vette’s paint. In addition to the sleek graphics along the car’s flanks and scoop, more subtle touches like airbrushed emblems and ghost flames on the hood really set the Chevy apart.

for the chance to wrench on a serious engine is slim to none—let alone meeting a girl who wants to actually drive one.

Enter Chuck Beal and his wife Sandra Carter-Beal: Chuck being the owner and Sandra being the pilot of a sweet, low-seven second naturally-aspirated carbon bodied ’63 Vette. Yep, you heard us right— Sandra drives it!

The duo, hailing from Port Dover, Ontario, Canada seem to make the perfect

team, but there’s no silver spoon in this story. In fact, this low-slung, heavy hittin’ Top Sportsman drag car is the product of a lot of knuckle busting late nights and a learning curve that spans more than a few years.

“We didn’t just start here,” Chuck explained firmly.

“A lot of people look at owners of a car at this level and make a lot of assumptions.

We’ve come from 11-seconds, to 8s, to this and did

SUPERIOR HEAT PROTECTION FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE MUFFLER SHIELD KIT

Greatly reduce radiant heat from mufflers and helps keep interiors cool and comfortable.

(800) 264-9472 DesignEngineering.com

INCLUDES FREE LOCKING TIE TOOL!

ONYX PIPE SHIELD

With advanced textiles and a reliable standoff bracket design, out performs other heat shields. Comes in a NOW AVAILABLE AT rich black finish.

SERIES

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016 wrap

shield

57

LIGHT WEIGHT HEAVY HITTER The carbon fi er body that sits on the S&W chassis is unmistakably a split window coupe rather than an overly stretched/modified pie e like many today. The lines of the split window just never get old. so on our own dime, and with a lot of hard work. Some think that we’re unapproachable, but we are exactly the opposite,” added the longtime heavy truck mechanic turned ace outside parts man for Metro Truck. “We make it a point to welcome everybody over to visit us while we’re at the track or a show.

We want to help get as many people interested in these cars as we can.”

THE NATURAL

Chuck grew up in the automotive industry and can con-

58

fidently say, that if it has an engine chances are he’s worked on it.

From street machines to bikes, sleds (that’s Canadian for snowmobiles, or as they say in Alaska “snow machines”) heavy trucks, and eventually drag cars.

“Chuck grew up working hard to modify and drive his favorite cars and even belonged to the Corvette Club,” told Sandra.

“Anything automotive or mechanically-related he is naturally talented with. He can make anything happen that he sets his mind

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

SOUL MATES

ASPIRATION AU NATURALE The Keith Black block is topped by EPD heads and fabricated intake with twin Holley 1350 cfm Dominators. Even though the big block is set low in the chassis, the massive heads and length of intake runners place the peak well above the fenders and cowl.

Chassis Engineering’s Outlaw “TRIPLE” Adjustable Ladder Bars The ultimate ladder bar for heavy, high horsepower race cars. 360 degree housing brackets w/integrated shock mounts. Chromoly construction for strength and lightweight. Includes all rod ends, hardware and brackets.

3606 3606A

$499.95 (pr) 36” Outlaw Adj. Ladder Bar Weld-up Kit $474.95 pr

The chassis prof30esyesioarnas ls for over

Toll Free Ordering: 800-327-9402 Info & Tech: 561-863-2188

chassisengineering.com

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

59

SOUL MATES

TOTAL DOMINATION 2,700 cfm of Holley Dominator sits atop the 706 Rat. to. Wiring schematics, welding, fabrication, you name it.”

A perfectionist, Beal keeps everything he lends his hands to in top-shelf working order and Sandra says he’s just as meticulous when it comes to their race cars.

“He goes over the engine after every pass. We have developed a system we adhere to always and it has worked very well for us. When we return to the pits from a run, before anything else happens, he goes over the car with a

60

fine toothed comb and then sets it up for the next pass. He is in tune with trouble shooting and proactive in everything, and loves finding ways to make power- even our golf cart was modified

by Chuck. Everything has HIS personalized touch,” she added.

DESTINY

Sandra grew up in her dad’s shadow when it came to cars, learning at an early age how to perform general engine maintenance like replacing gaskets, changing

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

spark plugs, batteries, tires and oil—you know, the things you always associate with a teenage girl. Being around cars became pretty comfortable for Sandra, but she’s admittedly a little rusty with a wrench since meeting Chuck who spoils her with his mechanical talent.

“I began babysitting for Benny and Brenda Grevers at a young age and eventually was invited to a track day with them.”

Grevers, a well-known drag racer, could be found at the dragstrip

most any weekend and was unknowingly creating his biggest fan and soon-to-be drag racer.

“From the very second we neared the track I knew this was where I wanted to be,” said Sandra with a smile. “Benny let me hang around the pits bugging to help and asking a lot of questions. He gave me some small tasks (that I think no one else wanted to do), like hooking up the fan to cool the motor, jumping in the driver seat to follow firing

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

61

SOUL MATES 1963 CORVETTE TOP SPORTSMAN RACE CAR

DragNden photo

Owner: Chuck Beal Driver: Sandra Carter-Beal Chassis Type & Mods: Complete S&W Race Cars chassis certified for 6.00 elapsed times in the quarter mile.

Suspension & Brakes: FRONT: S&W suspension with Strange struts.

REEAR: S&W 4-link and Koni coilover. Strange dual caliper per wheel brake system.

Body & Paint: Carbon fiber body. Paint polishing and maintenance work

by Clearshot Customs.

Engine: Jan-Cen Racing Engines built and tuned 706 ci big block Chevy.

Keith Black block with Brodix EPD 650 heads.

Induction: Sheet metal EPD intake with twin Holley Dominator 1350 carbs.

Electronics & Ignition: MSD Digital 7 ignition, Speedwire wiring.

Transmission & Converter: Two-speed Powerglide. Converter built by Carl at Competition Transmissions.

Rear Di˜ erential: Fab 9 from Mark Williams.

Performance: 7.40 at 189 mph.

Thanks: Bruce Todd who has been a reliable crew member and friend over the last five years. The first to help us get setup, tear down, and everything in between. He has been a huge support and willing to go that extra mile for the team without question. He has learned a lot from Chuck including the mechanics of race cars– he has come a long way.

Aaron Brooks was new to us in the latter part of last season helping with PR and doing a great job with it. Special thanks to Mike Yedgarian & Sharon Somerville for constant support and help with the car. Thanks to Metro Truck Group, Hips Cycle, Kreative Khaos, Matco Tools (James Bottling), Jan-Cen Racing Engines, Ontario Street Car Association, Toronto Motorsports Park, VP Race Fuels, Eddie Timal, Nick, Chris, Rick and Christine, John & Carol, Randy and Nicole, Les, Benny, Fred, Joe & Valerie, Yvonne Jim and Kim. Thanks to all the photographers and track staff everywhere who work SO HARD to capture memories and provide the safest environment possible.

instructions, checking tire pressure, the battery hook up, even riding around on the passenger floor while he was warming up the car. I always recall him stepping on the gas to throw me back, which he thought was hilarious! I’d help get to the staging lanes and eventually started to drive the car to the lanes myself and Ben would get me to watch his pass and report back on how it looked.” After graduating high school, Sandra went on to

college and graduated from Medical Administration which is the field in which she works today.

“When I returned from college, I met Chuck through my sister Donna and we became inseparable.

We have always been active in anything with power: motorcycling, snowmobiling, and quading. Although I haven’t been able to get him into downhill skiing with me,” she laughed.

Soon, Chuck would meet Sandra’s

horsepower mentor Ben and also started to hit the dragstrip.

“The next thing I knew there was an old car in our driveway and we made plans to take it to the track,” Sandra continued.

“Since then Chuck has done all his own research and majority of repairs and builds.”

Beal went a bit further than most with his interest in drag racing and tested to be an IHRA Tech Inspector, following which he promptly assumed the role

Because Quality Matters.

9” Billiet Aluminum Center Section Starting at $4,245

Tia Elizabeth photo

For information on the new 9’ Billet Aluminum center section and much more, visit us at Strangeeng.net or call us at 847-663-1701

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

63

SOUL MATES of head Tech Inspector at Toronto Motorsports Park for four years.

The air went through more than a few rides to get to where they are today, including a steel bodied 70 ½ Camaro that they completely rebuilt into a mid 8-second monster, and even a stint on two wheels with Sandra riding a downright sinister looking 2006 V Rod Destroyer! But the ’63 is Chuck’s dream car.

The ar was found in Connecticut on a popular race parts classified website in fall of 2014. The arbon fiber bodied Vette is based on an S&W chassis and had won two IHRA National events before the seller decided to retire from racing.

“We made three trips there,” said Carter-Beal.

“The rst was to look the car over, the second to make the down payment and the third to bring it home with

64

us. Chuck and I made these trips down together and I will never forget how beautiful the drive was and how everyone was so friendly and hospitable.”

IT ALL STARTS WITH A GOOD FOUNDATION

The orvette had been kept in an under-house garage, and while it was all there and in decent shape, it was in need of some TLC. “I sat in the car to get a feel for it in the modestly lit basement garage, while Chuck looked it over, then looked it over again,” tells Sandra. “It was a diamond in the rough and it wasn’t long before both of us knew that this car was about to become our dream.”

Once home it found a spot in their two-car garage and Chuck went right to

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

THE VIEW FROM WITHIN Like we said, Chuck and Sandra are regular folks who happen to love fast cars, so while the interior may look sparse on the high-end gadgetry seen in some of today’s fast doorslammers, make no mistake, everything in here has a purpose. And as Sandra says, the car has become deadly consistent. The Corvette came apart as soon as Chuck got it home and one of the biggest items on the list was getting the interior set up for Sandra to drive it.

work. He actually spoke several times at length with Scott Weney of S&W Race Cars about this car (which was pictured in the S&W catalogue) before Scott’s passing in November 2014. “Scott was excited to talk about the car expressing that this was one of their best builds,” said Chuck. “What a pleasure to talk with him. Scott willing-

ly spent time and answered any and all of my questions without hesitation.

