RPM Magazine June Issue 2013 by RPMMAG

Meet Your RPM Magazine Team EDITOR IN CHIEF: CHRIS BIRO, editor@rpm-mag.com V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS: TRISH BIRO, trish@rpm-mag.com DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: BRIAN HANSEN, brian@rpm-mag.com SENIOR DRAG RACE EDITOR - IAN RAE ian@rpm-mag.com EVENT MEDIA DIRECTOR - TONY WEBER tony@rpm-mag.com

WANT YOUR CAR IN RPM? RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 14 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Wisconsin & 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:

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Photographic Contribution: IAN RAE, JANIS RAE, TONY WEBER, SCOTT

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SINGLETON, TIM LEWIS, BRIAN HANSEN, PETE “BOOMER” ORES, PAUL SCHMITZ, DALE BOERU, LOGAN WEBER, MARK goDragRacing.org, TOMMY LEE BYRD, www.DragStory.com, TOM OWENSBY, BRIAN TYLER, GEORGE PICH Editorial Contribution: IAN RAE, SCOTT SINGLETON, TONY WEBER, TIM LEWIS, CHUCK SCOTT, TOMMY LEE BYRD, BRIAN HANSEN, ROBERT WEATHERS, BEN STRADER, MARK goDragRacing.org, RAY KNIGHT, BRIAN TYLER, AL HEISLEY, GEORGE PICH Technical Writing Contributions: CHUCK SCOTT, BEN STRADER, SHANE TECKLENBURG, ROBERT WEATHERS, TOMMY LEE BYRD

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www.rpm-mag.com RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of RPM Classifieds Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed in 33 countries and can be found on popular newsstands in the USA, Canada and select newsstands in the UK. If you cannot find a copy near you please call 519-752-3705 or email circulation@rpm-mag.com To subscirbe to RPM go to www.rpm-mag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpm-mag.com, or call 519-752-3705. The focus of RPM is to bring a diverse mix of high performance street and race automobiles to life within its pages including; Race cars, Musclecars, Hot Rods and Street Legal machines with an emphasis on the “EXTREME”, including Fast Doorslammer and Outlaw forms of Drag Racing. Not familiar with these types of cars? They are considered to be the top-shelf of the industry and are on-the-edge with regards to design and power! RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.

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EDITOR’S RANT -- Got A Performance or Race Related Business? GET RPM FREE, On Us! 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 industry business (ie: Speed Shop, Race or Chassis Shop, Manufacturing firm, Installation facility, Warehouse etc), you need to sign up for your FREE copy 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 which 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@rpmmag.com Chris Biro, Editor In Chief, RPM MAGAZINE

ADVERTISER INDEX Advertiser Name Page # Accufab Inc. 33 AEM 41 AFCO 43 AJPE - Alan Johnson Perf. 21 ARC - Applied Racing Components 52 ATI Performance Products 85 Autoglym 45 Bad Attitude Engines 38 Baer Brakes 10, 70 BES Racing Engines 52 Bill Mitchell Products 17 Blower Shop 5 Browell Bellhousing 81 BTE Racing 82 Calvert Racing Suspensions 30 C&C Motorsports 49 Clearshot Customs 44 CN Blocks 15 Coan Engineering 44 Crower 77 CVR Products 69 DART 11 Design Engineering 22 DIY Auto Tune 84 D.U.I. Performance Distributors 40 Dynotech Engineering 8 Ed Quay Race Cars 17 EFI University 35 Engine Research & Development ERD 49 Fast Eddie Racewear 68 F.A.S.T. - Fuel Air Spark Technology 73 FastMotorsports 9 FORD Racing 51 4

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Frankenstein Racing Heads G Force Racing Transmissions Gold Living GZ Motorsports Harland Sharp Holcomb Motorsports HoleShot Wheels Holley Ultra Dominator Holley Ultra Double Pumper Holley Ultra Street Avenger Induction Solutions JB’s Power Centre JE Pistons Jeffco Performance Jesel JET Performance Joe Gibbs Racing Oil K&N Fiiters Leash Electronics Lokar Performance Products LUCAS Oil Products Lunati M&M Transmission Mahle Clevite Inc. Manton Pushrods Meziere Precision Manufacturing Mickey Thompson Tires Midwest Converters Mile High Crankshafts Neal Chance Converters New Century Performance Nitrous Supply NOS - Nitrous Oxide Systems OASIS by Corlor

76 78 65 64 8 14 50 44 10 64 67 78 83 79 16 12 54 88 72 48 2 80 20 9 86 88 7 38 12 13 53 39 27 50

Ohsweken Speedway 18 Outlaw 10.5 Racing Association 16 Parts Pro Performance Centers 92 Performance2Way Racing Communications 87 Performance Improvements 42 Performance Plus Connection 44 Powermaster Performance 20 PTC 42 Proformance Racing Transmissions 26 PROLITE Batteries 79 Pro Systems Carburetors 19 Pro-Werks 86 Racepak 35 Racequip 53, 23 Racing Radios 7 Rev-X Oil Products 22, 68 Ross Racing Pistons 5 RPM MAGAZINE EXTREME EVENTS 28 RPM MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBE NOW! 90 Scotty’s Racing Engines 26 Shafiroff Racing Engines 25 SHAKEDOWN At The Summit 29 Smith Racecraft 89 Steve Morris Engines 55 Summit Racing Equipment 91 Taylor Cable Products 69 Ti64 15 Toronto Motorsports Park 71 Trailer-Alarms.com 87 Trick Flow 31 Valvoline 75 VP Racing Fuels 84 WC Enterprises 70 Weldon High Performance 40

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Who’s In This Issue of Often Imitated, Never Duplicated-- RPM Mag IS The ORIGINAL Voice Of Extreme Drag Racing & Wild Street Machines 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! June 2013

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

46 HIGH VOLTAGE & GOLD To know where you’re going you have to know where you’ve been. John Grinwald’s 1964 Thunderbolt “High Voltage” & 1965 A/FX Dodge Coronet “Gold Digger” combine all the nostalgia of the early days of drag racing with the awesome power potential of today.

REMEMBER ME? When a car truly grabs your attention it leaves a lasting memory. Such is the case with the iconic Soff Seal ’57 Chevy, which was first campaigned by one of the original Pro Modified drivers, Rob Vandergriff. The car blew people away when it debuted, and continues to do so many years later.

24 First Impressions PROJECT R35 First Impressions... they’re everything, or are they? Getting the wrong first impression of Martin Smith’s street/strip Nissan and thinking it is simply a “road car” will probably end up with you in the losing lane! Martin may just have the best of ALL worlds... on the street? An incredible sleek machine that turns any head. On the dragstrip? Enough power to lay waste to most anyone who lines up beside him!

84 Taking Pro Mod Local With high fuel prices, time away from work & the cost of accommodations it makes sense to pick up on a Pro Mod series that runs fairly local, one you can sink your teeth into and really be a part of as a racer or fan.

PLUS: NEVER Satisfied

Read COMPLeTe RPM MaGaZINe baCk Issues O N L I N e F R e e a T www.RPM-MaG.COM 6

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The 5 Second Phenomenon

RPM Project Green Machine

Readers Rides In Progress

and more, ONLY In RPM! RPM Magazine, THE Voice Of Fast Cars WORLDWIDE

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REMEMBER ME?

This Iconic ’57 Chevy Is Still Winning Races Story & Photography By Tommy Lee Byrd

REMEMBER ME?

t’s not often you run across a car that sticks with you for the rest of time. There are so many great Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes out there on the streets and racing circuit, but when a car truly grabs your attention it leaves a lasting memory. Such is the case with the iconic Soff Seal ’57 Chevy, which was first campaigned by one of the original Pro Modified drivers, Rob Vandergriff. The car blew people away when it debuted, because it was aerodynamic, but it still had the looks of the ’57 Chevy it was modeled after. Car owner Jim Bryant built the body, while Jerry Haas built the chassis, which is dated 11-1-1987. It was (and still is) a potent combination that can’t help but garner the attention of racing fans, young and old.

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The car wore a few different identities in the early days, but its most memorable is the Soff Seal paint scheme, which is continues to wear under its new ownership. Roger Sellers is now the proud owner of this unforgettable shoebox Chevy, and he is fully involved in the local 4.70 eighth-mile index class, near his home in Sevierville, Tennessee. He actually traded for the car, striking a deal with Knoxville Drag Strip owner, and longtime racer Tommy Harrill. After the updates, the car proves to be very consistent, and it has taken home its fair share of winnings in the past few years since its rebirth. Tom Neubert handles the driving duties, wheeling the ’57 Chevy in great form, while his family takes care of the car between rounds and helps get him in the groove. Although it looks just like it did in the early days of Pro Mod racing, the chassis has been updated throughout, and the power plant is a bit different than the original set-up. Obviously, the car is much tamer than its previous days as a wild and crazy Pro Mod, but it still makes some serious steam, and gets down the track with ease. Tom Neubert handled the updates to the jig-built Haas chassis, going through every nut and bolt to make sure it was ready for

Photos, from top: The “Soff Seal car”, as most call it, is a fan favorite, so Tom Neubert is quite accustomed to signing autographs between rounds. And though the car was originally famous in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, it still grabs the attention of fans, young and old. Although the car has been updated since, the original chassis builder plate from 1987 remains in place.

MAHLE Clevite products have been on board every single NASCAR® race winner since its beginning in 1948. But even we realize the true lifeblood of auto racing is on any short track on a Friday or Saturday night across the nation. This is the arena where today’s gladiators battle for supremacy - and we are proud to support them. As long as grassroots racing continues to breathe life into asphalt or dirt, our commitment to quality under the hood remains strong. www.mahleclevite.com

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action. Additions to the chrome moly cage brought it up to date, while other necessary updates finished off the classic tube chassis. Up front, the car rides on a pair of struts from Lamb Components and also features a pair of super lightweight Lamb disc brakes. Out back, the Jerry Haas rear end housing still puts the power to the ground, but it’s packed with new axles and a 4.10 gear set. A four-link suspension is fine tuned with coilover shocks and rolling stock consists of Weld Racing wheels, measuring 15x4 inches up front and 16x16 inches out back, while a pair of Hoosier 34.5/17-16 slicks harnesses the horsepower.

Leaving hard on the green light the wild ‘57, capable of low 4-second eighth-mile elapsed times, crushes the tire during the hook and just gets up and goes! At RPM we believe identities help sell in motorsports. In this case, both the product brand and the specific car became popular... “The Soff Seal ‘57 Chevy”.

Speaking of horsepower, the Soff Seal ’57 features a stout 706ci big block Chevy, built by Albert Racing Engines in Wytheville, Virginia. Billy Albert builds a lot of big-inch combinations, and the one featured here is certainly up for the task in the 4.70 index class. Roger and Tom keep it dialed down to run the class, and occasionally enter a Quick 8-style event to have an excuse to turn it up a few

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A pair of 16x16 Weld wheels feature beadlocks, and mount to a Hoosier 34/5/17-16 slicks. The fronts are super lightweight Weld spindle-mount wheels, wrapped in Goodyear rubber.

This is what makes a 1957 Chevy a true classic design... And these are what help a really fast 57 Chevy stop at 150+MPH!

