www.ridetech.com
812-482-2932
The Original Air Suspension Company...Since1996 Air Ride Technologies president Bret Voelkel’s 1970 Mustang launched the company in 1996. Now as RideTech, we manufacture a complete line of premium coil-overs, control arms, and suspension systems
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
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FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS 6
On the Throttle
8
Out of the Groove
18
Tubbed Life
22
ProRender
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ProNography
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COVER CAR
PLYMOUTH ENVY Tony Netzel’s wild twin-turbo Belvedere is enough to make you green with jealousy! by Toby Brooks
CONNECT www.tubbedmagazine.com | 806.781.8482 www.facebook.com/TubbedMagazine
www.twitter.com/TubbedMagazine
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admin@tubbedmagazine.com
FEATURE CAR
GENERATIONSS Rob & Ryan Robinson’s cool ’84 Monte Carlo is a rumbling and rolling testament to the living lineage of hot rodding
STAFF
by Toby Brooks
PUBLICATION
Toby & Christi Brooks....................................Publishers Taye Brooks..................................................Contributor John Baechtel..............................................Contributor Shawn Brereton............................................Contributor Michael Scheuren........................................Contributor Brian Stupski................................................Contributor
ART
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Toby Brooks.................................................Art Director
PROJECT CAR
SHOWIN’ OFF
Project aPocalypSe Horse heads to the Street Machine Nationals as chassis fabrication wraps up by Toby Brooks
INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING?
TUBBED represents a new era in automotive print magazines. We are actively growing the brand and eager to help promote business that support the incurable condition of pro street in the blood. Contact Toby at 806-781-8482 today to find out just how affordable new media can be!
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HOT EVENTS
BACK TO THE NATS
The Street Machine Nationals through the eyes—and words—of a nine year-old by Taye Brooks
ON THE COVER
We stubled across Tony Netzel’s incredibly cool Belvedere while wasting time on Facebook one day and were absolutely blown away. The perfect stance, odd-ball body style, and wild color combo wowed us to begin with, but with twin turbos and a polished cross ram, it an absolute feast for the eyes and beast on the street. Add in the fact that Tony is about as cool as a guy could be, and you’ve got yourself a winning combo. Greg Gustafson photos. TUBBED Magazine is published quarterly by Chaplain Publishing, a division of NiTROhype Creative, 3104 CR 7520, L ubbock, Texas, 79423, phone 806.781.8482. Contents may not be reproduced without consent of the copyright owner. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronically or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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TUBBED Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, articles, photographs, or artwork. To submit information, photos, or stories or for advertising inquiries please contact TUBBED Magazine at 806.781.8482, via email at admin@tubbedmagazine.com, or via the TUBBED Magazine website at www.tubbedmagazine.com.
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Throttl
ON THE TOBY
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CHANGE UP
W
ell, it has been a long, fun summer here at TUBBED World Headquarters. We managed to get some work done around the shop, keep the lights turned on, and finish enough feature shoots on cars to last most of the year while still having some fun at the Street Machine Nationals. It is always fun to catch up with old friends, make some new ones, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Greatest Fat Tire Festival in the World. That said, we have some exciting changes to announce that we really think you are going to enjoy. When we first started last year, the goal was a broad readership of pro street enthusiasts, a minimum of four or five LOOONG features with TONS of pictures, and very few ads. Since we were going to be online only, we weren’t limited to page counts or the required tons of ad space to keep down and subsidize the cost of production. It has been fun, but the time has come to change things up. First off, we will be cutting the page count. How could that be good, you ask? Two ways. First, by dropping our page count down to 68 pages and going to bi-monthly rather than 118 pages quarterly, you’ll actually end up with MORE content delivered FASTER throughout the year. That means our feature car owners won’t have to wait so long to see their cars in print or online…and it also means our readership will hopefully grow due to a more regular stream of pro street goodness. It also means two more covers for owners to enjoy. The second reason for the switch is a bit more practical. Although we didn’t initially intend to do a full-blown print mag until down the road a 2015