I feel so fortunate to have been able to make this connection and will never forget his kindness.”

Beal immediately completely stripped the car down to the frame. The hassis itself was still in fl wless condition and maintained a 6.00 ET certifica-

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

65

SOUL MATES tion. Work included a complete re-wire with Speedwire gear and re-plumbing the fuel system from front to back. The ront wheels were changed to Weld V Stars with new tires and set of Strange dual caliper brakes on all four corners.

The ette was also treated to fresh Lexan by Chuck and a host of other items including getting Sandra fit properly into her new ride.

WITH GREAT POWER COMES…GREAT FUN!

The 06-inch Keith Black-based big block Chevy was removed, disassembled and sent to Mike Janis of Jan-Cen Racing in New York for a complete overhaul including a new crankshaft, main and rod bearings and some cylinder head work with new valves, springs, and retainers. The ig block sports a set of Brodix EPD 650 heads and sheet metal intake with twin 1350 cfm carbs. As for power adder, forget about it! This Vette gets it done naturally!

66

The owerglide transmission was freshened and once everything was set back between the rails of the Corvette it was springtime in southern Canada and time to hit the track for some testing. After the first few runs though, the weak link was found and following two transmission failures, a new Meziere billet Pro Mod fl xplate and torque converter by Competition Transmission in New York were ordered up and the transmission was repaired by Mike Yedgarian of Beverly Hills Auto of North York Ontario.

“Our very first 7.40 pass at 188.9 mph at our home track in 2015 was the first amazing experience with the Corvette!” exclaimed Sandra. “A very close second would be our first time racing Summit in Norwalk,

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

GOOD START MADE EVEN BETTER The S&W chassis is in like-new condition. Up front Chuck added Strange struts and dual caliper brakes, while a pair of Weld V-stars roll on Hoosier ET Front tires. The car was completely rewired using Speedwire parts, and an MSD Digital 7 ignition box was also installed.

Ronda Certa photo

SLICK(ED) UNDERPINNINGS A monster and virtually indestructible fabricated 9-inch rearend is controlled by an S&W rear 4-link and Koni coilover shocks.

BACKUP GUY Chuck guides Sandra into the starting line beams at Toronto Motorsports Park in 2015.

DragNden photo

Ronda Certa photo Continued on page 76

NORTHERN RACING UNLIMITED PRESENTS

CANADA’S FIRST AND ONLY NO PREP RACE

JULY 9, 2016 GRAND BEND MOTORPLEX

MAXIMUM PAYOUTS · BIG TIRE OUTLAW $10,000* · SMALL TIRE $5,000* · TRUE STREET $2,000* FEATURING: BOOSTED GT & FLACO FROM "STREET OUTLAWS" TICKETS & DRIVER SIGNUP

W W W.RACETHENORTH.COM *Certain qualifications apply

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

67

Page 68

www.rpm-mag.com

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

Chassis Body Suspension

Fabrication, Parts, Service

Designing and manufacturing of quality drag racing suspensions and components for over 30 years.

Toll Free Ordering: 800-327-9402 chassisengineering.com

Engines & Cylinder Heads Parts, Service, Machine Work

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

www.rpm-mag.com

Page 69

You’ve Tried The Rest,...

Now Use The BEST!

Harland Sharp

TM

Proudly Producing The Highest Quality 100% Made In USA Roller Rocker Arms Since 1960!

440-238-3260 www.harlandsharp.com

SB-CHEVY

#1 CHOICE FOR ASSEMBLIES CRANKS RODS

SB-FORD Call Call for for details details

661-257-8124

www.airflowresearch.com

662.796.7373

248.362.1188 | DARTHEADS.COM

eaglerod.com

Page 7 0

www.rpm-mag.com

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

Celebrating nearly 40 years in the manufacturing of in-stock and custom high performance pistons and accessories

Exhaust ALL

W W W . rossP isT ons. coM | (310) 536-0100 Email Us: sales@rosspistons.com

facebook.com/RossPistons

Fuel & Intake Carburetion Fuel Injection Intake Manifolds

www.borla.com 1-877-GO BORLA @BorlaExhaust facebook.com/BorlaExhaust

The first to perfect the one-piece pushrod

Manufacturer & innovator of high quality competition valve train components 800.326.8368 www.trendperform.com

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

Media Marketing & Advertising Services

www.rpm-mag.com

Page 7 1

Performance & Race Parts ALL

10 lbs lighter runs 30° cooler

Titan-TXR Titan-TXR

661-257-8124

www.airflowresearch.com

www.renegaderacefuel.com 800.733.3381

Page 7 2

www.rpm-mag.com

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

GET YOUR FREE CATALOG @ 888•233•8452 www.edelbrock.com

www.PerformanceImprovements.com

• Barrie • Brampton • Guelph • Hamilton • Oshawa • Pierrefonds • Toronto

Toll Free in Canada

1-877-471-6700

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

(352)593-5900 inductionsolutions.com

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

www.rpm-mag.com

Page 7 3

Race Orgs, Tracks & Events

Page 7 4

www.rpm-mag.com

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

Transmission Converter Clutch & Rear Differential

Safety Apparel & Communication

Tires & Wheels

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

www.rpm-mag.com

Page 7 5

MISC.

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

Tuning & Electronics

Incl. Ignitions, Control Systems, Parts & Service

Strangeeng.net 847.663.1701 Don’t Just Race

QUICKEST IGNITION WIRES ON EARTH. PERIOD.

FireCore50.com

866-973-WIRE (9473)

SOUL MATES Ohio. We weren’t even close to qualifying in the record-breaking 65-car count for Top Sportsman, but that’s ok, we made it to Norwalk, had the best pit neighbors, and lived the dream—to be among some of the world’s top Top Sportsman competitors was worth everything! I did my first ever 330-foot burnout with tires burning straight down Broadway! I felt like I was on top of the moon and Chuck, he saw dollar signs while I had my moment burning the hides but was worried that I wouldn’t get it backed up fast enough or straight enough after the burnout—but I did it like a pro for my hubby! The entire experience at Norwalk was tops in the memory books!

Third has to be taking class win and receiving the Jimmy Shine/Billy Gibbons award at the 2016

76

Motorama show. In just over a year, this car has put our spirits at heights we never thought possible.”

“We are so happy, grateful and respectful for all we have been afforded, the people we have met along this journey and the happiness the experience has brought us, even if it has been years of buying and selling to get where we wanted to be. My husband is my crew chief, my soul mate—yes I believe they exist because I have one— my best friend, and he sets the bar, never cutting corners, researching to learn, and simply NEVER giving up. We have put on more miles during excursions to look at motorhomes, cars, parts, or trailers than I can count and I would not change a single minute of the experiences we have had.”

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

“Special Ronda Certa photo thanks to our parents for making us into who we are today,” Sandra added. “And to the fans of drag racing who have allowed themselves to feel at home with us in our pits on race day and supported us every step of the way, we truly GOOD TIMES AT SMP appreciate you all. Thanks to our sponsors Clearshot (L to R): Bruce Todd, Sandra, and Chuck soak up every Customs, Hips Cycle, bit of fun at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk last VP Racing Fuels, Metro summer. They didn’t qualify in the record 65-car field, Truck Group and Kreative but still had the time of their lives, enough that it ranks Khaos.” And Sandra sends #2 on the “Life With The New Corvette Fun Meter.” the biggest shout out to someone special, her husband Chuck. “We simply wouldn’t be where we are without him and his hard work and tireless efforts.

He has given me a life that has been nothing short of amazing.”

®

Best Value in Safety Since 1975!

PRO15 Full Face Helmets • Exceeds Snell SA-2015 Rating • Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Hand Laid Shell • HANS / HNR M6 Threaded Inserts Installed • Distortion Free 3mm Polycarbonate Low Fog Shield • Tear-Off osts Hand Ratchet To Eight Positions • Silicone Eyeport Gasket Seals Out Dirt • Slick Aero Design With Chin Spoiler • Available In White, Gloss Black, Gloss Steel and Flat Black • Stocked in Sizes XXS - 3XL

351 / 355 Nomex® & Suede Gloves • Exceeds SFI 3.3/1 or 3.3/5 Ratings • Single Layer or Double Layer Nomex® Knit Construction • Hook and Loop Adjuster Strap • High Grip Suede Leather Reinforced Palm • Colors are Black, Red and Blue w/ Grey or Black Suede • Soft, Supple and Comfortable • Stocked in Kids Sizes & Adult XS - 3XL

PRO15 from $199.99 PRO15 Side Air $249.99 PRO15 Youth SFI from $199.99

from $44.99 / $54.99 SFI-1 and SFI-5 Suits, Jacket & Pants • Exceeds SFI 3.2A/1 or 3.2A/5 Ratings • Pyrovatex® FRC and Nomex Construction • Fresh, Stylish Designs • Black Epaulets, Belt, and High Back Collars • Contrasting Black Arm & Leg Stripes • Black Wrist and Ankle Cuffs • Brass YKK Zippers • Pleated Back Panel for Flexibility • Colors are Black, Red, and Blue • Stocked in Kids Sizes and Adult Small - 5XL

303 / 305 Series Racing Shoes • Exceeds SFI 3.3/5 Rating • Suede Leather Upper • Pyrovatex® Flame Retardant Liner • Molded Flexible Rubber Sole • Padded Ankle & Arch Support • Achilles Flex Opening • Stocked in Sizes 1-20

from $69.99 / $99.99

1pc Suits from $99.99 / $259.99 Jackets from $59.99 / $149.99 Pants from $59.99 / $139.99

Latch & Link Belt Sets

• Exceeds SFI 16.1 Rating • Premium 3” Polyester Webbing from • 3” Hardware Ends Installed $69.99 • 4pt V-Type or 5pt Design • Wrap Around or Bolt-in Mounting • Available with Hans Shoulders • Can Be Re-webbed (SFI) Upon Expiration • Now available in Black, Red, Blue, Yellow, Purple, Platinum, Green, Pink and Camo

Camlock from $139.95 RaceQuip also manufactures SFI rated window nets and mount kits, as well as a complete line of gear for Jr. Dragster Racers.