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RPM Quick Tech Sheet 1957 Chevrolet - 1/8-mile Drag Car Owner: Roger Sellers (Tom Neubert, driver) Engine: 706 cubic inch Donovan block, Bryant crank, GRP rods, Moroso dry sump, built by Albert Racing Engines, Wytheville, Virginia Heads: Sonny Leonard, 14.5-degree, heavily worked by Albert Racing Engines Induction: Sheet metal intake, dual Pro-Systems Nitrous Pro-IV 1,250cfm Dominators Power Adder: Two stages of nitrous oxide (fogger) Ignition: MSD 7AL-3 Transmission: TCI Powerglide with Coan converter Chassis: Jig-built tube chassis by Jerry Haas Race Cars, St. Louis, Missouri, Lamb front struts, 4-link, Lamb coilovers Rear Differential: Jerry Haas housing, Mark Williams axles, 4.10 gear Wheels/Tires: Weld Alumastar 15x4 spindle mount and 16x16 Weld beadlock, Goodyear 25/4.5-15 and Hoosier 34.5/17-16 Weight: 2,450 pounds A 706ci big block, built by Albert Racing Engines, powers the famous Soff Seal â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;57 Chevy. The heavily worked cylinder heads flow massive amounts of air through the big-inch combination, and send the spent gasses through a set of custom headers by Tom Neubert. The monster big block is topped off with a pair of Pro Systems Nitrous Pro-IV carburetors. The sheet metal intake offers huge runners, fit with two fogger nitrous systems. One kit supplies a soft hit, while the other packs a serious punch.

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Best ET and MPH: Generally runs 4.70 eighth-mile index class, best ET is 4.35 at 158mph Special Thanks: Billy Albert, Tom Neubert, Ashley Neubert Pritchett, Billy Neubert, Haley Neubert, Amberly Sellers, Mike Harvey, Jimmy Glasscock, Casey Moses, Robby Moses

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notches. The all aluminum 706 features lots of high end parts in the rotating assembly and a dry sump oiling system keeps the mighty big block lubricated. The 14.5-degree unconventional cylinder heads also received the Albert touch, with extensive port work to make them as efficient as possible, and a set of T&D rockers to top off the giant heads. Up top is a pair of Pro Systems Nitrous Pro-IV 1,250cfm Dominators, mounted to a custom sheet metal intake, which features two nitrous fogger systems. One set of fogger nozzles is mounted on the outer portion of the runner, while the other is mounted inboard. It’s a super clean set-up that offers an estimated 150 horsepower shot on one system and a whopping 500HP on the other. An MSD ignition system, including a 7AL-3 box, lights the fire, while a set of custom headers by Neubert Fabrication allow the 706 to breathe. Behind the nitrous-fed big block is a bulletproof TCI Powerglide transmission, equipped with a Coan torque converter. A Hurst Quarter Stick shifter operates the ‘Glide, while a custom driveshaft ties the drive train together. As you can tell, the historic ’57 Chevy has seen quite an overhaul in the past few years, but the main part that makes it a fan favorite is the car’s appearance. It

The textbook smokey burnout is almost expected every time the Soff Seal 57 pulls up to the burnout box. And the fans are sure to let Tom and Roger know how much they enjoy it. In the early days of Pro Modified the huge smokey burnout was the thing to do and often times many of the drivers would milk it by doing half-track long ones. Tough on tires, but the fans loved it!

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Tom Neubert pilots the iconic shoebox, and handled many of the renovations to the car after Roger Sellers purchased it. Many updates were made to the car and it’s now a major player in the 4.70 eighth-mile index class. On the launch, the ’57 carries the left front for about 100 feet before gently setting it down and motoring down the track. The setup is definitely dialed in, and we’ve seen this car run 4.70 with a zero on several occasions.

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looks just like it did in the good ol’ days, with the correct color scheme and Soft Seal logo on the door. Boitnott Graphics did the paint work, while Stan Tipton handled all of the airbrush work on the very recognizable ride. Without this paint job, Roger’s ’57 would be just another shoebox Chevy, but the history is alive and well. You won’t find many drag racing enthusiasts who aren’t taken back by the car’s history, and the fact that it still gets the job done out on the track. Rob Vandergriff’s campaign with this car in the Pro Mod days gave this Chevy its start, but it was the 1:25 scale model kit from Revell that put the car on the map, making it memorable for a wide variety of age groups. The kit was released in 1991, during the heyday of Pro Modified racing, and you can bet Roger and his driver Tom, hear lots of folks talk about the model kit they built years ago. Roger Sellers and Tom Neubert make a great team, and none of this would be possible without lots of help from family and friends. The car continues to be a very strong force in the local 4.70 ranks, running at Knoxville Drag Strip, Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip and others in the area. It has come a long way since its earliest beginnings as a pile of tubing on Haas’ floor, and it continues to be a crowd favorite wherever it goes. With a nostalgic appearance and a dead-on tune up, this ’57 Chevy is a trip down memory lane that might also lead to the winner’s circle. Above, a 1957 Chevy with some serious racing history sits waiting to make its next pass. The appeal of these early Pro Mod bodies is that, aside from the chopped roofline, they still look pretty much like the original version. From left to right: Tom Neubert, Ashley Neubert Pritchett (holding Collin Pritchett), Haley Pritchett, Roger Sellers.

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NEVER Satisfied!

Nick Agostino’s Passion For Power Story & Photos by Brian

Tyler

or Canadian drag racer Nick Agostino, there is no such thing as an “off-season”. Sure, the frosty white north will certainly hurt 60-foot times and make for a wild ride at the top end in mid January, but that doesn’t stop Nick and his team from preparing a few special changes that are destined to put a little more fire in the pipes the following spring. “I see some guys who (following the last race of the year) park the car, park the trailer, maybe pull valve covers just to check clearances and let it sit until the spring. Come spring, the car rolls off the trailer and runs the exact same times as it did last year,” explains Nick. “That’s not my style. After every race, the car gets a once over mechanically, gets waxed and cleaned and ready for the next weekend. In the off-season though, I am always looking for a way to go faster. Isn’t that the whole point of all of this!!??”. For the long winter break between the end of the 2012 season and the first hit of the throttle in 2013, Nick had more than just a once over and a wax in mind. Nick and the crew from Maximum Performance set out to transform the already stout 4th gen F-body into a competitive Outlaw 10.5 ride set to compete in the newly formed ‘Outlaw 10.5 Association’ in Ontario, Canada, as well as running in the eastern U.S.A. alongside some of the toughest competitors in small tire Outlaw Drag Racing.

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At the completion of the 2012 racing season, Agostino was running hard with his 358 inch small block Chevy with the help of some pressurized air from a Precision Turbo, mounted low on the passenger front. When running in the local OSCA (Ontario Street Car Association) EZ Street class, Nick was limited to an 88mm inlet on his single turbo application, but for the start of 2013 there will be an additional hair dryer mounted up front and a few more cubic inches to feed... 122 more of them to be exact! Sitting between the frame rails for the 2013 season will be an absolutely stunning 480 cube all billet masterpiece, but more on that later. Before we look forward, lets have a look back at 2012.

In between the factory shock towers, the nasty 358 inch (above) Chevy fit like a glove. Heads up racing usually dictates bigger is better, and for 2013, 358 inches has turned into 480!

For Nick, the 2012 season was exciting, challenging and an absolute learning experience. If the Camaro wasn’t testing in OSCA EZ Street legal trim, you could find it with a much larger Precision Turbo unit getting ready for the Shakedown Nationals in Old Bridge Township, NJ. Nick and his crew would run in the Heavy Street class qualifying 12th with a 4.751 pass to the eighth-mile marker. In what can only be called an unfortunate coincidence, similar electrical gremlins that delayed racing on Saturday at the Shakedown would also affect Nick’s weekend. “When we got to the line, we hit the button for the trans brake, and it would not hold. Once we got back and started doing some troubleshooting, we found that there was a wire chaffed due to a poor connection. Our weekend was cut short by a $0.30 electrical connector,” Nick commented. Looks that kill A great deal of the beauty in Nick’s F-body lies in the subtlety of the (mostly) stock appearing bodylines. Aside from the massive cowl hood looming above the stout power plant the body character remains true to the original GM design. Along with the drivetrain updates for 2013, Nick will

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also be shedding a few pounds thanks to some trick body panels. “I just ordered a carbon fiber front clip for the car, as well as a roof and seat. I love the factory look of the front end, but as the car sits right now we are about 120 lbs over base weight. The hood is already aftermarket, but the front end currently weighs about 75lbs. That’s original fenders, front bumper and complete factory headlights. The carbon front clip alone will be about 50 lbs lighter and will let me keep the full functioning headlight assemblies,” adds Agostino. A look inside the factory original driver or passenger side doors shows original rocker panels and door sill trim plates still installed. Nick says that this was done intentionally, leaving these factory installed components in place as an alternative to cutting up the car and removing any signs of its previous life as a street car. To keep up the factory appearance a stock style dash has been used, with a little bit of a twist. On the left, a host of trick digital Auto Meter digital gauges keep the pilot informed of the vital signs. The twist comes in the form of a very cool air brushed audio system, HVAC control and fog light switch (labeled the ASS Whipper control!). Replacing the back seats are a set of carbon fiber wheel tubs, fire suppression system, and shift and boost controllers. This is one heck of a winter project! Theres more to do in Canada during the off season than just shovel snow. The all billet monster is topped with a Marcella sheet metal intake and force fed by 2 rather hungry PTE turbos. Have you ever seen a race car so clean, you could eat off of the underside? The first step towards the rebirth of the car was stuffing a 10.5 tire under the carbon wheel tubs.

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Bigger, badder, more boost! For the 2013 season, Nick would decide to make the jump to the incredibly competitive world of 10.5 inch tire racing. The Super Street scene has been quiet in southern Ontario as of late, and as featured in a previous issue of RPM, Nick would team up with veteran driver Tony “Presto” Basso to help form the Outlaw 10.5 Association. For Nick to be a contender amongst some of the heavy hitters in both in the local series as well as the Cecil Country Dragway Outlaw Streetcar Shootout, he knew he would have to up his game. For this, Maximum Motorsports was tasked with putting together a power combination that would have Nick going rounds. A billet small block would be poked and stroked to 480 cubic inches and topped with AJPE billet heads. “We decided to go with the solid heads and block (no water passages) due to the amount of boost we are looking to run. We are hoping to be able to turn it up close to 50lbs, at which point we would likely wind up lifting the heads off the block. This set-up should allow us the flexibility to make the power we want.” Hard work pays off The winter modifications were put to the test in mid April at the first running of the Cecil County Dragway Outlaw series where Nick and crew would come out swinging, and in the second round of

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RPM TECH TALK: -- 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, Outlaw 10.5 Owner and Driver: Nick Agostino Hometown: Markham, Ontario Chassis: The backbone of the red rocket lies beneath the mostly stock appearing panels. The Chassis Stop, of MIssissauga, Ontario, built the chrome moly double frame rail chassis to handle the abuse as well as making sure Nick is kept safe when going from A to B. Race weight for the car is 2820lb fully loaded. Engine: 480 cubic inches of small block Chevrolet power built by Maximum Performance. The CN billet block is stuffed with a Winberg crankshaft, GRP rods and Venolia pistons. A Comp Cams bump stick opens the valves on the AJPE billet heads, which are topped with a Marcella Manifolds intake. Twin Precision Pro-Mod 91’s are slung up front and feed the hungry Chevy. Engine management is handled courtesy of a Big Stuff 3 set up. Transmission: A Rossler built T-400 holds a PTC converter and spins a 3.89 final drive gear set. A Strange rear housing and Ultra Case 3rd member round things out in the rear of the car. Suspension: Front Suspension duties are handled by Santhuff, while adjustable shocks support the 4-link rear suspension out back. Weld Racing wheels are fitted front and rear wrapped in Mickey Thompson rubber. Performance: 2013 O/L 10.5 Trim: 1.12’ 60ft, 4.34 @ 184 mph -- 2012 E/Z Street Trim: 1.31’ 60ft, 4.94 @ 157 mph (1/8th) , 7.42 @ 199.88 (1/4) Sponsors: Facility Maintenance and Construction, Maximum Performance, and a VERY understanding wife! Special Thanks to: Maximum Performance; Mike, Eddie, Arnie, Al, Barry

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A look into the cockpit of the F-body is proof that Nick’s ride is too fast to be a show car, too pretty to be just a race car. Note the killer air brush work laid down on the body coloured glass dash. Our favorite part of the dash is shown in the photo above, just to the lower left -- the “ASS Whipper” dial, and we note that it is set to around the 6.80 mark, give or take a tenth...