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ways, let’s face it…if you have a car featured in a magazine, you are going to want a copy. Unfortunately, short run printing is both expensive and in our case fraught with trouble. Our full-color publication didn’t seem to stay together very well with the perfect bind we were using. Not to bore you with the details, but it is a glued together construction. If the glue doesn’t stick, it falls apart. Although it is pretty easy to fix if you are printing thousands of copies like the big guys, it is harder to do for short run. As a result, we decided to switch to a stapled binding like all your favorite mags back in the day. Problem is, our printer can only saddle stitch (read: staple) up to 68 pages. In order to keep those printed mags together, we elected to make the transition. Another exciting development is that the reduced mag size means we can finally get the printed cost down, too. Although we are still working with our printer on an exact number, it will be significantly less expensive than our bigger quarterly pub. If we can manage to swing some selected advertisers, we may even make the leap and offer print subscriptions. Stay tuned on that one. In the meantime, just like from day one, you can continue to enjoy each and every page of TUBBED that has ever been produced entirely FREE online at tubbedmagazine.com. In addition to continuing to partner with RPM Magazine on our more hardcore street/strip rides, we will also be partnering with Gearheads4life.com to crosspromote our more street-oriented feature cars. In short, our mission is exactly the same as it was day one: show the world that pro street never died and that yeah…it’s still cool.
Groove
OUT OF THE
READERS’ RIDES
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e were overwhelmed with the response to our request for readers’ rides for this issue. Within a matter of two hours from the moment of our request, we had a mailbox full of cool cars that we were more than happy to include in this month’s “Out of the Groove” column. While we enjoyed them all, some have much larger photos than others. It isn’t personal...we simply included the high resolution pics in larger sizes but had to keep the lowerresolution pictures smaller so that they would print properly. Regardless, we hope you’ll enjoy! All photos provided.
Pagniozzi
DAN
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 1957 Chevy Bel Air
First car, bought new by his aunt. Completely owner-built except for paint.
Have other cool rides we should feature? Share them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine!
BILL
Rhoten
KINGSPORT, TENNESSEE 1971 Chevy “Vega on VIagra”
BRIAN
Trent
Kaminski
RIVERTON, ILLINOIS 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo
PAT
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 1956 Chevy
Previously owned by Pat’s dad Pat Sr., the car was sold in 1991 and raced with the Chicago Hitmen Drag Race team. Finally tracked down and bought back before returning to street duty.
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Kuhnhoff
RANDY
LENEXA, KANSAS 1970 Mercury Cougar
Originally purchased in 1975 and tubbed in 1981, Randy sold the car in 1985 and just recently bought it back. He’s in the process of a full restoration.
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OUT OF THE
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READERS’ RIDES
Martin
JEFF
DANDRIDGE, TENNESSEE 1994 Chevy S-10 SS Martin’s little S-Series sports a 383 ci LT1 powerplant with tons of Street & Performance goodies including full factory options. Out back, the truck features a Motive Motion backhalf with a pro 4-link suspended 9-inch with Strange 35-spline axles and 4.86 gears. We meant to get pics for a full feature in Du Quoin but never managed to catch him...he was too busy cruising the grounds and chilling in the air conditioning. Now THAT’S Pro Street 2.0!
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DAVID
READERS’ RIDES
Hunger
TIPP CITY, OHIO Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Buckeye David Hunger contacted us with a compelling request. “I would love my ride to be in a issue for my wife Jennessa. If it weren’t for her, the car would still be in storage. I just know there aren’t too many wives out there who would leave their husband if he sold his car...but she probably would!” The G-body features a 383 stroker small block that produces around 480 hp at the wheels along with a beefed-up TH400 trans and a narrowed 9-inch Ford rearend. He finished the car at Jennessa’s insistence just one week before their wedding date. Sounds like you’ve got a keeper there, David!
Pavell
GEORGE
BARNESVILLE, OHIO 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan Yet another Ohio pro street fan is George Pavell. His dare-to-be-different fat fendered ’48 Chevy sports a 406 solid roller motor, a Rossler TH400 trans, and a narrowed 9-inch with 4.56 gears. A 4-link with Ride Tech ShockWaves and an Accuair system handles the slam, while Hole Shot wheels and MT Sportsmans fill the rotund wheelwells. Every peice of metal on car has been smoothed and painted from the entire frame to the engine block. Can’t wait to see it done, George!