WWW.RACEQUIP.COM • 813-642-6644

Online Orders Are Shipped From The Nearest Stocking Dealer.

All Prices Shown are Racer Net – Shop Our Dealers for Best Pricing.

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

77

story by

Toby Brooks

ne look is all it takes. The unfettered, steel-gray sides look just as tough and muscular as they did the day it rolled off the line for the first time. Up front, the massive mechanical components reaching skyward have an all-business look that you wouldn’t want to mess with. Out back, the handcrafted steel skeleton shows an attention to detail and an obviously heavy dose of

O

78

photos by

Will McDougal

good ol’ fashioned American craftsmanship.

Except we aren’t talking about the USS Alabama.

We’re talking about Trey & Heather Cavaretta’s stunning 1964 C-10 shortbed.

“I have owned the truck for the past 10 years,” Cavaretta began. “But believe it or not the truck you see here was pretty much built in 8 months,” he added.

That whirlwind build all began in New Mexico, where close friend Joel Bushman

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

READY....AIM...FIRE IT UP! It isn’t easy to make an incredible piece of machinery like the USS Alabama look even MORE imposing, but this classic Chevy parked out front sure adds to the scene!

Booth 3107

Pit Mat

Dedicated to Safety Since 1959 “WHERE WE TAKE YOUR SAFETY SERIOUSLY” Like our Page at www.facebook.com/rjsrace

Visit our website at www.rjsracing.com

844-904-RACE (7223)

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

79

BIG GUN

TOWER OF POWER of Overkill Racing & Chassis started on a full chromoly skeleton. A talented fabricator himself, Cavaretta assisted in completing the highly detailed chassis with more custom touches than you can count.

The more you look, the more you see.

Up front, 2-inch main bars articulate with custom AJE struts with Powerhouse bags and Camaro dropped spindles for an incredible slam. However, the real beauty sits out back, where an

80

unbelievably trick cantilevered setup suspends the narrowed TDS quick change housing that has been stuffed with 3.73 gears and shortened 33-spline axles. Virtually every bracket, gusset, and random doodad affi xed to the chassis has been crafted with a sexy curved radiused edge, lending an almost organic feel to a chassis that seems to have flowed into position as much as it was crafted there.

Once completed, the fully TIG’ed creation was treated to a rich Gloss Blue Hawaiian

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

As if 588 cubic inches of Chevy Rat motor hue thanks to Xtreme Powder wasn’t enough, its Coating and outfitted with selocation in the killer lected matte charcoal accents, chassis coupled with including the coolest arched the 4-inch intercooler, wishbone track locator you’re 12/71 Littlefield blower, likely to ever lay eyes on. Othcarb adapter plate, dual er high-detail touches like the hand fabricated aluminum Demon 750-cfm blower fuel cell by 3G Fabrications carbs, and twin spun lend further evidence to the aluminum velocity stacks fact that Cavaretta didn’t do gives the Cavarettas’ anything the easy way on this C-10 a Battleship-meetsbuild.

Jenga vibe sure to instill Still not convinced? fear...and to muscularly Consider the reserve tank for obstruct vision from the the air ride system. Look all you want. You won’t find one. driver’s seat.

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

81

BIG GUN

82

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

SEXY CURVES Look closely. You’ll see that nearly every piece of the chromoly chassis has some sort of curve, bend, or radius. It is by design, giving the powder coated skeleton a fluid, organic feel that is unmistakably pleasing to the eye. Add in the off-the-charts cool factor of the exotic cantilevered air bag suspension, the hugeby-enourmous rear tires and wheels, and the custom built fuel cell and it is no wonder Cavaretta decided to build the bed with no floor in order to show it all off!

Cavaretta and Bushman actually utilized portions of the tube chassis to create the equivalent of two 5-gallon cylinders within the frame.

With a chassis this cool, things like an engine or a body are mere afterthoughts. However, that doesn’t mean either is any less noteworthy.

The 588 ci Rat motor started as a tall deck Chevy big block that was stuffed with a full Crower rotating assembly, including a stroker crank, billet rods, and 8.5:1 blower slugs. A solid roller blower cam was chosen, and Brodix aluminum heads were

mated to an aluminum blower intake. A massive 12/71 Littlefield supercharger pushes 10 pounds of boost through a custom water-to-air intercooler.

Fuel delivery is handled by an Aeromotive electric pump pushing the liquid fossil remains to a pair of Demon 750 CFM blower carbs.

Electronics and ignition are all managed by MSD components, and a pair of 3G Fabrications headers direct the spent fumes rearward. Custom spun aluminum velocity stacks crown the whole towering pile of awesome, and the engine bay

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

83

BIG GUN

FABBED-TASTIC The incredible cage work continues into the cockpit, where gracefully sculpted chromoly abounds above, within, and around.

AutoMeter gauges, a Kilduff shifter, and a billet steering wheel partner with suede racing buckets for an incredible look.

The most exciting thing in air cleaners...well, since the air cleaner!

#141-834

#141-835

84

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

#141-830

#141-831

#141-832

Factory Performance™ Parts

TREY & HEATHER CAVARETTA’S PRO STREET 1964 CHEVY C-10 PICKUP

includes the massive Rat, monstrous meats, curvy chassis bars, and room for little else.

Backing the big Chevy is a fortified TH 400 that has been equipped with a Stage II kit with Kevlar plates and a full manual reverse valve body. A TCI 4,800-stall converter helps with the truck’s street manners.

The goal with the paint and body on the truck was to retain as

much of a factory look as possible while massaging and improving almost every inch of the factory sheetmetal. We’d say mission accomplished.

A smoothed hood highlights a factory-fresh grille and front bumper. Factory door handles were retained, too. The stock bed was completely reworked sans-floor to showcase the rear chassis, which required

custom mounts that were also treated to the smoothed-andcurved theme present throughout.

Once the body was fully prepped by Cavaretta’s One Off Customs crew as well as Livadais Design, it was sprayed by the latter utilizing DuPont Chroma Premiere Diamond Graphite basecoat/clearcoat.

Devoid of any graphics or other over-the-top

Chassis Type & Mods: Full chromoly TIG welded custom tube chassis by Overkill Racing & Chassis.

Suspension & Brakes: FRONT: Custom AJE struts with Camaro dropped spindles and Powerhouse air bags. REAR: Custom cantilevered setup with Powerhouse air bags and one-off radiused wishbone. Entire chassis powder coated Blue Hawaiian gloss by Xtreme Powder Coating.

Body & Paint: DuPont Chroma Premier Diamond Graphite supplied by Mike & Jerry’s. Smoothed hood, molded roll pan, complete custom bed with no floor and hidden mounts. Stock bumper, grille, and handles used. All paint and body by Livadais Design and One Off Creations.

Engine: 588 ci tall deck BBC with Crower 8.5:1 pistons, Crower rods, and Crower crankshaft. Custom ground solid roller camshaft. Brodix cylinder heads.

Induction & Fuel System: 12/71 Littlefield blower pushing 10 pounds of boost through custom water to air intercooler and aluminum blower manifold. Dual 750 Demon carburetors with custom spun aluminum velocity stacks.

Electronics: MSD 6-AL box and full MSD ignition.

Transmission & Converter: Turbo 400 stage II kit with Kevlar plates. TCI 4,800-stall converter.

Di˜ erential: TDS by Speedmaster housing with 3.73 gears and quick-change setup.

Exhaust: Full custom headers by 3G Fabrications.

Tires & Wheels: FRONT: 22x8.5 Raceline with Pirelli P-Zero 245/30-22 tires. REAR: 24x15 Raceline with 405/25-24 Pirelli tires.

With Pro Line Racing Engines and Diamond pistons, Q80 Racing team resets quarter-mile doorslammer record at 5.46 seconds and 272mph “Diamond’s contributions have been invaluable.”

Doug Patton, Pro Line Racing Engines

Diamond’s turbo pistons make big power and combat heat and pressure.

• Forged from 2618 aluminum with Herculean pin bosses that accomodate tough TP-1 or H13 tool steel piston pins • Lower skirt rigidity maintained by full-circumference designs that boast the strongest-known stiffening ribs • Hard-coat anodizing, ceramic crowns, and moly skirt coatings available • Fastest turnaround time on custom pistons Questions? Knowledgeable Tech Support: M-F, 9AM-5PM EST

Call today: 586.792.6620 or visit diamondracing.net www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

85

BIG GUN

To Run Like A Pro...

Use The Best

$% ' ' '( #$, ) ) . ' + )' # ( )*% ! + '( , ## # + #) # $) % ' $'" # # *' ! )- $# ) )' / ' $, ' ! ' #(" (( $#( ' * !) $"%! ) !- # , , ) # " ) ' !( # $#) # $+ ' - '( $ . ' , ## # (* (( # #$, $,

body mods, the classic Chevy retains a measure of Dr. Jekyll restraint and class to pair nicely with its Mr. Hyde powerplant and chassis.

Further evidence of the truck’s wild side exists in Cavaretta’s choice

$ %' ( !- " ) ) % ! ) ( $ ) $, ' ! ' #(" (( $#( . !($ $ '( $" %! ) ! # $ %' " *" )$'&* $#+ ') '( ! )$ # ! $'( %$, '

%%! ) $#( ) ( ()' # ) $#+ ') '( # *()$" * !) $'

!$ $' " !! !$ # # ( , ) "*!) %! () ( $ %$, ' '( /

• Available in (12) unique setups with 1.98, 1.80 or 1.69 Straight-Cut 12DPI Super Set Planetaries for unrivaled performance & durability pass-after-pass • Feature a 2-Piece HDT-Coated Reid Case (standard or shorty), PRO-X™ Ringless Input Shaft & Aluminum Gerotor Pump & X-Wide Kevlar Band, plus countless other

• Available in (7) unique setups for Powerglide racers or TCIŽ

• Utilize a custom-designed steel stator, billet mounting ring, urnace-brazed as well as hand-brazed turbine & pump assembly, three sets of internal bearings & heat-treated & reinforced steel turbine splines 9382k

TRANS HELP™ 1.888.776.9824 • TCIAUTO.COM

86

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

of rolling stock.