Below, you get a good idea of the amount of tubing, coolers, equipment and fabrication that running the twins in the Camaro requires. The workmanship throughout the car is second to none!

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eliminations they would take out number 1 qualifier Mo Hall, running a 4.36 @ 184mph to the eighth. The team would continue going rounds and would find themselves lined up against Anthony Disomma in the final round. Disomma would best Agostino with a 4.20 @ 179mph to Nick’s 4.35 @ 171mph. Although Agostino and team would not reign victorious, the first race with the new combination could hardly be considered a losing effort. Following the successful weekend, Nick had this to say regarding his and the teams efforts “I have to thank Wade and Maximum Performance for the great job on the entire car and tuning this weekend! Thanks to all the hard work by the rest of the crew as well. The transmission came out twice, welding this and that, making chassis changes and looking for parts all over Maryland! We had a crazy weekend and it was a huge team effort. Most of the time the car owner gets all the props, but honestly I just let go of the button, drive through the tire shake a little bit here and there, and pull the chutes!” There is no arguing that with a stout hot rod, and a work ethic that is second to none, Nick and his crew will be a force to be reckoned with in 2013... in two countries! To see Nick and the Canadian Outlaw 10.5 Association in action, visit their website at www.outlaw10five.com

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First Impressions

It May Look Like A “Compact”, But Make No Mistake, Martin Smith’s V8 Powered Nissan Is One Mean Nasty Street Strip Machine!

Story By George Pich Photography By Matt Woods

First Impressions... they’re everything, or are they? Martin Smith’s 2009 Nissan GTR R35 is sure to fool a few unsuspecting prey into thinking it might be a pushover on the strip, but with twin turbocharged small block V8 power tucked between the rails, this street legal terror will leave you with your jaw dragging on the asphalt as it drives away! Smith admittedly always had a love for motors and speed, starting from the age of 14 with motorbikes, and then cars from 17 years old on. At an early age he would start an apprenticeship as a mechanic and spend most of his time modifying his own vehicles. Then, in 1990 he left the garage life and went in to the shipping industry, and in April 2006 formed his own shipping and transport businesses based in the United Kingdom. “During my 20’s and 30’s I enjoyed various track days with the bikes and even tried motocross for a while, but after watching friends crash and me having too many close calls, I decided it was time to hang up the leathers and get into four wheels,” explains Martin. It only took one visit to the Santa Pod drag strip with friends and Martin was hooked, so hooked that the following week he purchased an old Sierra full tube chassis V8 powered machine which he shared with his brother. After that things got a bit more serious and the Sierra was replaced by a Nissan Skyline R33 (“Top Secret Drag R33”) running about 1000hp. Martin continues, “Unfortunately I managed to break the R33 most weekends, so I made the decision to sit down with Mr. Jon Webster of Webster Race Engineering to create a purpose-built car for the UK Street Eliminator Series, and I chose the GTR R35 as the project.” 24

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Jon Webster of Webster Race Engineering (left) goes over the build with one of his team as Project R35 sits on the jig where it was fully created and constructed. Below, with the carbon front end removed you can see that the main chassis has been pretty much completed and mounting the small block Chevrolet becomes the next task at hand. Here you get a good look at the intake manifold used on the engine... yep, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Dart single plane aluminum intake!

It is certainly a puzzle of sorts, a well planned one at that! Before any type of interior is fabricated or installed, you can get a really good look at what goes into cars of this calibre, with hopes of being a killer street strip ride.

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Inside Project R35? Well, what can we say other than it is as stunning as the exterior! Two seats, for when Martin wants some company on a trip around town, and simple access to everything when at the race track. Hidding beneath the dash are a host of Motec goodies including their CDI/8 Module (for up to 8 ignition coils), E888 Input/output Expander Module, PDM 30 Power Distribution Module and of course, the M800 ECU.

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The most common question asked of Martin is, why V8? “Because I wanted to,” is his first reaction, but after talking a bit more we got the real story. “When the build commenced around 18 months ago I really wanted to develop and use the Nissan V38 motor, but it was relatively unknown over 1,000hp back then. During the build I did read about others making 1,500hp, but never saw them run or was able to identify how reliable they were. So combine the unknown with wanting more than 1,500hp, plus the cost, and I made the decision to go with a Chevrolet V8 with twin turbos, and I must say, I have no regrets.” And so Europe’s first full tube chassis Nissan R35 was born, and was looking to be a solid 8 second “or quicker” street car right out of the gate! Remember, these guys across the pond have to tour

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On the exterior, the Nissan is nothing short of stunning! The Panther Black paint mixed with the real-deal carbon fiber panels just blows you away. And if you wanna talk about attention to detail or fit and finish, then this creation will have you talking for a long LONG time! Great care was taken in everything from the door handles, headlights, body side vents and emblems, and exhaust exits (shown on page 28), to turbocharger inlets on the hood, rear taillights and wing, parachute, and even the power connections and on/off switch located on the rear panel where a KRONTEC-LL-16-PLUS air connector is located to hook into the nitrogen for the air jacking system (pictured left).

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their machines on a mandatory, and lengthy, street cruise in order to qualify for the event. So they need to be the real deal, not just keyboard chit chat! While every inch of the build had street/strip duty in mind, the full chromoly 25.2 SFI certified chassis created by Jon Webster is all about drag racing and safety. A 4-link rear suspension and strut front are fully adjustable to allow for any track conditions, and, as you can see, all the little bells and whistles have been added everywhere possible. The body is the original tub and painted Panther Black but has carbon bumpers, wings, hood, doors, trunk lid, spoilers, splitters and skirts. Now let’s get to the heart of the matter. We had to dig a bit, but in the end were able to uncover “some” of what went into the Nissan’s Chevy mill, which is estimated to produce around 2,000 horsepower. A tough-as-nails Dart “Little M” block was used to get the 427 cubes. It was stuffed with a Bryant crank, Oliver Rods and Diamond pistons, then topped with AFR 18 degree heads with titanium/Inconel valves and T&D rockers. What about camshaft you ask… pfffft, yeah right! The mighty

TEAM EXTREME RACING Martin Smith runs with Team Extreme Racing – “We are a close group of friends with a common interest (Drag Racing),” says Martin. “The team consists of various types of cars; GTR’s 2 x R35’s (650 bhp to 2000bhp), 4 x R32’s (600bhp to 1200bhp) and 1 x R33 (The Top Secret Drag R2) 2 x RX7’s (550bhp & 750bhp), Escort Cosworth V8 Twin Turbo (1200bhp), Camaro Pro Street (750bhp), Raging Bull Racing Mustang 05 Pro Street (1200bhp). Transportation is looked after by an ex Honda F1 transporter, various trailers and American Motorhomes.”

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Trick Flow Specialties Engine and Fuel Delivery Components Deliver the Power You Need to Get Ahead on the Street and on the Track. Trick Flow produces engine parts for GM LS and LT1, small and big block Chevrolet and Ford, Ford 4.6L/5.4L modular, and Ford Cleveland series engines.

PowerPort® 360 Cylinder Heads for Big Block Chevrolet Perfect for all types of high performance street, strip, and racing applications, PowerPort 360 heads deliver superior power with less weight. Features include heart-shaped combustion chambers, Fast As Cast® runners that flow almost as much air as fully CNC-ported heads, and CNC bowl blended valve seat transitions that promote high velocity and huge airflow volume. ➤ 360cc/137cc Fast As Cast intake/exhaust runners flow almost as much air as fully CNC-ported heads right out of the box ➤ 2.300"/1.880" stainless steel intake/exhaust valves ➤ Heart-shaped 122cc combustion chambers ➤ .300" raised exhaust ports ➤ Extra-thick decks and walls with more material for porting ➤ 24° valve angles with 4° side cants for increased airflow ➤ Track Max® Pacaloy™ chrome-silicon steel valve springs ➤ Your choice of chromoly steel or titanium retainers ➤ Available fully assembled or as bare castings

1306RPCT

In the trunk area, a large fuel cell is imperative given the street capabilities of the R35. Note the Aeromotive fuel system components... BIG & BADâ&#x20AC;? Out back, under the Nissan, is a full compliment of gofast goodies including a 4-link suspension with diagonal link, double adjustable coil-over shocks and a braced 9â&#x20AC;? differential

RPM Quick Tech Sheet 2009 Nissan GTR R35 Purpose built for Street Eliminator Series in UK Chassis Type & Mods: Full 25.2 SFI chromoly. Suspension: Strange GT strut front, rack and pinion steering, 4 link and diagonal link rear, double adjustable Strange coilover shocks. Engine: 427 ci small block Chevy, Dart Little M block, Bryant crank, Oliver Rods, Diamond pistons, AFR 18 degree heads titanium/Inconel valves, T&D Rockers, Dart single plane intake with Holley throttle body. Power Adder: Twin Turbonetics 76mm turbos, 44mm wastegates. Electronics: Motec, M800, CDI, E888, Knock control, PDM. Transmission & Converter: Powerglide 1.80 1st gear, Dedenbear case, Andy Frost internals and assembly. Neal Chance converter. Rear Differential: Strange 3.50:1 gears, Aluminium case, 35 spline axles, Detroit locker. Best ET & MPH: 8.3 @ 178mph on first outing (new car).

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mouse was then enhanced with twins to the tune of 76mm each with 44mm wastegates and lots of cooling equipment in place for the air charge. Induction is handled by a Dart single plane intake and Holley throttle body. Electronics are courtsey Motec, and all the power is backed up by one of Andy Frost’s nasty Powerglide transmissions with a Dedenbear case. A fully braced 9” rear diff with aluminum case, Detroit Locker, 3.50 gears and 35 spline axles ends the ride onto a pair of Billet wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson 315/60-15 ET Street Radial tires. If you put the numbers together, you’d probably guess pretty quick that this car has the ability to more than meet the mid-8 second quarter mile zone in its capabilities, and in fact, it already has, and done so on its very first outing! Martin explains, “On our first trip to the track in the Project R35 on a very cold April day at Santa Pod (Festival of Power), we managed an 8.7 @ 168 mph on our very first full pass. Then came our best to date, an 8.30 @ 178 mph, and the car ran arrow-straight with no issues, actually finishing us in the number 2 qualifying spot in our first round. We have about another bar of boost to go so hopefully we will be deep in the 7’s, and be there soon!” “I’d like to thank Jon Webster of Webster Race Engineering, Dave Rowe of EPS Motorsport, Andy Frost of Frost Autos, all of my crew (Stuart Mail, Matt Smith, Gary Gooding, Matt Becker and Craig Monroe), my wife Jane and daughter Bethany. Phil Peck (Raging Bull Racing) and Mark Moseley for introducing me to drag racing.”