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 1970 Plymouth AAR ’Cuda 340 6-barrel with TCI trans, narrowed 9-inch with Strange axles and Richmond gears. Backhalf with 31x18.5-15 Hoosier tires.
WILLIAM
Bannon
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READERS’ RIDES
Bourque
TIMOTHY
CARENCO, LOUISIANA 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
Fat tires out back and LS power? Don’t mind if we do!
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Gray
RUSS & PATTI CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS
This gorgeous ride was Russ’s high school daily driver. He’s owned the car for 32 years, but it is no trailer queen, He’s logged over 50,000 miles in the last eight years alone!
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BOBBY
Starcher
NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA 1972 Chevy Chevelle SS One of the fabrication wizards behind the RPM Magazine Project aPocalypSe Horse is Bobby Starcher of Virgina Rod Company. This absolutely STUNNING classic Chevy is one of the most incredible new builds we’ve seen in a long time (and that’s saying something, as there is quite a crop of new pro street builds from which to draw inspiration). The stance is perfect, the colors are sinister, and the execution is impeccable. Look for a full feature in an upcoming issue of RPM! Louis Fronkier photos.
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TUBBED
Life
REAL TROPHIES
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ell gearheads, we are just wrapping up the summer carshow season and I hope you all got out to enjoy some cruising and attended your favorite shows. The quality, craftsmanship, and designs of the hot rods and street machines being built today is astounding. Now don’t think I’m only talking about the million dollarplus rides that win at all the big shows. The ideas and EXECUTION of those ideas used by guys building their own cars in their garages and shops is greater than it has ever been. The ideas (whosever they are) are the reason our hobby evolves the way it does and gets pushed to new levels of greatness— which in turn produces better products for our beloved cars and results in a better cars. Now I’m not going to say I don’t love the big dollar, pro-built cars because, in fact, I do love them! BUT, I also equally love to see the pride in an owner’s face as he’s telling me about the ideas and features he’s built into his car that he built himself. There’s also another side of this that I really get discouraged to hear about. I hear people at the shows saying how they’ll never be able to compete with the Greening’s, the Alloways, the Trepanier’s, the Ring Brothers,
CLASSIC LINES This Willys has all the makings of a cool street rod, but the blown & injected powerplant and monster meats make it a pro streeter too. Sadly, as beautiful as this car is, it would have no shot at all at a SMOTY award because it is simply not suited to compete in an autocross.
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story and photos by MICHAEL
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etc.,etc.etc. Some of them even sound a little angry and jaded about it. IS THIS WHAT OUR HOBBY IS ABOUT? Is it just about winning the trophies and getting your car in the magazines (that will be forgotten about by this time next year)? I HOPE NOT! Now I totally understand that everyone likes to win a trophy and receive all the recognition that goes along with it, but how many people can name the OWNERS of the top five for Street Machine of the Year (SMOTY) or any other big award? Not the shop that built the car but the actual owners of the cars? Now shop owners and professional builders DON’T get me wrong—you need and deserve the recognition of creating these award winning cars and marketing your business just like anyone else in any industry. And where would our hobby be without you? NOTHING but RESPECT for you and all car builders in our hobby no matter how big or small your garage or shop is to build your cars...pro or not! In my opinion (for what it’s worth), if you’re in this hobby just for the trophies, it’s not the builder’s or shop owner’s fault or even the guy having his car built at one of these fine shops. They cannot control who wins what (not that it should matter anyway) at the shows. Maybe the criteria need to be modified as to who even gets chosen and how they are chosen. I mean how many Pro Street cars get chosen for the Street Machine of the Year award?