A pair of massive 22x8.5 Raceline wheels have been shod with 245/3022 Pirelli P-Zero tires up front. Out back, a pair of 24x15 Racelines have been fitted with absolutely monstrous 405/25-

24 Pirellis. It’s a new-school pro street look that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the only thing more remarkable than the sheer size of the tires and wheels is the fact that the chassis accommodates them all with a full tuck.

The interior in the C-10 is simplistic by design. Other than the wild full cage, the cockpit has been equipped with a Kilduff Machine Lightning Rods shifter and a billet steering wheel. The smoothed and painted factory dash has been fi lled with AutoMeter Carbon Fiber series

instrumentation, and the custom door panels were crafted by 3G Fabrications and Livadais Design. Custom black suede and cloth-covered racing buckets round out the Spartan interior.

The Cavarettas were thrilled to debut the build at the 2014 SEMA show, taking a spot in

the prestigious Meguiar’s Corral of Cars.

And while Trey has heard his share of typical criticism, he shrugs it off with a smile.

“I hear people say I ruined an old truck by cutting it up, or they don’t like the wheels, or whatever, but this represents everything I

like all rolled into one,” he concluded.

That “one” just happens to be an incredible street beast with some of the finest fabrication detail you’re likely to lay eyes on. So what if it isn’t a storied battle cruiser like the USS Alabama.

It’s still one heck of a craftsman “ship.”

The First Choice 1-888-463-2781

NitrousExpress.com

The #1 nitrous components for carbureted or EFI applications

Billet Aluminum and Carbon Fiber solenoids solenoids weigh less and make more power

Billet bottle valve with .500” orifice and .500” piston lift!

Guaranteed to improve the performance of any nitrous kit!

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

87

continued from pg. 52

THEY BUILT EXCITEMENT Pontiacs are plentiful in nostalgia drag racing like this AA/FX Super Duty powered Poncho wagon.

88

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

RPM EXCLUSIVE

刀椀瘀攀琀 ⬀ 刀椀瘀攀琀 一甀琀 ⬀ 刀椀瘀攀琀 匀琀甀搀

䴀甀氀琀椀ⴀ䘀甀渀挀琀椀漀渀愀氀 唀渀氀椀洀椀琀攀搀 倀漀猀猀椀戀椀氀椀琀椀攀猀 ON HER TIPPEE TOES

䄀嘀䄀䬀 䴀愀砀䐀甀琀礀 䘀氀攀砀 吀漀漀氀 䬀椀琀

The ’38 Special leaves with all four wheels off the ground. This seems to be a regular thing with the hot rod black truck.

∠ ㌀ⴀ椀渀ⴀ㨀 刀椀瘀攀琀Ⰰ 刀椀瘀攀琀 一甀琀 ⬀ 刀椀瘀攀琀 匀琀甀搀 ∠ 䘀氀攀砀椀戀氀攀 栀愀渀搀氀攀猀 昀漀爀 攀愀猀礀 猀琀漀爀愀最攀 眀椀琀栀漀甀琀 氀漀漀猀椀渀最 愀渀礀 氀攀瘀攀爀愀最攀⸀ ∠ 唀渀椀焀甀攀 儀甀椀挀欀匀眀椀琀挀栀 昀攀愀琀甀爀攀 昀漀爀 爀愀瀀椀搀 昀甀渀挀琀椀漀渀愀氀 挀栀愀渀最攀 ∠ 䠀攀愀瘀礀 搀甀琀礀 猀甀瀀瀀漀爀琀椀渀最 猀琀愀椀渀氀攀猀猀 昀愀猀 昀愀猀琀攀渀攀爀猀 愀渀搀 猀琀爀甀挀琀甀爀愀氀 昀愀猀琀攀渀攀爀猀

刀椀瘀攀琀 ㄀⼀㐀ᴠ ⠀㘀⸀㐀洀洀⤀ 刀椀瘀攀琀 一甀琀 ㄀⼀㈀ᴠ ⼀ 䴀㄀㈀ 刀椀瘀攀琀 匀琀甀搀 㔀⼀㄀㘀ᴠ ⼀ 䴀㠀

刀椀瘀攀琀⼀刀椀瘀攀琀 一甀琀 䐀爀椀氀氀 䄀搀愀瀀琀攀爀猀

䔀û漀爀琀氀攀猀猀 愀渀搀 䔀ϻ挀椀攀渀琀 䜀攀琀 琀栀攀 樀漀戀 搀漀渀攀 昀愀猀琀 䄀嘀䄀䬀 刀嘀䐀 愀渀搀 刀一䐀 䐀爀椀氀氀 䄀搀愀瀀琀攀爀猀 ∠ 䰀攀瘀攀爀愀最攀 琀栀攀 瀀漀眀攀爀 漀昀 瀀漀眀攀爀 琀漀漀氀 昀漀爀 攀û漀爀琀氀攀猀猀 爀椀瘀攀琀椀渀最 ∠ 唀瀀 琀漀 ㈀砀 愀猀 昀愀猀琀 愀猀 洀愀渀甀愀氀 琀漀漀氀猀 ∠ 匀洀愀氀氀 瀀爀漀漀氀攀 昀漀爀 攀砀琀爀攀洀攀 瀀漀爀琀愀戀椀氀椀琀礀 ∠ 唀猀攀 礀漀甀爀 搀爀椀氀氀 昀漀爀 搀爀椀氀氀椀渀最 愀渀搀 爀椀瘀攀琀椀渀最⸀ 一漀琀 漀渀攀 漀爀 琀栀攀 漀琀栀攀爀⸀ 䴀漀搀攀氀猀

CONRAD IN THE MAKING Notice something? No 40-foot trailer, no Pro Jacks and pulling the car up on the open trailer to wrench on it with the injection off. The Bounty Hunter 1969 Mach 1 of Connie Kalitta was one of the most feared funny cars of its day. Today, Connie can be found with his four fuel drivers racing NHRA. Son Doug Kalitta and JR Todd wheel the fuel dragsters while Alexis DeJoria and Del Worsham pilot the funny cars.

ser Association for some of the best in gasser racing today. Pro mod racing standout and longtime racer Quain Stott put this group of hardcore gasser fans together and built himself a ’42 Willys much like his childhood hero

Gene Cromer raced in the ’60s and ’70s. From straight axle Mustangs to wicked hard-hitting ’37 Chevys, this series really has something for everybody.

Another gasser series is the Nostalgia AA/ Gassers which features

blown heads-up racing with an eight-car field. These cars are fast—considerably faster than what gassers had ever been before.

Another pro mod racer, JR Ward, driving the JunkYard Dog owned by the famous Jim

刀嘀䐀ⴀ㄀ 㨀 唀瀀 琀漀 ㄀⼀㐀ᴠ 爀椀瘀攀琀猀 刀一䐀ⴀ㄀ ⴀ嬀匀⼀䴀崀㨀 唀瀀 琀漀 ㌀⼀㠀ᴠ 漀爀 䴀㄀ 爀椀瘀攀琀 渀甀琀猀

刀一䐀ⴀ㄀

刀嘀䐀ⴀ㄀

WWW.RIDGEGATETOOLS.COM

RIDGEGATE TOOLS & TECH

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

89

RPM EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE There’s nothing that compares to watching a pair of AA/FC nostalgia funny cars go at it.

IN THE NINES This is the original Fermier Borthers1962 406 car that now pounds down 9.95 ETs in the quarter-mile. 422 Motorsports has expanded their program and many may remember them running with the now-defunct NSCA (National Street Car Association).

90

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

CLASSIC MAVERICK Judging by the 429 decal, the tunnel ram with dual carbs, and engine setback, “Jumping Joe” had power to weight all figured out!

CRAGAR S/S ON THE OPEN TRAILER Pro Stock’s Wally Booth and the Rat Pack Camaro pulling into York for a pro stock meet. How cool is it to see a badass pro stocker being pulled around on an open trailer?

IT TAKES ALL TYPES The rail versus the coupe in good oldfashioned “no prep” drag racing.

Oddy (previously featured in RPM) has been 4.75 in the eighth-mile in the steel-bodied 1934 Willys sedan and won their 2015 Championship.

But you don’t have to run in the 4s to enjoy this type of racing. It’s all about having fun and hanging out

with family and friends.

One has to ask, will today’s racing ever make an impact like the racing of the ’60s?

Winners, heroes, who’s on top, who’s not— everything changes so much from day to day now, and everything is done for

instant gratuity, especially online.

It is as if the originality has gone out and so many just play follow the leader. The diversity of cars is just not there at most events these days, but if you were to add in bodystyles from the 1940s-70s you would have

a whole different story.

We can’t go back in time, but with the newfound popularity of nostalgia racing you can get the feel of what it was like. Nitro can still be found at some events with the very popular nostalgia nitro

funny cars. Drivers like Jason Rupert who has been 5.60s at 258 mph in the quarter are gaining widespread recognition. Leah Pritchett proved she is not only just another pretty face when she became the first person over 250 mph in a nostalgia funny

car in 2009. And how about NHRA racer Tony Bartone running 5.53 in a front engine nitro dragster? Or Jim Young who took the MPH record up to 266.11? Both of those records came from the March Meet.

The March Meet this year had

Visit our Facebook page and share a pic of your ride for a chance to win free stuff!!

Find us on Facebook by searching for: REV-X Products

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

91

IT’S A GAS well over 400 cars and thousands of fans, and events such as the Northeast Nostalgia Classic at New England Dragway, The Gasser Reunion at Thompson Raceway Park, The York Reunion in York, Pennsylvania, and over 40 other races in the US alone dedicated to the glory days of fast cars are gaining momentum with each event.

There seems to

92

Pro Mod standout Quain Stott has been bitten bad by the nostalgia bug! His Willys gasser named Grand Illusion screams 1960’s from front to back. The 331 cube small block dips into the 5s!

be a very bright future ahead for the fans of good ole fashioned drag racing.