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While the Nissan looks absolutely insane driving down the streets and country roads, at first glimpse one might be led into the gross misunderstanding that this is some sort of fast/furious “import”. That would be a big mistake! First impressions are everything and Martin Smith may just have the best of ALL worlds... on the street he has an incredible looking sleek machine that turns any head, on the dragstrip he has an “ace in the hole” with the appearance of a “road car”, but in the power department he has more than enough to lay waste to most anyone in the other lane! On May 2nd, 2013 Martin finally got to go for a street drive in the 2,000+ horsepower Nissan on a “decent” spring day... you’d be smiling too!

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The Five Second Phenomenon

By Dr. John W. O’Connor, Ph.D. – Your Mental Game Expert

rag racers are a special breed of ath letes. They don’t have the second half of the game to make up lost points or mistakes, or make a comeback. They don’t have the chance to tie a game to bring the game into overtime. Drag racers don’t have the same opportunity to change the plan midgame. They don’t have a half-time pep talk. For drag racers, they only have those five seconds while sitting at that tree, waiting for the light to go green. Drag racers only have one chance to hit the light right, to hit it faster than their opponent. The fastest start doesn’t always get the win, but it sure does help a good part of the time. Drag racers certainly don’t win a lot with a .1 start off the line. Make no mistake. The five second rule is a true mental game phenomenon, especially for drag racers, because what happens after that five seconds is either a win or a lose. Sure, in every sport, the elite athletes are under pressure at some point of the game that will make or break their chances of winning, and the pressure is on when the clock starts ticking down to that last five seconds. Everyone has seen football games where the kicker could be a hero and win the game or lose the game, cracking under the weight of the pressure within those five seconds. In drag racing, their first five seconds is also their last five seconds. There is no making up for it later. You have one opportunity to focus during that five seconds and make it work. A team or individual might have the opportunity to correct their actions and strategy and turn the game around for him or herself. Drag racers do not have that opportunity. Your emotional status, the issues you bring with you, and your past history, will severely affect your mental game and how you react within the most important five seconds in drag racing. The drag racer’s entire mental game boils down to that five seconds. What runs through a drag racer’s mind in that five seconds will be the difference between going to the next round or having a really short day and going home. It’s simplicity at its best, 36

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beautiful and terrifying at the same time. I have seen years of training and experience unravel within seconds because the athlete didn’t have a consistent mental game, or his mental game was disrupted for that day. The athletes that consistently perform in that crucial five-second window have worked through their issues so nothing comes up and disrupts their state of mind at any point. They have within them the coping mechanisms they need to handle all the stressors that come with their sport and everyday life. How can you manage your opportunity to take advantage of the five seconds that will make or break your performance and come out on top, be a hero?

How to Master the Five Second Phenomenon Dedicate Yourself to Face Your Issues In Order to Resolve Them Many people have devised manifesting techniques for people to use to program themselves into performing successfully. However, practicing manifesting techniques will let you down time and again because they don’t teach you to face your own issues. They teach you to avoid your issues, convincing you to take the easy way out, that you’ll do great if you can just repeat a bunch of positive mantras to yourself and somehow magically believe in them. People who profess manifesting systems work will tell you to repeat to yourself a thousand times a day that you are a duck, and you will magically be a duck. However, when your subconscious knows that this isn’t true and you’re a goose, during that critical five seconds, your subconscious will let you know that you are still a goose, and all that time and all your efforts will be wasted. Moreover, using ineffective techniques is discouraging, because most people blame themselves for not being able to get these techniques to work, which erodes self-confidence

and has a further negative impact upon future performance. Even worse, if you bought a manifesting system from a person and paid him a lot of money for it, he might even blame your failure to perform on you. If you used these techniques in the past and didn’t have a great deal of success, don’t worry. You weren’t provided the right tool. It’s like someone gave you a hammer to saw through a log. Manifesting techniques don’t work because they don’t operate within the realities of human nature. It’s human for us to want to believe that taking the easy way out will work. That would be great, right? Manifesting is the magic pill promise of the psychological world. And like all magic pills, they are full of empty promises and disappointment. The reality of human nature is that our issues do not magically disappear just because we are infusing our minds with positive statements. There is another part of us, our subconscious, which carries around all of our past experiences and needs to be addressed. They must be faced, dealt with, and resolved in order for them to stop interfering in your present goals. Be a hero to yourself and bravely face your issues. No one really wants to confront those issues. You have spent a lot of time and energy avoiding them. It is in our nature to protect ourselves. When tough things happen in life, we create a way to be okay with these events so we can get on with our day without breaking down or losing it. Avoidance is a big part of the way we try to protect ourselves. However, it will still always be there, interfering in everything you try and do, because it’s still in your subconscious, and it will always surface at the wrong times.

Now That You’re Facing Your Issues, Work Steadily and Consistently to Resolve Them Besides training yourself to excel in competition, and now that you’re dedicated to facing your issues instead of avoiding them, one must also work on relieving and removing all

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issues that could come up and interfere with your mental game. Emotional issues, doubts, fears, distraction, self-confidence issues, anger, social issues, and family issues all factor into performance. Athletes need to mindfully manage and master these possible distractions during the time they need to concentrate the most, during that five seconds while they are sitting at the tree waiting to go. Everyone has a past. Therefore, everyone has triggers. Triggers can summon a great memory or a bad memory. Some triggers can be directly related to performance and create havoc with one’s mental status. These triggers can be responsible for bringing up negative feelings right before that green light goes on. Becoming aware of what triggers negative feelings and memories for you is a big step in helping your mental game.

Work on Your Visualization Skills Everyone has their strengths and their areas where they can improve. In the years I have been working with athletes, one interpersonal skill an athlete can work on and see drastic results in performance is in visualization skills. Visualization is the ability to take an idea or notion and to form a mental image and see it in one’s mind. I have worked with many individuals and athletes who are completely lacking in visualization skills. It’s difficult to obtain a goal when you can’t actually see yourself in your mind achieving it and the steps you need to go through in order to obtain your goals. Some of these individuals are very talented and driven individuals, and selfconfidence issues couldn’t completely explain why they were having trouble achieving any and all of their athletic goals. I have identified this skill deficit as Visualization Aptitude Deficit Syndrome (VADS). Even if you are completely missing this skill set and you think you might have VADS, the good news is I have had a great deal of success helping athletes and individuals acquire these skills. They can be taught and learned. Like everything else, it just takes practice and the right guidance.

Learn Controlled Breathing and Meditative Techniques to Enhance Performance These techniques go hand in hand with visualization techniques. It’s much easier to learn a new skill, improve a skill, and perform your best when you learn to use tools that will calm your mind and body. Breathing techniques and meditative techniques are a necessary part of your arsenal. Many religions from around the world incorporate meditation and breathing as necessary parts of the path to enlighten-

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ment. In recent years, meditation has been researched and found to benefit overall health and well-being. For instance, in a study from Harvard University, the brainwaves of people who meditate regularly were measured. People who practice meditation daily were found to be in a conscious relaxed state more often than people who do not practice meditation. Meditation has been found to have a discernable positive effect on people who suffer from anxiety, high blood pressure, stress, and a myriad of other problems. I have incorporated meditation and breathing as a regular part of my practice, and I am never disappointed with the results it produces. Because of the effects controlled breathing techniques and meditation has on brain waves, it relaxes a person and alleviates stress at least for the moment. In a relaxed but fully conscious mental state, people are more open to suggestions and learn new skill sets easier. It also teaches an athlete to learn their mind-body connection. Over time and with practice, a person can learn to use these techniques and teach their bodies and minds to respond physiologically and psychologically. However, these techniques are effective only when used in conjunction with your continuous efforts to confront your inner fears, your past, and your issues, as well as building your racing and visualization skills. Doing this work before you are sitting at that tree will help you make the most out of your five seconds and turn you into a more consistent performer. Don’t be the guy who falls asleep at the light. Even if your car is not the fastest or the most consistent, you will greatly increase your chances of winning every single race if you can do everything you can to capitalize on the five second phenomenon. If you can succeed in obtaining your own personal goals, you will always be a winner every time in any area of your life.

Contact Information: Dr. John W. O’Connor Ph.D., Sports Psychologist Mental Game Expert President - The American Emotional Wellness Organization Kirsten G. O’Connor, M. S. Mental Health Practitioner Vice President – The American Emotional Wellness Organization Website: http://oconnor-consulting.net Phone: 276 346 3625 Email: drjohnoconnorphd@gmail.com LinkedIn.com : http://linkedin.com/in/drjohnoconnorphd

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RPM PROJECT

GREEN MACHINE

PART III

Putting Power To The Pavement! Story & Photos By Brian Hansen Additional photos by Manufacturers

AFCO double adjustable shocks -- AEM Electronics AQ-1 Data Logger -- Mickey Thompson Tires -- Holeshot Wheels

What we need to do. With the engine, transmission, torque converter and AEM Dyno-Shaft installed in our “Green Machine” 1966 Bel Air, we have focused our attention to the suspension and data acquisition system. Power management is the name of the game when it comes to putting down big power on a small tire so we’ve enlisted the help from some of the top manufactures in the industry. Read along as we get one step closer to getting the B-Body Bowtie ready for some track testing.

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AFCO double adjustable shocks and springs installed and ready for the track! Why mount the shocks upside down you ask? AFCO Racing’s Eric Saffell explained it this way, ”AFCO shocks can be mounted upside down to reduce unsprung weight (which is anything not bolted to the chassis of the car like wheels, tires, axle housing and shocks). Reduction of unsprung weight should reduce the chance of wheel hop or tire shake. Decreasing the mass will give the shock a better chance to control the axle housing during separation which will allow for the use of softer shock settings, and will produce quicker runs.” Sounds good to us!

All the power in the world isn’t worth a thing unless you can put it to the ground. Installing a set of AFCO’s shocks is one of the best performance improvements that you can make to help keep the suspension of a car under control. Their double adjustable models have independent rebound and compression adjustments (and a wide range of adjustments). Since a shock needs to be stiffer at the launch than down track AFCO’s Velocity Sensitive Valving allows the shock to react more stiffly when needed at launch yet stay softer for riding the track’s irregularities down track. These shocks truly are the ultimate in acceleration control and overall driveability.

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GREEN MACHINE

AEM’s AQ-1 Data Logger was built to be a user friendly vehicle data acquisition designed for racers who want data logging capability that is reasonably priced, easy to install and packed with valuable features. The AQ1 records and stores up to 2GB of vehicle data with the included SD card (up to 32GB with an optional CD Card) so that it can be downloaded and analyzed. With logging rates of up to 1000 samples/second per channel, it’s one of the fastest data loggers on the market. So what information can the AQ1 record you might ask? MAP pressure sensors, shock travels, 2-wire temp sensors, vehicle speed, injector cycle duty cycle, boost control solenoid, analog and digital MAF sensors. The AQ-1’s wiring harness comes in three versions to match your vehicles requirements and easy to understand installation instructions. All of the color coded wires are clearly labeled and the AQ-1 has “daisy chain” capability with other AEM devices via AEMnet, the company’s CAN bus connection network. For instance, if you are using the Dyno-Shaft, 4-Channel Wideband Controller or Wideband Boost/Vacuum Failsafe Gauge you don’t need to use an output to connect it to the data logger. Once connected the AQ-1 instantly identifies the AEM device and asks you if you want to add it to the information that you log. It is really that easy!