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It isn’t because there aren’t many to choose from or because they aren’t as highcaliber as the other cars chosen because they most certainly are. For Street Machine of the Year, the cars have to run the autocross. That alone rules out Pro Street. Why just run that? Why not pick the top 20 cars and actually DRIVE them on the STREET? (Editor’s note: or on the dragstrip!). Didn’t they used to do that? The top street rods don’t have to autocross, cruise, or anything like that. Shouldn’t they all have to prove that they can be driven on the street to be eligible?
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE One show...three totally different approaches....one common theme: fat tires! Whether you are driving a classic 50s ride like this ghost-flamed ’57 Chevy (top), a hot rod like this blown coupe (middle), or a classic street machine like this understated but still sinister 1969 Z/28 (bottom), the formula is simple: stance plus big rear meats equals pro street. None of these cars will be good on a cone course or carve corners in a road race, but pro street was never intended to emulate those forms of motorsports. Instead, our rides were built to reflect the trends and styling cues of straight line performance on the drag strip.
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I don’t mean to sound like I’m bashing GoodGuys or the SMOTY and Street Rod of the Year awards they have. GoodGuys puts on some of the best shows you will ever go to and you always see the best of the best at their shows! I’ve been a member of Good Guys for over 12 years and I love their shows and what they do for our hobby! No ill intent on my part intended there. I just feel that SMOY and SROY are 2 of the top awards given out every year and to have part of the judging for those awards be for only a certain type/style of car, you’re missing out on a lot of great cars that are streetable/street drivin! It’s not the “Pro Fairground” days anymore (for pro street anyway) so let them mix it up with the other cars out there! I have friends on both sides of this, pro shop owners and garage builders and I’ll be the first to say that I love all cars, no matter who builds them or how much they cost. I love seeing the newest creations and ingenuity that comes out every year as well as many that were created years ago! This hobby is as much or more about the people and friendships made as it is the cars and “awards” given out at the shows. Those are the real trophies in our hobby, the people and friendships gained, not something you put on a shelf….
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IT TAKES ALL TYPES While first-gen Camaros, shoebox Chevys, and to some extent Mustangs seem to most frequently benefit from the pro treatment, we have nothing but love for folks who take less common paths to the pro street movement. Canadian Jamie Pipher’s blown and injected Jon Kaase Boss-equipped Torino (or Tony Netzel’s cover car) can serve as an incredible example that swimming against the stream can produce killer results!
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Render
PRO BRIAN
STUPSKI
PROBLEM CHILD CUSTOMS STUDIO
PROJECT aPocalypSe HORSE If I had to short-list the things I really enjoy in life and work, it’s being able to combine and mash together things...usually with the hope of creating something greater than the sum of the parts. Pro Street always struck me as that kind of a thing: Part race car, part street car, a heap of attitude, and yet some form of drivability to bring out the enjoyment factor. And in that last slice, you need to balance the “WOW!” and “DIG ME!” factors. It isn’t easy, but when it all blends, you wind up with something magical and memorable. And then you paint it pink. I mean seriously?! PINK?! That’s like painting your car to match some processed cheese in jar or whatever. Wait a second...that’s it! Some colors just WORK. Like red on a ‘32 Ford, or candy blue with a mural of a Norse goddess riding an armor-clad mammoth into battle with a sea serpent and some aliens on a distant moon while Apollo looks on and eats grapes fed to him by angels on the side of a van. You have the classics like that, and pink on a Pro Street car? Understood. Is it for everyone? Probably not, which explains why there aren’t parking lots filled with pink, tubbed bad-assery. But imagine a world where it were like that?! It would be boring after a while, admit it. That’s why I love this thing. It hits you with pink, and then brings you in for a closer look at the little details. It’s like meeting a gorgeous girl, and then finding out that she loves the Three Stooges. Things quickly escalate from “holy crap... she’s talking to me!” to “she’s even better looking than I first thought” to “THE STOOGES?!” OK, perhaps you don’t look at cars like I do. And that maybe helps to explain why my drawing of a pink, pro street Mustang with a stretched nose and zoomie headers is on the page, and yours isn’t. But we can all appreciate it, and that’s what makes the whole thing fun... Brian Stupski loves long hikes in damp boots with no socks, imported Scandinavian ferrets, and curbside check-in. He owns and operates Problem Child Kustoms Studios in the veritable inferno of Higley, Arizona. In addition to being a politcal satirist and a highly decorated Minecraft architect, he is one of the most sought-after automotive graphic artists in the world. While much of this bio is made up, his awesomeness and off-the-charts abilities as an artist are not. Check out PCK on Facebook, Instagram, and anywhere eloquent and expletive-laced rants are sold.