If you’re like me and can’t get enough of seeing the old school cars go at it one on one, then check out the Jackson Brothers for some of the best ’60s,

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

THE NEW COOL TAKES SOME MUSCLE TO LIFT THESE WHEELS The Hoff & eyser Camaro takes on the big bad “Galloping Grapes.” Remember those old heavy chrome Keystone wheels?

AN OUTLAW IS BETTER THAN AN INLAW James Shelton’s “The Outlaw” Camaro was a 1970 AHRA and NHRA record holder

BETTER PRODUCTS, BETTER SERVICE FROM A COMPANY BUILT ON DRAG RACING CALL TODNAYG

SPERCIIALS

FOR

SPECIAL GRIND CAMSHAFTS

SP

Lunati has the perfect camshaft for your drag race application. New state-of-the-art computer lobe profiles provide higher lift under the curve, resulting in increased power and throttle response. Tailored power bands also create more usable horsepower and torque for when it matters. Each camshaft utilizes a premium core made in the USA – and all adhere to strict quality-control standards.

ALSO AVAILABLE ROCKERS

VALVE SPRING KITS

LIFTERS

LUBRICANTS

FIND US:

SIGNATURE SERIES ROTATING ASSEMBLIES Our Signature Series Rotating Assemblies represent the strongest package of rotating components you will find for your engine. The kit begins with a pulsed-plasma nitride heat-treated crankshaft that is formed on a specialized, non-twist 4340 steel forging and features gun-drilled mains, lightened rod journals, micropolished journals and windage reducing, contoured wing counterweights. Additionally, each kit comes with premium I-beam or H-beam rods, your choice of Diamond or Mahle brand forged pistons and premium King or Clevite engine bearings.

(662) 892-1500 • LUNATIPOWER.COM

9380k

Lunati® has a legacy of helping racers find the victory lane.

Utilizing race-winning technology, quality and craftsmanship, each component is tailor-made with the racer in mind to produce maximum horsepower, torque and reliability.

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

93

THE NEW COOL ’70s and ’80s racing from the west coast on DVD. Fuel altereds, dragsters, funny cars, and gassers from all over Cali and the west coast.

If you’re an east coast fan, then look no further than Jim Amos at Bee On Video.

Jim does a great job with narrating and knows the history of the area’s crews and drivers.

Without our history there can be no future. We

94

have to preserve it while we can as we will never see the likes of Jungle Jim, Dick Landy, Pete Robinson, Mickey Thompson, Bill Jenkins, Ronnie Sox, Dave Strickler, and Fred Goeske again.

So make a change from the fast-paced world of today. Put down that smart phone, log off of facebook, get your butt out there, and live it! Pick up the old

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

WINDY CITY WARRIOR One of the baddest cars to ever hit the strip, the Chi-Town Hustler and the men behind it changed drag racing forever when they are said to have invented the first “real” burnouts in drag racing.

Wheeled by Chicago police officer Pat Minick with John Farkonas and Austin Coil teamed up as car owners, they went on to win an IHRA championship in 1974 with Ron Colson driving and again in 1979 with Pete Williams. With Frank Hawley at the controls, the Hustler also captured the NHRA funny car crown in 1982 and 1983.

WATCH OUT FOR THE KID Billy Stepp aka Billy The Kid and his “Wanted Dead or Alive” Mopars from Dayton Ohio made lots of pro stock teams have bad dreams. Billy was a real true-to-life gangster and the whole world knew it—and Billy didn’t care! The drag racing world lost Stepp in 2008 at the age of 73.

Features

TSV Technology

We started from a clean sheet to create the most efficient, most advanced supercharger ever created for GM LS engines.

Our revolutionary new intercooler design delivers more power than the competition run-after-run, regardless of how hot it is outside.

With factory-like drivability, a bypass valve for enhanced fuel economy, and OEM-level fit and finish that looks great under the hood, Magnuson's Heartbeat is true horsepower without compromise.

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

95

RPM EXCLUSIVE ISN’T THAT ODDY Blown engine builder and legend Jim Oddy’s Austin first came into the gasser wars in 1965. Jim built a 480-inch Chrysler engine topped with a 6/71 blower. The beautiful little BB/Gas is seen here at York for the Nationals in 1970. Now, the same car that put Oddy on the map has been restored by another New Yorker, John Cassiol.

DAY AT THE BEACH Colonial Beach Dragway in Colonial Beach, Virginia has not really changed much at all since this shot taken in 1971. Here, a Modified Production Vette faces off with a Ford Gasser.

magazines, buy some old race footage that has been converted to DVD, and get out to the races where the real stars of drag racing that are still with us will make the odd appearance.

You won’t regret it!

These folks won’t be

96

around forever and when they are gone all we have are memories, and for me, I’d like to be able to look back and say that I had the good fortune to meet some of the best there was. Now that is my meaning of nostalgia!

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

The latest technology for your Big Block Chevy 3D milling

OTHER BRANDS 2.930'' JE FSR 2.500''

Introducing Lightweight Big Block Chevy FSR Pistons with 3D Milling!

This new design was custom-engineered with 3D machining and drastically reduces piston assembly weight with shortened wrist pins (-26 grams) and a low-friction ring set (-25 grams). The end result provides additional material in critical piston areas, ultimately increasing strength and durability!

• The only off-the-shelf 3D machined BBC piston available!

• 60 popular BBC high compression combinations available off-the-shelf • Compatible with popular open chamber heads • 2618 alloy high strength forging (FEA designed) • Lateral gas ports improve ring seal • Superior JE Pro Seal Ring Package utilizes a .043” steel top ring, .043” Napier hooked 2nd ring, and 3.0mm low tension oil ring.

• 100% engineered, forged, and manufactured in the USA

Wrist Pins • High quality 2.500'' pin further reduces reciprocating weight • Carbon steel wire locks included

7 1 4 - 8 9 8 - 9 7 6 3 • i n f o @ j e p i s t o n s . c o m • w w w. j e p i s t o n s . c o m

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

97

RPM EXCLUSIVES

WELL, I’LL BE DIPPED >>We hit some parts with Cerakote ceramic coating and Big Brain Hydrographics for a durable and highly unique fin sh

W

e are always on the lookout for cool new technology that can make our rides (and yours) perform and look better. We stumbled across the process of hydrodipping about three years ago, and we’ve been looking for a reason and a few parts so we could test it out. After a bit of research, we found Big Brain Hydrographics and Guns Up Hydrographics and decided to give it a shot.

The hydrographics, “water transfer printing,” or “hydrodipping, process is a relatively recent development in the custom and high performance automotive industry, but it has been utilized in major manufacturing since the 1980s.

More recently, a number of suppliers and professional applicators have emerged, making the technique more accessible than ever.

In addition to auto parts, many shops also dip and customize firearms and components as well as insulated tumbler cups.

Many of the patterns available reflect those markets, with a plethora of faux carbon fiber, camofl uge, and other patterns.

However, we were looking for a subtle, high tech treatment that would reflect a honeycomb hex pattern to be used throughout our build. That search brought us to Big Brain Hydrographics.

Based in Bossier City, Louisiana, Big Brain has been in the water transfer business for

by

Toby Brooks

1 1: Spoiler alert! So we 2: While hydrodipping provides a cool look, hate to show you the we wanted a finish that as durable, too. finished esult first, Even though powder coating will be used but this cool hexagon on a number of parts, it is almost impossible pattern is fresh out of the to beat the heat resistance and toughness dip tank. After it dried, it of ceramic coating. Another bonus is that was sealed with a coat of unlike powder, ceramic lays down in an ultra matte clear Cerakote to thin coat, making it perfect for pieces like secure the print. our Supercharger Store gear drive.

cvrproducts.com For more information visit

98

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

2

www.cvrproducts.com

4 3: Henson preps every part for coating using shot peen media blasting in his blast cabinet.

3

4: Once the part was blasted, it was blown clean and wiped down with Acetone before being masked off on the backside. Henson then filled his airbrush with Cerakote Tungsten air dry. The coating comes pre-mixed and sprays just like ordinary paint.

several years, both supplying films and finishing parts and pieces themselves. The husband and wife team of Sean and Dinetta DeVille are as knowledgable about their products as anyone you will ever meet, and incredibly helpful in all things hydrodip. The fact that they are both as funny as they are friendly

is a helpful bonus, too.

Big Brain offers a full line of hydrodip films, supplies, and even training. We selected a few other films in addition to their small honeycomb pattern and searched for a local applicator to show us the ropes.

That search led us to Lubbock, Texas-based Bryan Henson of Guns Up

Hydrographics.

Aft r contacting Henson and explaining what we had cooking, he was happy to help us with both ceramic coating and hydrodipping.

The first step was to prep our Supercharger Store gear drive plate. Although ceramic coating is incredibly durable, just like any finish, the most important step

A GREAT COMBO 1,081 HP & 841 ft-lbs. Torque

Matt Woodard built a powerhouse big-block Chevy for Super Comp class racing with an Edelbrock Super Victor II intake #2897 and Victor 24° cylinder heads. These components were prepped by Shaut Racing Heads and the block features a 4.625" bore and 4.50" stroke for 605 cubic inches. Testing was performed at Edelbrock’s R&D dyno facility in Torrance, California.

“Making 1,080+ horsepower with conventional aluminum cylinder heads is really amazing.”

— Matt Woodard

FOLLOW US ON:

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT EDELBROCK.COM FREE CATALOGS: 800-386-8326 • TECH LINE: 800-416-8628, 7am-5pm PST. M-F.

©2016 EDELBROCK, LLC

ALL PARTS FOR USE ON RACING VEHICLES ONLY.

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

99

RPM QUICK TECH 5

6 5: The hydrographic film omes in 1 or 5 meter rolls. Henson unrolled a small piece and taped around the edges with painter’s tape, which helps prevent the edges from curling up when placed in the water.

6 & 7: The prepped film as placed on the surface of the water, then Henson sprayed it with a liquid activator. After just a few seconds, it was ready for the part to be dipped.