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AEM AQ-1 installed in Bel Air The AQ1 compact size (4.80”x 4.55” x1.44”) allows it to be installed almost anywhere. In the Bel Air we chose to install it behind the passenger seat so that it is easily accessible.

SENSORS AEM offers several sensor and Plug & Pin connector kits for vehicles that require additional outputs and/or upgraded hardware over existing sensors. Available sensors include b o o s t / backpressure sensors, exhaust gas temperature (EGT) sensors, nitrous oxide/brake pressure sensors, UEGO replacement sensors, inlet air temp sensors (IAT), K-Type sensors just to name a few. RPM Magazine, THE Voice Of Fast Cars WORLDWIDE

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GREEN MACHINE

AEM Main Screen Channel reports allow you to set up a template to quickly compare data pass by pass, (or lap by lap). This sample is set up for road race but the drag racer can easily see how it can translate to each run. The main screen is where you set up your data. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fully configurable and easy. You just choose how you want to view it (bar graph, gauge, strip chart), and then drag the function from the channel list into the window. It has playback mode, and you can set alarm parameters so, for instance if you get a coolant temp spike or fuel pressure drop below a defined value it will highlight that area of the chart in red for quick reference when viewing data. All of this is done through AEMdata Data Analysis software, which is completely free and downloadable from AEMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s site. There are sample logs if users want to download it and play with it. Like ANY data logging software, there is a learning curve to get familiar with it, but once you set up your templates and start using it, the commands are pretty easy and you have a wealth of data at your fingertips.

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GREEN MACHINE

Mickey Thompson Tires & Holeshot Wheels A brand new set of Mickey Thompson ET Drag slicks are installed on the Holeshot “Sunflare” aluminum wheels and ready for action. Not only are our Holeshot wheels strong, light and fast, but they look killer too! As for our tires, with a tread width of only 10.2” the 29.5x10.5S (the “S” stands for stiff-sidewall) was the biggest tire that we could fit under the Bel Air. As Mickey Thompson Motorsports Manager Tom Kundrick explains, “The advantage of a stiff sidewall is less tire wrap, or sidewall distortion, at launch. This is good for heavy cars like the RPM Project Bel Air, or any car, including fixed suspension cars like a dragster. We’ve found through extensive testing that by using a stiff sidewall tire, with an inner-tube, that reaction times are reduced, 60’ times improve, the tire life is better and the car is more stable down track.”

What’s next? Over the next month Ron Wesley at Clocks Off Race Cars will be building the Stainless Works 2 ¼” headers for our Green Machine. We’ll also be installing a new PRW radiator and PRW electric water pump to keep the Big Block Brawler running cool, even during the hottest days of summer. Stay tuned for updates in the next issue of RPM!

Sources:

Mickey Thompson Tires www.mickeythompsontires.com 800-222-9092

AEM Performance Electronics www.aemelectronics.com 310-484-2322

AFCO Racing www.afcoracing.com 800-632-2320

Holeshot Wheels www.holeshotwheels.com 1-800-DRAG-533

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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. )))))

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Now exclusively available at Canadian Tire and PartSource

HIGH VOLTAGE & GOLD

John Grinwald’s 1964 Thunderbolt “High Voltage”& 1965 A/FX “Gold Digger” Story & Photos By Brian Hansen

Photography By Pete Ores

1964 Ford Thunderbolt “High Voltage” 896hp @ 7400rpm 702 ft. lbs @ 5900rpm

1965 Dodge Coronet A/FX “Gold Digger” 922hp @ 6300rpm 861 ft. lbs @ 6300rpm

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John Grinwald’s 1964 Thunderbolt “High Voltage” & 1965 A/FX “Gold Digger”

ohn Grinwald’s love for cars started at any early age. In 1958 his Father owned a City Service Gas Station where he sold gasoline, spun the wrenches and sold used cars at the side of the building. By 1964 he got his first dealership selling Studebakers and in 1968 opened Grinwald Dodge in Watertown, Wisconsin. Growing up the Son of a Dodge Dealer in the 1960’s and early 1970’s certainly had its advantages. As John states, “When I first got my license in 1970 our dealership’s used car lot always had a few musclecars on it. Super Bees, Challengers, Darts, Buick Gran Sports, Olds 442s and Chevy Super Sports were all fairly common trade-ins back then. My Dad would let me throw dealer plates on whichever one I wanted to use so that I had something to drive to school. Besides serving as my daily transportation, I’d occasionally take my borrowed rides out on the country roads and blow the carbon out of them!” John continued, “Some of our customers also had me doing tune-ups on their performance cars. I became very familiar with all of the Chrysler engines and tuned on everything from 340 Magnums to the almighty Hemis. I’ve always really

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enjoyed working on cars and guess it just stuck with me all these years.”

1964 Ford Thunderbolt “High Voltage” The 1964 Ford Thunderbolt was just finished a month prior to our visit to do the photo shoot of this amazing car. As John commented, “I bought the car back in 2007 with the goal of building a modern day version of the famous Ford Thunderbolt. It was painted already but needed a bunch of work to get it to the state that you see here. It came with a “seasoned” engine that had previously been campaigned by the Booze Brothers back in 2000. I blew that engine up on the first pass down the track and knew that I needed to commission someone well versed with the Ford FE engines to rebuild it. As it turns out I met Sandy Wilkins from Roush Yates at the IMIS Show at Indy in 2011 and he was excited about the project, so I shipped the motor down to him.” John continued, “I’m so glad that I chose them to do this engine. They took the FE Shelby

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In 1964, exactly 100 Fairlane 2 door sedans were partially built by the Ford Motor Company and shipped to Dearborn Steel Tubing for completion in Super Stock, Super Stock Automatic, and A/FX class competition. To get their weight down they had Plexiglas windows, and no heater or radio. These cars were built to do one thing and that was to go fast! Below: A parachute for 150-plus MPH runs? ...No problem! The original Thunderbolts actually had flexible tubing running from the high-beam headlight to the carburetors. Since the Hoganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intake is much taller than the factory intake, rumored to be worth an extra couple MPH John used some aluminum tape to seal off the outside edges of the factory grill. Mickey Thompson tires wrap the reproduction Radir Wheels.

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block and filled it with all of the good stuff, and the thing belted out 896hp @ 7400rpm!”

Ford Thunderbolt History

John goes for a little street ride in his High Voltage Ford. Below: Rick’s Racecraft did all of the chassis work on the Thunderbolt. A trick coil-over 4-link with a Fab 9 rear-end (filled with all the good stuff) and a set of beefy Phoenix F/X race slicks will get the job done at the track.

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So how did the Thunderbolt come to be you may ask? Well, in 1963 Ford was heavily involved in racing and they teamed up with one of their dealers in East Providence, Rhode Island (the famous Tasca Ford) to create the first Thunderbolt prototype from a run of the mill Fairlane 500 2-door. Ford Engineers really wanted to see if the unitized body could handle a 427’s power and Tasca was willing to give it a swing, so in went the mammoth big block. After some initial testing was done with the Tasca car, Ford liked the potential of this combination so much that they ended up delivering another 11 Fairlane 500’s to Dearborn Steel Tubing to be hand-built into Thunderbolt’s powered by the 425hp 427 “FE” engine. Of the 11 cars only 9 were completed and presented to Ford-backed race teams all at one time in late 1963.

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Get True Blue Ford Racing Performance Parts, the only performance parts good enough to wear the Ford oval! Don Sanderson Ford Glendale, AZ www.sandersonford.com (800) 729-2593 Autocars/Speedshop Direct Atascadero, CA www.fordracingpartsdirect.com 877 SPEED BY (773-3329) Hawaii Racing Simi Valley, CA www.hawaiiracing.com (805) 583-8800 Mustangs Unlimited Manchester, CT www.mustangsunlimited.com (800) 243-7278

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The Ford FE engine was first introduced in 1958 and was in production through 1976. Fast forward 55 years and the guys at Roush Yates were able to make a whopping 896hp with this all aluminum 500 cubic inch monster! Below: The Liberty clutchless 5 speed is backed by an Advanced Clutches dual 7” disc clutch set-up. John plans on competing in NSS (Nostalgia Super Stock) this year in his new Thunderbolt repro.

RPM Quick Tech 1964 Ford Thunderbolt “High Voltage” Owner/Driver: John Grinwald Engine: Built by Roush Yates the 500 cubic inch “FE” Shelby aluminum block #4 filled with Bill Miller aluminum connecting rods, Muldex forged crankshaft, 14.9 to 1 JE pistons, COMP Cams solid roller. Induction: Pro System 4150’s on a Hogan’s sheet metal intake Cylinder heads: Edlebrock / Kuntz aluminum heads Power Adder: None Ignition: MSD 7 Transmission: Liberty 5 speed Suspension/Chassis: Rick’s Racecraft 4-link, adjustable coilover shocks Rear Differential: Fabricated 9” Ford Wheels: Radir wheels (front) and Billet Specialty (back) Car Builder: Rick’s racecraft (Yorkville, Illinois) Weight: 2950 pounds Exhaust: Kromer Kraft Horsepower: 896hp @ 7400rpm and 702 ft. lbs @ 5900rpm

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1965 Dodge A/FX “Gold Digger” “I had the 1965 Coronet and the altered wheelbase parts for about three years,” John confessed. I didn’t have a clear vision on how I wanted to build this car until one day when I was surfing on the internet and came across Steve Magnante’s (the guys on the Barrett Jackson auctions with the black framed glasses) book and DVD on how to build an altered wheelbase car. After reading the book I finally had a good idea on how the end result might look and how to get there… thanks Steve!” John continued, “I trailered the car to Steve Rice’s shop (in Muscade, Wisconsin) and he shortened the wheel base (front/ rear wheel relocations) using the same techniques that they did back in 1965 with some very basic tools. It took an incredible amount of time and effort to get it completed but the quality of Steve’s work speaks for itself!” John was determined to do the paint and bodywork himself in his dealerships body shop. John’s Body Shop Manager, Scott Gutzdorf nicknamed “Rooster”, gave him some space in the back of the shop to work on the Coronet. After three 14-hour days Scott went to check on John’s progress and knew that he needed some help. He, and his Son Trevor (who is Watertown Body Shop’s Painter) jumped right in on the project and helped John get the car ready for paint. Working tirelessly over the course of many weeks Scott and Trevor had the Dodge all smoothed out and ready for the slick gold paint job. Only six 1965 factory altered wheelbase Dodge Coronets (and 6 Plymouth Belvederes) were ever produced. Since they’re nearly impossible to find John Grinwald recreated his own called the “Gold Digger”. On its maiden voyage the AF/X’r ran 8.88 @ 151mph! The front wheels were moved 10” forward and the rear 15” forward of their stock position.