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SECOND GEN UPRISING Jef Fern’s wild twin turbo Camaro was heavily inspired by the legendary slammed second Gen of Gary Buckles. How cool is it, then, that the two recently met up and snapped a few pics of their rides together? While the cars are awesome, it is the relationships that makes strret machining so cool!
Nography
PRO
Nography
PRO
ONE SICK FISH James Sciortino’s wild all-fiberglass PSI-blown Hemi ’Cuda is about as onthe-edge as a pro street car can be. Sciortino insists he does drive the car on the street in his home state of Connecticut, and you better believe that it gets plenty of attention anywhere it goes. You can read all about it in the September 2015 issue of RPM Magazine.
Craig Nevelus photo courtesy RPM Magazine
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FROM THE PAGES OF
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Nography
PRO
SKULL’S IN SESSION Rod Bollini’s wild “SkullZilla Dodge Dakota represents all that is right about building a custom ride. By Rod’s admission, he was ready to give up on the build more than once, frustrated by the cost and aggravation associated with building such an insane pro street pickup. However, folks like pals Steve Yates, Bill Grace, Dennis Cline and girlfriend Beth Bramley weren’t about to let that happen, pitching in to get the thing done in time for The Nats in Du Quoin. With a custom Denny’s Upholstery interior and a wild all-over airbrushed paintjob by Daniel Deren, SkullZilla garnered best paint and graphics at the show while being admired by a steady stream of onlookers all weekend. “It really was a garage build. No fancy shop work. If you saw where it was painted you wouldn’t believe it—no booth and no heat in the dead of winter!” Bolini said. Toby Brooks photos
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SHOWIN’
OFF Project aPocalypSe Horse hitches a ride
with the Blown Mafia to hit the 2015 Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals
story by TOBY
BROOKS
photos by RUSS
B
uilding a noholds-barred pro streeter is hard work, and it will drain you of all you think you have. Time, resources, and creative juices are no match for an over-thetop creation, and we are learning firsthand just what it takes to pull it off. Just like last issue, the guys at Virginia Rod Company (VRC) have been busy fabricating and we have been busy trying to find parts, but we decided to take a bit of a detour to show the car under construction at the Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin. VRC took the rolling chassis, hung the body, and started the tin and carbon fiber work inside. The RideTech suspension with wireless Bluetooth control via the RidePro app controls the ride height from an iPhone, and the Wildside Composities tubs and sheet carbon 30
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fiber is both lightweight and ultra cool looking. The stretched nose is coming along, as Donald and Bobby added five inches to the factory sheetmetal and grafted in a 2014 nose. The hood, however, would not be so simple. Current plans are to stretch a 3-inch raised cowl induction Harwood hood to match the front end stretch, and we will be relying on the Composite Shop to assist in the process. The biggest feat that was completed this goround was undoubtedly the zoomie headers with cutout valves. Although VRC is still working on the Borla collector muffler exhaust that will make street driving legal (and tolerable), the true zoomie pipes peeking behind the fender well openings give the car the look of a funny car, especially when coupled with the stretched nose.
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HANGING WITH THE MAFIA North Carolina native and all-around great guy Bradley Gray offered to haul the Horse in his incredible Blown Mafia rig in the top deck of the 40-foot stacker trailer. Donald, Bobby, and the gang at VRC had to hustle to get the car ready to roll, but they made it. Here, I was shooting the breeze with pro street legend Mark Grimes.