100

is preparation. Henson utilizes shot peen media blasting on most parts and hand finishes any others that require further prep.

Once the part was removed from media blasting, it was throughly blown off sing compressed air and wiped down with acetone to remove any other potential contanimants. After thorough prep, our part was masked and ready for coating.

Much like hydrodipping, high-tech ceramic coatings have been available for some time

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

7 but their popularity has literally exploded over the past five years.

The ultra-thin coating (1-2 mil) provides protection against scuffs and wear in addition to thermal protection, as well. We contacted industry leader Cerakote and ordered several colors in addition to matte clear.

Unlike most paint, ceramic coating comes pre-mixed and ready to spray. Henson loaded his airbrush with our selected tungsten matte gray color and sprayed the part. Although Guns Up has

a wide array of larger spray guns available, Henson uses an airbrush as his go-to tool of choice when spraying ceramic coating to minimize material losses.

Henson placed the gear drive plate in his spray booth and applied a thin coat. The matte gray color applied smoothly and evenly, and within 10 minutes the part had dried sufficently for dipping.

Henson cut a 24-inch piece of Big Brain’s small honeycomb pattern and taped the edges of the

SHINE. FOR LONGER.

Achieve perfect paintwork with teamwork.

At Autoglym we’ve been developing car care products that work seamlessly for over 40 years so you could say we know a thing or two about paintwork. Your 3-step cleaning routine for bodywork combines Autoglym Bodywork Wash & Wax our award winning Super Resin Polish and Extra Gloss Protection. It’s a winning combination that provides a superior shine, is quick and easy to use and more durable than ever, which means you and your car get to look good for longer.

Clean, Polish, Protect for perfect results. That’s the Autoglym way. Always has been. ≤≤≤≤≤

www.autoglym.com

P A S S I O N for P E R F E C T I O N

Now exclusively available at Canadian Tire and PartSource

INTRODUCING: THE

WORLD’S

MOST ADVANCED PLUMBING SYSTEM!

Modern day high performance vehicles require a plumbing system designed to withstand today’s modern fluids, harsh environments, brutal vibration, flow requirements & extreme pressures. UltraPro from Earl’s was engineered as a system to exceed the rigorous demands of even the most extreme forms of racing. Don’t settle for good enough. Go UltraPro!

Available with Earl’s Dynamic Swivel™ technology that allows 360º rotation of installed line

Internal seals are a fluoroelastomer material which is resistant to all known fuel, oil and coolant

Double-helix inner liner provides structural integrity allowing full flow and tight bends

Double-helix inner liner is also carbon-infused for static dissipation Liner is reinforced with an outside glass-fiber wrap for additional strength and integrity

ANO-TUFF black ANO-TUFF™ hard coat anodizing for extreme durability

Assembled with an olive that threads onto the double-helix ribbed inner liner of the hose for positive engagement and retention of the hose-ends

Hose-ends utilize brazed bent tubes for unmatched strength

The design of nuts, sockets & swivels has been optimized for weight-savings!

High-stress components are machined from high-strength 2024-T8 aluminum instead of 6061-T6 aluminum used by competitors

ULTRA RUGGED ULTRA DURABLE ULTRA LIGHT ULTRA FLEXIBLE ULTRA VERSATILE ULTRA FLOW

102

june RPM Magazine earlsplumbing.com

Inner liner is made of PTFE which is impervious to all known fuel, oil and coolant PTFE inner liner has an ultra low coefficient of friction to promote maximum flow

• UltraPro Polyester Braid hose is up to 67% lighter than traditional rubber hose with stainless steel braid!

• UltraPro Stainless Steel Braid hose is up to 35% lighter than traditional rubber hose with stainless steel braid!

UltraPro Crimp-on and UltraPro Twist-on hoseends available for more plumbing options at home or at the track UltraPro hoseend replacement sockets and collars also available in pewter-color and gold-color for a custom look!

RPM QUICK TECH

9

SOURCES Big Brain Hydrographics

8 8: With the film activated and the part ready to go, Henson slowly and carefully dipped through the surface down into the tank, applying the pattern in the process.

9: After dipping the part through the film, Henson gave it a quick shake beneath the surface to disperse the remaining film on the surface to help prevent it from being accidentally deposited on the finished piece. The part was then placed on a rack to dry before it was again sprayed with ceramic coating, this time a matte clear to seal the dipped pattern.

piece using ordinary painter’s tape. The tape helps keep the edges of the fi lm in place while dipping. The piece was then placed in the dipping tank and after 60 seconds it was sprayed with water transfer activator. After a brief wait following spraying, Henson carefully submerged our part in the water, apply-

www.gobigbrain.com 318.746.1564

Guns Up Hydrographics 806.549.2022

Cerakote/NIC Industries www.cerakotehightemp.com 866.774.7628

ing the fi lm smoothly and evenly. After a quick shake to prevent the remaining fi lm from contaminating the part on the way back out, Henson pulled it from the water to dry before applying a final coat of matte ceramic clear.

The finished product is not only cool looking, but also adds significant

durability and temperature resistance to our supercharger gear drive. While the process was easy, we sincerely appreciated getting to see a pro like Henson give it a go before even considering doing it ourselves. With materials from Cerakote and Big Brain, Henson’s work was outstanding!

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

103

RPM COOL TOOLS

Get (and Stay) Charged Up! >> OPTIMA Chargers Digital 1200 packs tons of high-tech features into one convenient, portable package by

Toby Brooks

I

f you have upgraded your ride to a high performance absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery, then you are probably already aware that your new power source can be mounted in most any direction, is impervious to temperature extremes, and is lighter weight than traditional lead acid batteries. However, what you might not have realized is that your battery requires a little extra special care.

And whether you have an AGM or even a traditional lead acid unit,

104

OPTIMA’s Digital 1200 charger can help charge, maintain, and even save your batteries.

We ordered a pair of Yellow Top batteries for Project aPocalypSe Horse, and after running the Ride Tech on-board compressor for much of the weekend on one of them, it was ready for some juice. It was then that we realized our cheap old shop junk based on 1940s technology simply wouldn’t cut it with our new-tech power source.

At $199, the OPTIMA Digital 1200 won’t

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

be the cheapest option available, but when you consider what it does and the fact that OPTIMA will tack an extra year on their standard 3-year battery warranty if you purchase the Digital 1200 at the same time as your battery, the cost suddenly seems like a bargain.

The plastic housing features a locking carry handle, a convenient USB power port, an auxiliary power port for connecting a battery maintainer, and a locking storage door that houses the charging cables. The coolest feature

is the easy push button control panel with a backlit LCD display. The display shows not only charging status but also displays a quick glance 0-100% charged analog-style gauge during charging.

We connected the battery we had used all weekend and the unit analyzed it for about 30 seconds before commencing to charge it.

Although our Yellow Top only showed 8.5 volts, the Digital 1200 had it back to more than 14 volts in less than 30 minutes.

The Digital 1200

1

1: Straight out of the box, it is pretty obvious that the OPTIMA Digital 1200 isn’t your typical old-school charger with the big louvered metal case and loud buzzing action. The lightweight ABS housing features unique OPTIMA styling and integrated carry handles and storage space for your cables. The addition of a USB power port on the side of the unit is an incredibly handy feature, as it seems like our iPhone is always nearly dead every time we head out to the shop. The backlit LCD display provides all pertinent charging data, and even the grounded power cable has a handy wind up provision with a rubber retainer clip. While our old charger was stowed away in a cabinet, the good looks and the USB port on the Digital 1200 earned it a spot on the benchtop.

2 & 3: All charging cables are housed in a handy storage compartment on the back of the unit. In addition to normal charging clamps, the Digital 1200 also includes two other connection cables.

2 unit can also be used to provide short-burst starting power and will condition and maintain virtually any 12-volt battery.

The maintainer function is especially helpful for keeping the battery of a stored vehicle in tip-top condition. This will ensure that when the time comes to fire up your ride, it will be ready to go instead of

the dreaded clicking solenoid sound that comes with a dead battery.

After around 10 minutes of use, an automatic on-board cooling fan kicked on to keep the microprocessor and other components inside the case cool. The fan runs quietly but the unit is virtually silent before it switches on.

4: The side of the unit includes a covered panel that houses a USB power port and a connection for a battery maintainer. Our old charger was probably designed before color TV had been invented, so the inclusion of something like a charger port for our phone is a welcome addition.

One other feature that may come in handy is the integrated LED flashlight built into the handle of the positive charging cable clamp. In some vehicles with remote mounted batteries, this small light will make hookup that much simpler. The LED is a thoughtful touch cleverly added in by an engineer who has most likely had to hunt

3

4

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

105

COOL TOOLS 5

6 5 & 6: We connected our Yellow Top to the Digital 1200 and let it run its analysis first.

We selected the AGM Deep Cycle charging function on the touch panel control pad and the display showed that our unit had been run down to just 8.5 volts. Charging at a steady rate of 12 amps, our battery was returned to almost 14 volts within 30 minutes. around to find a connection a time or two.

Whether you’ve upgraded your batteries or simply want to upgrade your charger, it is hard to go wrong with the OPTIMA Ken’s towing Digital 1200.photo It is tough to beat

106

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

the unit’s quiet, efficient operation, portable & lightweight form factor, and cool high-tech good looks. Keep or restore your batteries (and even your cell phone!) to top condition with a Digital 1200.

7

7: The integrated LED in the end of the positive charging cable clamp is activated by simply pressing the button on the clamp.

This feature makes connection in a dark engine bay or trunk a snap.

8: Within less than 30 minutes, our Yellow Top was nearly fully charged.

8

SOURCE OPTIMA Batteries www.optimabatteries.com 888.8.OPTIMA

It’s not a secret anymore!

The Strongest Pushrods in the World!

High Performance Custom Pushrods Tapered or Straight Tube in the Following Diameters

3/16” • 1/4” • 5/16” • 11/32” • 3/8” • 7/16” • 1/2” • 9/16” • 5/8”

Toll Free:

1.877.626.8667

Fax 951.245.6563

www.mantonpushrods.com www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

107

RPM PROJECT CAR

1: After getting it raw and in pieces, George Norovich (left) and Tim Braddy (right) turned in a Hurculean effort to not only get our horse’s hood and fenders mounted, but also into an initial coat of primer...all within the span of just 10 days while waiting for us to come get the car!