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Photos, right: A straight axle and a pair of leaf springs out of a Dodge A100 van were used instead of the factory torque arm suspension (just like they did back in the day). Calvert shocks and Vega steering box will help make the beast easier to steer down the track. This A/FX looks the part right down to the 426 Hemi artwork on the fenders. With expectations of quarter-mile trap speeds in excess of 150mph the parachute on the back of the Gold Digger is not just for show! Believe it or not John spray bombed the undercarriage with Rustoleum Smoke Gray paint. After leaving it to dry for a couple of weeks he wet sanded it and polished the entire undercarriage by handâ&#x20AC;Śnow thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedication!

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While the car was being built, Ted at Opel Engineering was busy putting together a 572 cubic inch Hemi for the Coronet. From the very beginning the plan was for the engine to be run on gasoline or alcohol, so Brad at Kinsler Fuel Injection was contacted to design the fuel delivery system. Once completed the engine was strapped on the dyno and produced 922hp running on VP racing Fuelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s C16. With the paint and roll cage work done John and his crew installed the engine and transmission between the frame rails of the Coronet . Once all of the details were attended to John wasted no time in getting the car to the track for some testing. After making a couple of 1/8th mile passes to make sure that the car went straight, he unleashed the beast at Byron Dragway and covered the quarter mile in 8.88 seconds at 151mph. Not bad for the first time out with a brand new car! CONTINUED ON PAGE 64

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Chrysler A/FX History The 1965 Dodge Factory Altered Wheelbase Coronet and its Plymouth counterparts were the ultimate production-based musclecars and were, in effect, missing links between the Super Stock factory lightweights of the early 1960s and the all-out Funny Cars that were just over the horizon. 426 Hemi engines, and lightweight aluminum body parts already were available for the midsize Chryslers in 1965. To help with weight transfer Chryslerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solution was to shorten the wheelbase by 5.5 percent and move both front, and rear, wheels forward of their stock position. Since NHRA outlawed the altered wheelbase cars early on, they began running in AHRA (American Hot Rod Association) Factory Experimental class and in exhibition match races all over the country. Track promoters saw that these cars would draw large crowds to their facilities so popular A/FX drivers like Dick Landy, Roger Lindamood, Dave Stickler, and Bud Faubel were in high demand.

Special Thanks When you have three incredible door cars like John Grinwald does, there are a lot of people that helped to not only build them, but to also campaign them at the track. As John com-

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The Gold Digger looks nasty from any angle! The Spartan interior is reminiscent of how these cars used to look when they were raced back in the 1960s. Those cool brushed aluminum panels John did by hand using a round wire brush in his shop drill press. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brother-inlaw Duke at AA Welding in Madison, Wisconsin Tig Welded in the cage.

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Vintage 8 ½” wide Western aluminum slots were refinished by Detroit Vintage Wheel and look factory fresh. Dig those whitewall slicks! 21 year old Ryan Hartman from Byron, Illinois painted the scantily clad bombshell on the front quarter panel. In addition, he hand lettered the entire car…this guy is talented way beyond his years! Below: Yes, John actually took his 922hp beast for a drive down the street!

Kinsler Fuel injection built the mechanical fuel injection system that feeds the Hemi and features 2 5/8” throttle blades and 9” long tubes. John spent the better part of a week designing, and installing the throttle linkage. What a work of art! Those Mickey Thompson valve covers are the real deal. John bought them a long time ago at a local swap meet for $100 and squirreled them away for a future project.

RPM Quick Tech 1965 Dodge Coronet A/FX “Gold Digger” Owner/Driver: John Grinwald Engine: Opel Engineering built the 572 cubic inch Hemi using a Mopar Performance cast iron block filled with a Callies 4.50 stroke crankshaft, Oliver connecting rods, Diamond 14.0 to 1 forged pistons and a Bullet solid roller camshaft. Induction: Kinsler Fuel Injection Ignition: MSD 7AL Just a few weeks back the first 1/4-mile pass ever in the Coronet netted an 8.88 @ 151mph! Image courtesy Alyssa Baldridge

Paint and Body: Watertown Body Shop (Scott & Trevor Gutzdorf) Cylinder Heads: Ray Barton Stage V Aluminum Hemispherical cylinder heads Transmission/Converter: Pro Trans (no trans brake), ATI 9” torque converter Suspension/Chassis: Steve Rice (altered the wheelbase), Calvert leaf springs and Caltrac traction devices Wheels/Tires: Vintage Western aluminum slots wrapped in Mickey Thompson rubber Weight: 2850 pounds without driver Exhaust: Kromer Kraft Horsepower: 922hp @ 6300rpm and 861 ft. lbs of torque Best ET/MPH to date: 8.88 @ 151mph (first time out)

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mented, “First and foremost I need to thank my Wife Denise who has given me the freedom to work on these projects, and still loves me now that they are completed! I have also been blessed that my two children, daughter Chelsea and son Nic, are so understanding about the passion that I have for these nostalgic cars.” “On A/FX Coronet: Brian Kohlman for selling me the car and talking me into doing the project, Gary Gerard from www.AFXER.com for encouragement and helping me with the name Gold Digger, Steve Rice for altering the wheelbase and Rich Berlisk for keeping me motivated to finish the project.” “For Asphalt Elephant Dart: Tom & Leslie Ponder who sold me the 1962 Dart and still come to watch me race, Jeff Wick from Jim’s car Shop for engineering, design and freshening over the years. Don Kromer (Kromer Kraft headers) for the extra 30 hp on the dyno, and my crew member Butch Henze for keeping me calm when I’m behind the wheel of this bucking bronco.” “The Ford Thunderbolt would not be possible without Joe Zajac who found the car, Rich Berlisk trailering car all over during construction, Sandy Wilkins at Roush Yates for the horsepower, and Rick at Rick’s Racecraft for the chassis. Thanks again to everyone who has helped me over the years….see you at the track!”

When John is not busy running Grinwald Ford in Watertown, Wisconsin he is busy working on his hot rods in his shop. Besides the Thunderbolt and A/FX Coronet he also has a 1962 Dodge Dart called the “Asphalt Elephant”. The Asphalt Elephant is a 1962 Dart that John has owned for over 9 years and been racing in NSS (Nostalgia Super Stock). Be sure to check out their website www.nostalgiasuperstock.com for some remarkable wheel-standing doorslammers. The 605-inch Wedge has propelled the Mopar to 8.70’s @ 153mph… and that is naturally aspirated! One of the most memorable moments that John has had with the Dart happened right after he installed the current aluminum block engine. On one of the first passes in Las Vegas the 3100 lb. Elephant got up on the back tires and proceeded to wheelie for 350 feet!

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RPM Reader’s Rides... IN PROGRESS!

In our usual RPM “innovate not imitate” fashion, we bring you RPM Reader’s Rides “In Progress” as Tim Lewis and the RPM team continue to uncover “Extreme Projects” that will see the streets & drag strips near and far in the not so distant future. Bill Wright - Florida, 1941 Willys - Originally built for Florida’s Outlaw Automatic class. “Wright’s Willys.”

Ratty

Bill started this project four years ago with the intent to build something for the Automatic Outlaw class in his home state of Florida. “As you have probably guessed, in that length of time they have done away with the class,” explains Bill. That being said, the wild flat black Willys will see some Outlaw and Quick 8 racing, and it is sure to be an eye catcher wherever it goes. The car is being built by Larry Harkless and Bill of The Performance Shop, Lake Wales, FL. The engine is a 548 ci. with Rodeck block, high helix 14-71 Littlefield blower, Dart 360 heads and runs on Alcohol. Backing it up is a Lenco Drive 3 speed. The chassis is chrome moly with a 25.1 certification. “My wife say’s no paint, she likes the ratty look!” Adds Bill.

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Paul Witty, Oklahoma - 1960 Ford Falcon The high-end paint/body crowd may not be a big fan of this ride, but this thing is badass! “I received a 1960 Ford Falcon in a trade for some work I did about 4 months ago,” says Witty. “I completely gutted the car and started building a tube chassis for it to meet sfi 25.4 spec. It is completely custom built by me and is my first time building a full drag car chassis.” To power the compact Ford is a 557 big block Ford mill with A460 heads hooked to a glide and Paul says that he hopes to run upper 8’s on the motor with it. The car should be making its first trip to the track as of this writing (late May early June). Oh and by the way, in Paul’s own words “It wont be getting a paint job anytime soon!”

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RPM Reader’s Rides... IN PROGRESS, con’t.

Doc Baker, Arkansas - 1971 Dodge Demon, Outlaw 10.5 It is exciting to see something different in Outlaw 10.5! And Doc Baker is building one of the coolest, if not the coolest car in the class right now. A tool and die maker by trade, Baker has raced since he was a teen in school, living all but his first 4 years in the small town of Judsonia, AR. Not having loads of cash, Doc had to make or build all that he could. In fact, now he even completes his own engines assembly, rear ends, transmission, chassis, and tuning. Admittedly “not a body man”, he’ll hang the body and weld panels together, but draws the line at the finishing of bodywork and paint. “I have been a Mopar man from my high school days, and most recently acquired from the Demon second owner of the car who morphed it from a street car to a street/strip car and raced it with lot of success. It was a basket case before I began the transformation to fit the blown Hemi, Bruno/Lenco combination, and update the cage to fit the 25.2 SFI spec. I hope to update the roots blower to a “c” rotor screwcharger or better, as we all know the screw is the king as of now.” Baker went ahead and made the headers forward facing to make it easier for a set of twins and EFI at some point, just in case. Plans are to run it on the “w” tire for Outlaw 10.5, “but also don’t be surprised when it shows up on a 315 for Outlaw Drag Radial, where rules will allow it,” adds Doc. “I set my goals reachable with a 4.20 eighth-mile E.T., but when I set that a year and a half ago it was top of class. Now that Lynch, Sexton, Hance, and others have set the bar at 4.0’s to 3.9’s, I have my work cut out for me. But I am looking forward to putting it in the beams with the greats of the Outlaw 10.5 world nonetheless.” “I have come a long way from the old days of racing my 64 Studebaker pickup that my dad gave me when I turned 16 and I drove to school. The Studebaker was the first thing I put a Hemi in and I have never looked for any other engine since. It’s also been a big help to have had several chances to drive some great Pro Mods for others here in Arkansas, and I raced my own car last in 2005, a 71 Dodge Dart. The Dart was an Outlaw10.5 car but built to the rules of the past, so it is too heavy for the Outlaws of today, and that is why I started the Demon.” “I would like to thank My Dad, Ellis Baker, for the early years of giving me the skills to be able to do anything to a car, we worked side by side for many years when I was a teen. Also want to thank Mike Uekman and Darrell Kelly, they are great friends that have helped me with the Demon project, and I can count on them to make sure we find the top of the class.”

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RPM Reader’s Rides... IN PROGRESS, con’t.