A VILLAGE story by

PART 26 >>Project aPocalypSe Horse gets rescued by Norovich’s Pro Street Customs & Braddy Custom Auto Body

108

W

e’ve been working on this project car for a very long time. And during that time we’ve learned a thing or two. In particu-

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

Toby Brooks

lar, when progress stalls, it is a sign of trouble.

Well, progress on our car’s paint and body had stopped. And when it became clear that our expectations and those of the shop’s owner were

photos by

George Norovich

decidedly different, we knew it was time to make new plans.

However, we had a problem. Namely, the car was over 1,000 miles from our shop and we needed it out of the

place it was at pronto.

Thankfully, it’s good to have friends. Even more, it’s fantastic to have great friends. And George Norovich, Tim Braddy, Rod Bollini, and Ben Brewer are great friends.

2 4 & 5: Norovich trimmed sheetmetal to fit and tack welded it to the body from the outer edges, leaving the edges toward the chassis-mounted scalloped pieces unwelded. This allows the body to be bolted in at the firewall using button-headed fastners, meaning that the body and cage can be pulled apart if needed without cutting—a feature that will come in handy when it is time to paint the chassis.

2: This is how the car arrived to Norovich’s shop, and the original intention was just for him to store it for safekeeping for a couple of weeks until we could come get it. However, he and longtime friend Tim Braddy had other plans.

3: In our haste to get the car from the chassis shop in Virginia, the shop didn’t have the time to complete some details on the build like the inteface between the removable body and the chassis mounted firewall, leaving a large gap. Norovich addressed this issue first before attacking the hood mounting location next.

Norovich is a self-taught fabricator, engine builder, and jack of all trades for pretty much anything with wheels.

He already came through in the pinch for us a couple of months ago when our project car was delivered from Virginia to that first paint and body stop in Illinois, taking delivery and fi xing a few small things prior to hauling it an hour up the road to the other shop. However, when we mutally agreed to part ways with the other shop,

4 3

Norovich volunteered to go another two-hour roundtrip to grab the car for us and store it for safekeeping in his West Frankfort, Illinois shop until we could get there two weeks later.

In the meantime, the car was in pieces, so Norovich and close friend Tim Braddy decided to pull out all the stops to try to get the front sheetmetal and hood sorted out by the time we could get there. In the span of just 10 days, Norovich, Braddy, and

the Braddy’s Auto Body and Custom Paint crew were able to get the hood hinging properly and the fenders looking fantastic.

The first chore was to fabricate suitable mounting points for the Ringbrothers billet hinges and tie them in to the front core support. Norovich whipped up two solid mounting points, then used some small diameter chromoly tubing to both firm up the radiator mount and provide extra support to the fenders.

5

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

109

The Other Guys Count On You Not Knowing The Difference

Driven Racing Oil™ is different. Our products use the latest technology to solve the unique problems facing racers and engine builders.

Born out of necessity when NASCAR teams started experiencing flat tappet cam failures, the Driven Racing Oil brand is built upon a “problem solver” approach that yields proven results in performance, durability and the ability to react quickly to changes.

Driven products are unique because we always put the “motor ahead of the molecule.” We look at real-world conditions and usage before using a “zero compromises” approach to create application-specific products with measurable performance advantages.

Lubricant technology is constantly evolving and Driven leads the way utilizing the latest research data, technology and chemistry. This motivated quest not only includes solutions for all areas of lubrication, but also fuel products, cooling systems and even paint care products that clean, shine and shed dirt and tire rubber like no other. In short, Driven offers the best fluid technology wherever a fluid is needed.

BR Break-In Oil

Driven’s first victory was BR Break-In Oil, which all but eliminated camshaft failure during engine break-in. A full line of oils quickly followed.

Carb Defender™ Race Concentrate

Developed to combat the corrosive effects of Ethanol in today’s race fuels. One bottle treats up to 55 gallons.

Speed Clean

Foaming action lifts residue and cleans away greasy films. Wipes away tire rubber, dirt, bugs and grime on all surfaces. The choice of all the top NASCAR teams.

Learn what sets Driven apart from all the rest. february 2016 | RPM Magazine 1101.866.611.1820 • DRIVENRACINGOIL.COM

9713j

Scan QR code or visit: drivenracingoil.com/news/dro/training-center/

6

RPM PROJECT CAR

7 8

6: With the filler panels finish welded in place, Norovich then fabricated a rigid mounting box at the base of each a-pillar.

These boxes were then drilled to serve as a mounting point for the Ringbrothers billet airframe hinges.

7, 8, & 9: While Norovich finished up the hood mounting, Braddy (right) and Braddy’s Custom crew member Randy Gray started working on getting the fenders together. Each side consists of two 2005-2009 fenders toward the back to provide the stretch along with part of a 2013-2014 fender up front to accomodate the new style bumper and hood. After slowly and methodically stitching the pieces together to minimize warpage due to heat, Braddy had two fenders complete.

9

10 While he was at it, Norovich also addressed the firewall, where sheetmetal work had not yet been been fully completed. As Norovich was finishing his task, the car was hauled to Braddy’s Custom a short jaunt across town, where Tim Braddy and his crew tore into the car with incredible effort.

With the fenders in six pieces, the stretched Harwood hood a long way from finished, and not a drop of primer on the car, the crew quickly made use of Norovich’s work, mounting the hood and hinges and welding up the fender pieces. After meticulously stitching together parts of three fenders on each side to provide for a 5-inch stretch and a conversion

to a 2013-2014 nose, Braddy then began the tedious process of fi lling and sanding for a seamless look.

Even Braddy’s dad Terry Podschweit got in on the action (Terry’s incredible 1967 Mustang was featured in the March 2016 issue of RPM). “I can’t ever get him to sand on my stuff, but he wanted to pitch in on this build,” Braddy laughed.

And pitch in, he did, as did the whole Braddy’s crew.

Blocking and prepping continued for days on the entire car, with the hood receiving some extra attention. Braddy then sprayed our well-traveled Ford using Axalta’s URO Prime primer. It was the first time the car has been all

10: Even Braddy’s dad, pro street legend Terry Podschweit, got in on the effort, helping the crew hit the body with an initial blocking while Tim finished up work on the fenders and hood and inched the car ever closer to its first coat of primer.

11

11: Thankfully, George Norovich snapped this pic before Terry could make off with one of our Visner Engine Development billet Boss Nine valve covers!

www.rpm-mag.com | june 2016

111

RPM PROJECT CAR 12: The Harwood cowl induction hood had only been partially prepped and needed a few coats of filler and heavy sanding to smooth the seams where it had been stretched. With the additional five inches of length, there was barely enough room in the shop for it!

12

one color in over four years.

Short on hours, the crew was able to wrap up their work just in time for another pro street pal, Rod Bollini, and his friends Steve Yates, Josh Yates, and Joe Maltimore who had driven down from their homes in central Illinois. Their objective was to pick up the car and all its many parts and to haul it all nearly half way from Braddy’s

shop in West Frankfort, Illinois to our shop in Texas.

Meanwhile, preparations were being made in Lubbock, Texas at 13 Sins Garage to take delivery of the car and continue the build.

However, we needed to get it there first.

Using 13 Sins’ Co-Owner Ben Brewer’s “Big Black” tow rig, we powered through morning, noon, and night to meet up

14

13: After prepping, the hood was trial fit to the new mounts and Ringbrothers hinges.

13

14: Braddy & Norovich then added a small chromoly support to firm up the front end.

15 #1 SELLING PREMIUM FIBERGLASS BRAND!

MUSTANG 1987 -1993

1-800-822-3392 FIBERGLASS FRONT BUMBER CLIP! $814

Part #26050

FIBERGLASS FRONT END! Part #26000

FIBERGLASS LIFT-OFF STOCK HOOD! $320

This is a light weight fiberglass front end for racing only.

$1,024

112

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

MADE IN THE U.S.A.

Part #26300

EHARWOOD.COM

R P M6 / 1 6

16 18

15, 16, & 17: With the fenders sorted and the hood finally hinging properly, Braddy’s crew started prepping the front end as he began to apply a first coat of Axalta URO Prime primer.

17

18: After the rest of the car was sprayed, it was unmasked and rolled out of the booth to be reassembled.

19

19: The Braddy’s Custom crew pauses briefly to catch their breath after a solid week of long hours. Left to right: Tim Braddy, Randy Gray, Terry Podschweit, Brian Podschweit, and Derrick Webber. with Bollini and crew somewhere in Oklahoma where we loaded the car out of one trailer and into another before grabbing a bite and getting back on the road headed west. A mere 22 hours straight later, the car was safely tucked away in the 13 Sins shop.

You may be tempted to wonder why our monthly tech installment is so light on tech and so heavy on people.

The answer is simple: it is the people

F-3X NEW ES CX F-3 W D N E RODU C PS! PE U H + O 0 P ,500+ HP !

3R 3,50

(913) 338-2886 • www.procharger.com (913) 338-2886 • www.procharger.com

Our industry-leading, extremely rugged superchargers have helped customers win more Our industry-leading, extremely rugged superchargers have helped customers win more records and championships over the past 15 years than every direct competitor combined. | june records and championships over thewww.rpm-mag.com past 15 years than every direct competitor combined.

No matter your class of choice, call us today to take your racing and winning to the next level.

No matter your class of choice, call us today to take your racing and winning to the next level.

2016 113

RPM PROJECT CAR 20: We headed east in Ben Brewer’s tow rig to get the Stang.

20

21

21: Meanwhile, our friends from Illinois got the car from Norovich and Braddy and headed west. Left to right: Joe Maltimore, Rod Bollini, Steve Yates, and Josh Yates.

114

june 2016 | RPM Magazine

who have made this project such an unforgettable and incredible experience so far. In a time of high stress and uncertainty, Norovich and Braddy came to our rescue, pinch hitting and getting things back on track. Similarly, Bollini and Brewer helped us transport the car over 1,000 miles. The car is now in a local shop where we can not only more closely watch progress but actually participate in it again. It just doesn’t get better than that, friends.

Whether it is our build or yours, we sincerely hope that you have the good fortune of having true friends like we have who have been there every step of

the way. Whether it is tangible assistance like the folks specifically mentioned here this month, or just moral support offered by the likes of Mark DePriest, Jerry Gary, Jr., Jef Fern, and a host of others, the point is that an impressive collection of businesses and individuals have stepped up to assist us in seeing this project through to completion.

It’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child.

We’re here to tell you that the same could be said of our—or any—project car. If you find yourself in the midst of a build, we hope your village is as good as ours, because they are helping us raise this pony right!

SERVICES Norovich’s Pro Street Customs 618.923.3555

Braddy Custom Paint www.braddycustompaint.net 618.937.1936

13 Sins Garage www.13sinsgarage.com 806.683.9076

SOURCES Ringbrothers www.ringbrothers.com 608.588.7399

Harwood Industries www.eharwood.com 800.822.3392

Axalta Refinish www.axaltacs.com 855.547.1461

Haul Asphalt.

Summit Racing Equipment is the source for parts, tools, and accessories for everything high performance, and more.

Plus, you’ll get unbeatable service, expert tech advice, 24/7 ordering, and fast shipping.

Millions of Parts. One Source. SummitRacing.com

200 mJ Multi-Spark CDI System

Xtreme Energy Cam and Lifter Kits

Industrial Machinists 3-in-1 Set Keyword: CBI Ruler

Street/Strip Oil Pans

Keyword: CCA Xtreme Cam Street

as low as $174.97 USD kit

CBI-50020 $55.97 USD set

as low as $104.97 USD each

Atomic AirForce Intake Manifolds

Slide-A-Link Traction Bar Kits

Deep Mini-Tubs

Street Avenger Carburetors

as low as $968.95 USD each

as low as $429.97 USD kit

as low as $350.00 USD pair

as low as $407.95 USD each

Replacement C-Clip Axles

Super Competition Headers

Pro Stick Shifters

as low as $259.97 USD pair

as low as $324.95 USD pair

as low as $278.53 USD each

Keyword: SUM 200 mJ System

SUM-850611 $199.97 USD each

Keyword: MSD AirForce

Keyword: CEE Slide Bar Kits

Keyword: MOR Street/Strip Pans

Keyword: DSR Deep Tubs

Keyword: HLY Street Avenger Choke

Low Cost, No Hassle, Landed Cost Shipping.

Choose landed cost service and all duties, taxes, and clearance fees are included. In-stock parts shipped same day, delivered to your door, with no hidden fees.

Questions?

Complete details available in Customer Service section of SummitRacing.com, talk via Live Chat, or call us 24/7.

Keyword: MSR Replacement C-Clip Axles

Keyword: HOK Full-Length Super

Keyword: BMM Pro Stick Shifter

UNBEATABLE SERVICE, TECH ADVICE, SATISFACTION, AND SELECTION.

Call by 10 pm EST: In-Stock Parts Shipped That Day! 1.800.230.3030

•

Tech: 1.330.630.3030

•

Int’l: 1.330.630.0230

SCode: 1606RPC • Prices subject to change without notice. Please check SummitRacing.com for current pricing.

Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction. Please check your state and/or local laws/regulations. © 2016 AUTOSALES, INC.

FIND IT AT

Performance Crankshafts

Ask a sales rep for details

SCAT Crankshafts proudly produces some of the finest crankshafts in the world. With thousands of race proven wins, you can be certain to receive the highest quality components on the market.

On any new Edelbrock E-FORCE SUPERCHARGER SYSTEM

Promotion period is May 1 until June 30 See edelbrock.com/promo for complete details

Motor Mount Bolts Secure your engine with complete confidence. Choose from black oxide finished 8740 chrome moly or corrosionresistant stainless steel; choice of hex or 12-point head. Kits come complete with flat washers.

Canister-style Fuel Filter

(Stainless Steel) • Hard-coat anodized billet • 1/2"-14 NPT inlet and outlet • Compatible for use with gas, alcohol and E85 fuels PN 30-7007

300 GPH Fuel Pump

• Designed for drag racing • Supports up to 800 HP • #10 AN Inlets and Outlets • Compatible with all fuels (Gas, Alcohol, E85) PN 30-300

Pro Series Differentials

Pro Series differentials deliver usable traction and faster engagement for controlled power transfer and lightning-fast reaction and provide superior performance through a unique cone-clutch design that transfers more power to the high-traction wheel for quick acceleration and tight cornering. Available for AMC, Dodge, Ford, GM, Nissan and Toyota applications. Ask for details.

Polyurethane Motor & Transmission Mounts A true performance mount for cars, trucks, hot rods. Designed for racing, yet popularly used for street vehicles when more horsepower is added. Soft running enough to absorb vibrations for street use yet rugged for racing use.

EZ-EFI®

Self-Tuning Fuel Injection

Maximize Performance

Carb-to-EFI in a Weekend or Less The EZ-EFI® System easily bolts onto any carbureted application in a single afternoon, making it the easiest EFI system you will ever install. Simply hook up the system, answer the basic Setup Wizard questions on the hand-held unit, and the system will tune itself as you drive.

That’s all it takes! PN 30227-KIT

Max-Boost

Increases gasoline octane, reduces emissions, and enhances engine performance.

This tool bolts onto the vehicle's hub to precisely simulate bolt pattern, wheel diameter, wheel width, backspacing, and tire profile. It also allows the installer to check a number of different sized wheels and tires without the expense of having multiple sizes of wheels and tires on hand. PN 01201 • Fits 4 & 5 Lug Applications • 15" to 30" Adjustable Diameter • 6" to 20" Adjustable Width

Wheel/Tire Fitment Tool

WheelRite

Billet pumps are available in both stock volume and high volume versions. The high volume pump gears provide 25% additional pumping capacity but require less horsepower to turn when compared to traditional oil pumps.

Billet Aluminum Shark Tooth

Extend the miles you can drive and years of service on your diesel engine with Max-Tane fuel injector cleaner and stabilizer.

Max-Tane

Deeply penetrates and cleans injectors, carburetors, intake valves and combustion chambers to restore fuel economy and reduce emissions.

Cold Max-Clean Air Intake Kits

While you can find many cheap plastic kits on the market as well as some imported low quality mimics of the famous BBK models, none will deliver the design and build quality that have kept BBK's systems number one for so many years for many of today's best automotive and truck applications. Kits available with Show-Chrome or Powdercoat finish.

6-Piston Front Brake Kit

• Fits 2015-2016 Mustang GT and 2.3L EcoBoost • OE on '15-'16 Mustang GT Performance Package • Brembo 6-piston Satin Black aluminum calipers • 15" vented brake rotors • Includes production brake pads, rotors, dust shields and installation hardware PN M-2300-V

Cooler Guards Made from 1/8" aluminum. They securely mount on Translife® oil coolers using Flex-a-lite Gator Clips®.

The design allows airflow, but protects the cooler from larger items that could potentially damage it.

LIVE LOCAL

(800) 565-3795

(450) 378-6993 (418) 872-3376 (450) 492-0141

(705) 435-6271 (705) 728-5911 (705) 726-6161 (613) 962-7888 (519) 757-1200 (705) 445-9311 (800) 265-9800 (519) 235-0290 (519) 924-1444 (519) 524-8389 (905) 545-9339 (705) 457-2322 (519) 364-2960 (519) 338-3441 (705) 789-1818 (905) 476-7721 (519) 396-3381 (519) 291-1213 (519) 453-0337 (705) 526-5488 (905) 564-2018 (519) 348-9639 (519) 323-1530 (888) 572-8867 (519) 662-2411 (519) 662-2821 (519) 941-1510 (705) 325-1335 (905) 579-9884 (519) 371-0810 (705) 746-9564 (905) 839-4421 (519) 389-4242 (519) 925-6311 (519) 273-0361 (519) 273-0650 (519) 284-1090 (905) 643-7700 (705) 566-9870 (877) 351-5604 (905) 936-4292 (519) 881-0980 (519) 357-3830 (519) 539-7483

BUY LOCAL

ONTARIO Alliston - Ideal Supply Barrie (North) - Ideal Supply Barrie (South) - Ideal Supply Belleville - Belleville Auto Parts Brantford - Misener Motorsports Collingwood - Ideal Supply Dorchester - Canusa Automotive Exeter - Ideal Supply Flesherton - Ideal Supply Goderich - Ideal Supply Hamilton - A&A Discount Haliburton - Ideal Supply Hanover - Ideal Supply Harriston - Ideal Supply Huntsville - Ideal Supply Keswick - Ideal Supply Kincardine - Ideal Supply Listowel - Ideal Supply London - Performance Unlimited Midland - Ideal Supply Mississauga - CDC Warehouse Mitchell - Ideal Supply Mt. Forest - Ideal Supply Newmarket - ZZ Performance New Hamburg - Ideal Supply New Hamburg - Rudy Held's Orangeville - Ideal Supply Orillia - Ideal Supply Oshawa - Karbelt Speed & Custom Owen Sound - Ideal Supply Parry Sound - Ideal Supply Pickering - Karbelt Speed & Custom Port Elgin - Ideal Supply Shelburne - Ideal Supply Stratford CMAX - Ideal Supply Stratford - Ideal Supply St. Marys - Ideal Supply Stoney Creek - A&A Discount Sudbury- Witrak Auto Specialties Thunder Bay - DC Automotive Tottenham - Ideal Supply Walkerton - Ideal Supply Wingham - Ideal Supply Woodstock - Ideal Supply QUEBEC Granby - Magnum Auto Sport Les Saules - Brossard Performance Terrebonne - Para Performance NOVA SCOTIA Truro - R&D Performancenter

facebook.com/partsprocanada

www.partspro.ca (data charges may apply)

Scan with your SmartPhone