Walter Grosse, Oregon - 1967 Shelby GT 500 Outlaw 10.5 Walter Grosse thought it would be best to build a new car from scratch for the west coast 10.5 scene rather than try to and find the right combination in something used. And by the looks of it he’ll have quite the weapon when his 67 Shelby GT 500 is ready to rock. Starting with a new 67 Shelby GT 500 race body and building the chassis himself out of a Wolfe Racecraft kit, with help from Dave Lund of Sick and Twisted Fab the Shelby has been built to SFI 25.2 specifications. Wally plans on running the WCHRA , PSCA, NWHA, and is hoping for a debut at the SCSN . The Shelby is armed with a 533 cubic inch Ford engine with A 460 block and heads. Sick and Twisted created the intake, and twin Borg Warner 88 mm turbos are mounted mid-height, just in front of the firewall. A JW transmission and Neal Chance converter back up the power which is sent to the Fab 9 rear differential. The cars engine, transmission and turbo system are all home-built with the help of friends and local shops willing to donate labor. Wally comments, “A huge thank you to PSI Portland Speed Ind. for many many hrs of dyno time, fuel and fab work. Regular working guys could not build these cars without help of companies willing to donate their time.” Look for this sleek pony car to be a front runner in the west coast 10.5 scene later in the year. Shawn Greene, Ohio 1957 Chevy Street/Strip Shawn Greene is building one of the more unique street/strip 57 Chevys ever constructed! The hole-saw drilled lightweight look goes throughout the whole project, and is wild. Chassis work was done by Justin Robertson and Terry Buza. To power the 57 is a big block Chevrolet mill with Dart heads that comes out at 489 inches and set-up to burn pump gas. A 400TH transmission with Lenny’s converter hooks up to a beefed-up Chevy rear end. Look for this wild machine to be hitting the street by this summer along with racing in 8.50 and 8.90 index classes. Since it is an original mostly steel bodied car, Shawn and the 57 will have their work cut out for them.

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RACING CYLINDER HEADS Get It Right The First Time FRANKENSTEIN RACING HEADS, THE TOTAL PACKAGE PROMISE

n the world of horsepower, cylinder heads reign supreme. Although there are a whole host of engine components that help make power, they’re a supporting cast. A racer really needs to compile detailed information about what goals need to be met and their budget. Most racers can afford to spend more than they realize, and are willing to do so if they only remember all the times they spent two and three times as much when they did it “on the cheap.” Buying parts and pieces that don’t get the job you want done is just as bad as burning money to light a room. Unfortunately, racers and enthusiasts will often spend needless hours pouring through websites, wondering if the buy now button is going to turn into a regretful purchase. Getting some quality direction can often save you that time. Guessing is not a game that ends well, and that’s what true professionals take out of the equation. Out of the box makes things easy for the masses, but for the serious racer that wants the wins, they may not be satisfied with some of the results. Buying cylinder heads for your race motor is not the same as buying heads for your street machine that might see four trips to the track in a year. A lot has to be considered, but first and foremost your power and performance goals, and the total package you are going to build to reach them. Under-buying on cylinder heads instead of stepping up to get the right parts in both performance level and toughness for the job at hand, is a mistake that is made more often than not, and one that can be easily avoided. Quality manufacturers will offer excellent, well detailed information and allow you to upgrade components, but there is still even more you can do to get the edge on the guy in the other lane. According to Chris Frank of Frankenstein Racing Heads, “Many racers have the false impression that a CNC cylinder head is flawless right out of the box.” With the development of CNC machining, big power levels were made attainable for most racers, but some CNC’d heads that go from box to the engine might be leaving untapped power and reliability on the table. CNC machined heads come from prototype ports that were developed by hand, digitized, then replicated over and over in a production environment. This process will no doubt get ports and chambers in the ballpark, which is great for many, however, with the right person in your corner you can often get more out of them, and that can be the difference between winning and losing. Tooling wears, tolerances vary, and so may results. The only one way to know how a head performs is to test each and every port, look at chambers, valves, springs, locks, retainers, clearances, and a whole host of other factors. Even to the best CNC’d heads, some minor, but very knowledgeable tricks can be performed that produce surprising results. A typical example of how much attention to detail is worth from a performance standpoint can be witnessed in Frankenstein’s “Back in the Box” package. He takes those “out of the box” heads, completely disassembles,

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By Robert Weathers -- Photos by manufacturer

hand finishes, cleans, reassembles and inspects every inch of them. They are set up for a racers particular application, then put right back in the box, for a truly “ready to bolt on head”. The only limitations are based on components the heads come with. Many competitive racers in the know will get their heads directly from Frankenstein, a dealer for most major head and component manufacturers. The main reason being is that, depending on the head, CNC’d heads direct from the manufacturer may come with standard components, and competitive racers will want premium. Their application exceeds the capabilities of general performance components which can lead to devastating results. Getting it right the first time saves money. Buying a head that is designed for basic applications is not a frugal way to buy heads for what’s anticipated to be a ball-busting monster. Those components end up in the scrap pile, and replaced by the stuff you should have had in the first place, so it makes sense to step up at the start, and limit the expensive back tracking.

A clean shop is a happy shop, and Frankenstein Racing Heads could use theirs for an operating room. Highly organized and professional services require a tremendous level of organization.

NO GUESSING ALLOWED! Measuring tools are a must and every fraction of an inch counts. It is tough for even the best manufacturers to take the time needed to really tweak their production based racing heads. CONTINUED ON PAGE 76

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Introducing Valvoline NextGen. The first recycled oil formulated from a breakthrough process that combines the latest re-refining technology with Valvoline’s special additives to exceed industry standards. It’s the only recycled oil good enough to be called Valvoline, because we hold ourselves to a higher standard. Yours. Go to NextGenMotorOil.ca and find out why it is important to recycle your used oil and use recycled oil.

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Exhaust low lift numbers on CNC Dart 11-Degree Big Chiefs are good on intake and exhaust, but aggressive high lift cams can’t be used that are designed to rid the huge head of what it’s capable of ingesting on the intake side. They peter out over .700 lift, so Frankenstein modifications increase flow from .700 to 1.0 inch lift and the big stick can be used to kick ass and take names. Dart 11-Degree Big Chief heads are an excellent and popular bolt-on option for many racers, but there can be horsepower left on the table if CNC machining is where the performance enhancements end. Remember, each combination is unique. With over a 64 CFM gain on the intake side, and the potential to achieve lifts over 1.0 inch, Frankenstein modifications are a must for power hungry winners.

Sources:

Frankenstein Racing Heads Joshua, TX. 817-556-2434 www.frankensteinracingheads.com

It is your decision on where to take your cylinder heads, but remember this, a flow bench can be manipulated to give the impression of good head performance by any knowledgeable operator. Frankenstein uses it as a tool to insure that the desired amount of flow and velocity at the proper lift are achieved. It’s never been about hanging the valve open and maximum lift and flowing the most air though it as possible. That philosophy creates a dog when it comes to performance. It takes skill to achieve the right amount of flow at the right lift so an engine accelerates rapidly. 76

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9:20 @ 145 mph 2010 Ford Mustang, driven by Gary Richard

ZZZ FURZHU FRP phone: (619) 661-6477 fax: (619) 661-6466

“We’re Building A New Drag Strip” When was the last time you heard that?

London Bridge Raceway Park planned in the Desert Southwest

Article & Photos By Al Heisley, additional images supplied by subject

bout a year ago, promoter and businessman, Bill Doner received a call from his old friend, Lake Havasu resident, entrepreneur, and Fuel Altered and Funny Car driver, Larry Huff, asking Bill to travel to Lake Havasu City, AZ for a day or two. He wanted Doner to look over 100 acres of city-owned land where Huff and entrepreneur, car collector, Denny Cissell, plan to build a world-class drag strip. When Doner arrived and saw what Huff and Cissell had in mind, he became so excited that he immediately jumped on board as a partner and was named CEO of the proposed London Bridge Raceway Park. A very big deal because Bill Doner may be the greatest racing promoter ever. During the Golden Age of drag racing, Bill Doner operated as many as 7 west coast drag strips simultaneously from the State of Washington to Southern California over a 10 year period, putting on as many as

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1,000 events per year. Exhausted, Doner retired from racing in 1979. However, while he had sold and stepped away from managing and operating the drag strips, he continued marketing and promoting businesses. First, he took a local marlin sport fishing business he had purchased in Baja, Mexico and built it into a 7-boat worldwide sport fishing operation. Next, he was hired by Caesars Palace Hotel – Casino in Las Vegas as their Marketing Manager. And finally, from 1995 to 2000, Bill was the Commissioner of Hydroplane Racing where he successfully increased the number of races they ran from 6 to 13 per year. He also attracted live ESPN coverage of the sport while he was at it. Even though he was removed from the day-to-day business and operations of big-time racing, racing was never far from his heart. It was because of that interest that Bill started consulting with race track operators, announcing races, and making radio ads for racetrack managers. Now, he’s back!

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planned The track, a quarter-mile drag strip, will also become the first purposebuilt 1,000 foot drag strip in America. In other words, it will be a race track specifically designed for all classes including the two professional nitro classes. According to the owners, construction of the 500-foot above sea level drag strip is scheduled to begin in May or June of this year on city land neighboring the city airport. When looking south from the starting line, seating on the west side (lake side) of the track will run the entire length of the Âź mile. Elevated above those seats will be 50 corporate and private use suites running the length of the racetrack. Seating on the east side of the track will extend from the starting line to the 1/8 mile mark. Full hook up RV pads will run from that point to the finish line. The strip will also feature state-ofthe-art track level halogen lighting. Five garages will be available for lease to professional teams for offseason testing.

Pictured to the left is the actual London Bridge, OK not that one, but it is the actual London Bridge in Lake Havasu City Arizona, and namesake of the new facility. Above are Bill Doner and Denny Cissell of London Bridge Raceway Park. In the poster that Bill and Denny are showing (and pictured below) is the London Bridge Raceway Park rendering completed by world famous motorsports artist Kenny Youngblood. London Bridge Raceway Park Track Plans are done and ready for the green light! This is the real deal and even the facility logo (shown left) is ready to go.

Graham Light, NHRA Vice President-Racing Operations confirmed to Bill Doner, that the NHRA is fully behind the proposed race park, that sanctioning is in place and all re-

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You’ll need to use your imagination here. Left - This photo is taken looking south from Starting Line at London Bridge Raceway Park. Right - The park’s Museum (and offices) will be located on this site. Once work is complete we’ll look back on these photos and enjoy the comparisons.

quirements for running a national event have been met. Given an on-schedule completion, the initial season will run from March to May 2014. The first full season, the 2015 season, will run from October 2014 to May 2015. Plans include an NHRA tribute museum dedicated to Wally Parks, the Founder of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and to the Safety Safari, NHRA’s safety team of individuals committed to the safety of the track, race cars, drivers and crews, as well as race fans. Plans also call

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for the museum to house a restaurant named the Nitro Café. In addition to all of its displays, the museum will take advantage of the latest lighting and technology. Planned are the best holograms available on the market today depicting NHRA Founder, Wally Parks, and several racers such as Shirley Muldowney, Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Bob Glidden, and many more. The museum building will also house the tracks offices. The site will eventually host an oval track and a road course, too.

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Left - Five Pro Team Garages will be built on this site. You might say that Lake Havasu City has it all... including sun, sand, water, and soon a top-shelf motorsports facility. Right - The Relics N Rods show is just one of many events that revolve around what Lake Havasu City has to offer.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Done, What Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t As of this writing, all of the planning for the project has been completed. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been provided for between the Lake Havasu City Council and the race track owners. Even though the MoU is a non-binding agreement between the city and the track owners, all involved are excited because this agreement not only lays the groundwork for the facility, but it shows investors, and others

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related to the project, that the city is on-board with the race track and that everyone is on the same page. The MoU is also a major step forward in getting those investors who are verbally committed to the undertaking to start the flow of money so that the project can begin. Further, the Memorandum of Understanding allows raceway owners and the city to begin negotiating a lease for the city owned land.

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For a smaller city of 52,000, Lake Havasu City hosts pretty much every event you can imagine that has to do with having fun. Maybe it’s because they experience over 300 days of sun! Above, from right: Cruisin On Main car show, Lake Havasu Boat Show, Desert Storm, and below is the Lake Havasu City Sand Water Expo.

Lake Havasu City Lake Havasu City, a small city of 52,000, is located on the Eastern shore of Lake Havasu on the Colorado River in West central Arizona. It is home of the historic (no kidding) London Bridge. The 46-mile Lake Havasu and the surrounding area boast 300 plus days of sunny weather each year and is well-known for hosting the Desert Storm Power Boat Race, Thunder on the River – Lucas Oil Drag Boat Race, high speed water ski racing, Legends by the Lake Car Show, Big Boys Toys Car Show and several other rod and custom car shows and cruises, plus it’s a very popular spring break location. A family destination as well, the area is noted for its boating and fishing, the waters of Lake Havasu are clear and warm with sandy beaches. The area is also home to some of the region’s best hiking and off-roading. Hotels and restaurants are plentiful in Lake Havasu. Stay tuned to RPM for updates as London Bridge Raceway Park takes shape.

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TAKING PRO MODIFIED LOCAL Story & Photos by

ith so called “disposable income”, (the dough we all use on things we want, rather than need), being scarce these days, we all have to choose wisely on what cool new thing to buy or how to get the best bang for our entertainment dollars. In the world of motorsports, in particular drag racing, there are so many series’ and events to pick and choose from now, that the racers and fans have a pretty hard choice as to where they would like to go. One thing is sure

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Tim Lewis

though, over the past five years the days of travelling long distances to follow a cross country road show tour in motorsports, as a fan or competitor, are few and far between. Fuel prices, time away from work, accommodations etc have made it near impossible for most of us to do it. Instead, if a series is your thing, it just makes more sense to pick up on one that runs fairly local, one you can sink your teeth into and really be a part of as a racer, or follow closely as a fan.

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For drag racers, they have to look at the rules and mostly the differences between them among different seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and events. For example, does one series let screw blowers run and another one permit roots style blowers only? Then there are the base weight differences between organizations and events, not to mention whether the car is set-up for 1/8th or Âź mile racing. After all, as competitors they too are trying to get the most for their investment into their race car and racing efforts. Nowadays, the fans have to look at how far they are willing to travel to see good close racing, how much it will cost to make the trip with the price of fuels, where to stay etc. This is where the smaller more local seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; have really started to grow, and they can be as exciting as going to any of the more prominent series events. Enter the EOPM or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Extreme Outlaw Pro Modâ&#x20AC;? series, which has started to work its way into the door car drag racing spotlight! Founded in 2010, the EOPM series promoter Stuart Williams along with long time Quick 8 and Pro Mod racer Rick Moore came up with a set of rules that, for the most part, have cars running on a fairly level playing field. Which is evidenced by the elapsed times posted by racers within the organization. Trying to run any type of heads-up racing series certainly has itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ups and downs, but you just have to continue to try to make everyone happy as the series grows. Unfortunately, most donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it to the growth stage, but the EOPM seems to be an exception. An 1/8th-mile only series that runs at 8 tracks located in VA, NC, TN, Photos, from left: Nitrous vs Turbo as Lorenza Springfield in the Spencer Motorsports GTO faces Steve Drummond in the twin turbo big block Ford powered Mustang. The MPH record holder Todd Howard was once a big name in the VW drag racing ranks. The Jerry Williams owned Mustang is another 3.80 player and is always good for high MPH. The Mack Attack twin turbo Monte Carlo was driven by Mack Copeland, but at VMP in April Paul Powell was behind the wheel learning the wicked ways of the wheel-standing Chevy.

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GA, it is certainly growing. With a whopping 14 events, it keeps the racers and fans of Pro Modified in this part of the country busy. The series draws good car counts at every event and an 8 car qualified field is what you will find at all but 2 events, with a 16 car field at those 2. So you can bet that qualifying is intense to say the least! EOPM by the numbers boasts a largest car count of 37 cars at VMP (Virginia Motorsports Park). The quickest bump-spot in qualifying was 3.98, also at VMP. The fastest MPH is 199.51 by Todd Howard, and the quickest ET in the series is 3.819 by Todd Tutterow.

NMCA Pro Street standout and Champion Chris Rini is a big supporter of the series and makes almost every race.

Jeff Blasi, Chris Cline, Danny Perry, Andy Beal, Steve Vick, Chris Rini, Randy Weatherford, Todd Tutterow, Brian Teachman, Travis Harvey and Rod Houck are just a few of the racers that compete with other drivers that may not be as well known to the masses (yet), but sure do have local followings. Pro Modified is not for the faint at heart, so when the local guys show up they have to work that much harder to make it to the level of what the EOPM has become. Sometimes it seems that the days of the local Quick 8 racer have been lost among the

The Dehavenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are a father and son team that often pick up local Quick 8 wins who tried their luck with the EOPM and made it into the 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with the Hemi powered Vette.

Steve Cossis comes all the way from the Big Apple to race his Mauney built Camaro. Here, Steve goes over the car before making a test pass.

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bigger budget teams, but still, the EOPM is certainly not on the budget level of other seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, where state of the art super highend cars showing up in big rigs (with even larger price tags then the cars) has become the norm. At select events another class, 4.90 Index, runs along with the Pro Mods. They may not be as quick as the Pro cars, but they draw good quality fast door cars, lots of different body styles, and they are still quick. The 4.90 class is exciting to watch and adds more value for the fans that spend their hard earned money to come out for the show.

This EX Pro Stock Grand AM is powered by an F3R equipped 535ci big block Chevy. A best of 4.03 makes this the quickest ProCharged car to run with the series. Greg Godwin is a diehard nitrous racer and always will be. His monster 900ci nitrous breathing beast is a threat to anyone who lines up beside this 3.80 capable car.

At EOPM events youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see everything from the now predominant 1967-69 Camaros to 63 Corvettes, 57 Chevys, 41 Willys and even rides like the wild 57 Plymouth Fury of Chris Cline. Ford fans have drivers such as Todd Howard and Maurice Bea to pull for. The turbo cars are starting to pop up with Rod Houck and Paul Powell giving it a go. Interestingly, in 2012 the blower boys only had two cars that finished in the top 10 in points, and ten blown cars ran with the group last year! Nitrous cars rule this part of the country and the local fans really seem to love them, but nothing looks more nasty than a blown car pulling into the water box and blasting through a huge smoky burnout. With the rules in this series the cars all run on a good set of weights that everyone seems to agree with, which is rare in any type of motorsport. EOPM base weights: Big Block Blown max 4.900 bore - 2,575lbs Nitrous 5.200 & 5.300 - 2,360 Nitrous 4.840 & 5.000 - 2,200 Turbo Big Block Single Turbo 120mm max - 2,575 Turbo Big Block Twin Turbo 88mm max - 2,675 Turbo Small Block Single - 2,200 Turbo Small Block Twin Turbo - 2,500 ProCharger Small Block - 2,400 ProCharger Big Block - 2,500

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If you are a fan of nitrous cars look no further. Header flames light up the night in a gloves-off fight against twin turbos, ProChargers and the blower racers. With most of the racers being nitrous teams, it does give the feeling of where it all started in the old Quick 8 nitrous days that got so many people hooked on Pro Modified. We asked Stuart where he sees the EOPM series going, “ I see it getting bigger and better every year. We have some of the best racers on the east coast racing with us and some of the best sponsors that help out in many ways.” As a fan of Pro Mod, the best part of this series in my mind is that it has races in my local area. With VMP being an hour and a half down the road, it’s well worth the ride. North Carolina is full of Pro Mod fans and they have five different tracks to choose from throughout the year to see side-by-side 3 second racing. Since going to my first EOPM race I’ve noticed that more and more people are showing up to line the fence and take a seat in the stands. Sure, live feeds online are good when you live a long distance away or can’t pry yourself away from your computer or smart phone, but if you’re local, try checking out one of your local race series’. Remember, without the racers AND fans, there can’t be any sustainable motorsports. Long time Ford racer Maurice Bea from King George, VA is making more power than ever. With help from car builder Chris Cheeks and tuning from nitrous racer Marc Hayes, this very cool Stang should find its way into the 3.90’s soon. Another long time nitrous racer is Steve Vick. Vick was voted top sponsor of the year for the series in 2012 and is back again for 2013. A brand new car is about to come out of the Vick camp so look for Steve and Jennifer to pick up some wins in 2013. The 2012 points champ Danny Perry gets help on the starting line from car owner Brad Boone. The insane 922 cubic inch powered Camaro may look like Ricky Smiths former car, because it is. Perry wheels this car into the high 3.80’s.

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For racers deciding between 1/8th and 1/4mile, the 1/8th-mile, the EOPM seems to make a good case for 1/8th. The safety is definitely there and the action for fans is all rolled into a tight package that you can see from virtually any seat in the house. As for the safety, Rick Moore makes sure he goes over each car before they are ready to make a pass down the track. With new teams coming on board during the year, the 2013 season will have a great payout for the members running the series. The announcement of the season ending $10,000 to win points fund and the creation of several new awards throughout the year have created a lot of buzz. An extremely low $200 membership fee adds you into the points fund, so joining up is well worth the potential rewards. Also, the first round losers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just pack it up and leave with nothing. Depending on which race, $350-$1,000 will be paid to racers going out of competition in the first round! So is it worth checking out an EOPM race? You bet it is! Are you going to get your moneys worth buying a ticket to get in? Count on it! Will you go back again? Well make sure you track me down to come say hi when you do! Well known blown door car racer Jeff Miller with partner Steve King came to the April race at VMP and went to the front of the field with a great 3.86 @ 190mph, then went to the finals with Travis Harvey where the money was split due to cold temps. The Vergotz brothers are some of the nicest you will meet. They bring the whole family with them down from PA. At the April VMP race they went their best to date of 3.95 in their super clean 1968 nitrous Camaro. Former nitrous Pro Mod racer Rod Houck made the switch over to a twin turbo set up on his big block powered Corvette. More tuning and this combo will be well into the 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with no problem.

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Stuart and Rick would like to add that without these fine folks and companies the EOPM could not work as well as it does: Carolina Precision Machining, Dart, Buck Racing Engines, GRP, Hoosier, CV Everything Racing, ROSS, RaceTech, Pat Musi Racing Engines, WS Construction, Dave Hunt Racecraft, Routh Signs, Franklin Electric, SmartCom, Drive Up, Virginia Speed Race Cars, Beal Racing Engines, Sonnys Racing Engines, Robert Hayes Motorsports, Hank Thomas Performance, Williams Concrete, Rodgers Automotive, TM Race Cars, GMax Pro Media and Raceworks.com. EOPM 2013 event schedule to date: Dunn Benson June 1 Coastal Plains June 22 Atlanta June 29 ZMAX July 20 VMP August 10 Dunn Benson August 24 VMP September 28 Rockingham October 19-20 ZMAX October 26 Costal Plains November 16

Further info at: www.extrmeoutlawpromod.us Back from the dead is Christine. Starting out with the one that started it all chassis builder/driver Chris Cline worked long hours rebuilding the whole car. The big Fury goes low 4.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for now but Chris told me that 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are right around the corner. The well known Pirate Ship Willys of Kevin Mayer was once a nitrous machine but the car never looked as evil as it does now with the blower hung out the top of the hood. Another 3.90 car, the Ship is full speed ahead for picking up a win in 2013.