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714 OLD OYSTER POINT ROAD | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | 23602
757.596.7275 OFFICIAL FABRICATION SHOP OF PROJECT 32
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WORK IN PROGRESS 1: The Jon Kaase Racing Engines Boss 529 engine didn’t disappoint show goers. The team at VRC managed to get the zoomie header fabrication completed just in time for the show. We will be replacing the sheetmetal tunnel ram intake with a new billet unit from Visner Engine Development along with a FAST XIM coil-near-plug setup with AIM Smart Coils. The revised design will allow us to get the Harwood hood on without the need to cut a hole for clearance. 2: Bobby Starcher of VRC got the WIldside Composite wheel tubs in place and fabricated a clean carbon fiber box to house the Ride Tech air ride system, One of the NOS carbon fiber bottles is used for air, while the other will be used for nitrous. 3: The twin funny car cages and Kirkey seats turned out really nice. The factory dash is mocked in place with a Vintage Air Gen IV system mounted behind it. 4: Stnace is wicked with the Ride Tech system. Here you see the Billet Specialties Street Lite double beadlocked wheels with Goodyear slicks doing some serious tucking.
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2 The next step in the process is to get the Visner Engine Development billet intake manifold complete and back to Virginia so that VRC can finish fabrication on the chassis, charge tubes, and exhaust before sending it off for powder coating. Following that, it will be time to rough in the electrical system and fuel & cooling
system wiring and plumbing before sending the car off to Strange Motion Customs. Obviously there is much to do, but we were thrilled that we were able to show the car in progress. We hope you’ll continue to follow the build both here and in the pages of RPM Magazine. Welcome to the new age of Pro Street!
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T
here are two schools of thought in building a takeno-prisoners, high-level pro street ride. The first is the conventional approach. Take a familiar body style like a Camaro or a Mustang, stuff it with a typical powerplant (usually with a big roots blower) under the hood and fat meats out back, paint it a traditional color, and go on your merry way. The alternative is to find an odd-ball body style, power it with an atypical engine and power adder combo, and paint it an off-the wall color. Both have their merits, but a quick glance at Tony Netzel’s 1961 Plymouth Belvedere is all it takes to determine which method he ascribes to. The Duluth, Minnesota flooring subcontractor has been working on the car sporadically since the first heyday of pro street back in the ’90s. “I actually went to pick up a big station wagon from a junkyard in Adams, North Dakota in 1994. For whatever reason we didn’t get the car, but I didn’t want to drive all that way only to come home emptyhanded,” Netzel said. Rather than listen to an unloaded tow dolly beat and bang all the way to Minnesota, Netzel looked around the yard for something else.
WAWAZAT?? Netzel picked the odd-ball body style because it was “so ugly it was cool.” We couldn’t agree more. Eveything about the car screams “different” and “unique,” but it isn’t garish and will still be cool 20 years down the road.
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That’s when he spotted the gargantuan tail fins of the big Plymouth. “It was so ugly it was cool,” he said. For the bargain basement price of $300, he loaded up the classic Pentastar and headed back to the land of 10,000 lakes. With the car home, Netzel embarked on the first of a series of modifications, including
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a back-half and a blown 440 with era-perfect pastel paint and wall-towall tweed interior. The car was even treated to a Mark Grimes-style mini rear seat between the tubs to accommodate the Netzels’ newborn baby. After showing the car with some success, Netzel decided to—in his words—“turn it up to 11,” which included plans for a big Hemi, leather
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interior, and a full air ride suspension. “I called Art Morrison and ordered a new frame and air ride, then took the car to my friend Jason Rygg for a cage, floors, and other fab work,” Netzel recalled. “I took what my wife said was a perfectly good car and cut it up, and there it sat,” he added. Then—as it so often does—life happened. The project stalled.
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The Netzels welcomed two more children into the family. Busted budgets and a lack of free time meant the Plymouth sat. “It became a really big shelf in the garage,” Netzel said with a laugh. “Slowly things would get done, then it would sit for another year before I could throw a few bucks at it,” he added. Other projects with more attainable end goals
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT The twin turbo 496 Chrysler mill wears a wild polished cross ram intake and just oozes cool. Couple that with the insane air-assisted slam, and you’ve got pro street stardom in the bag. Toby Brooks photos
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like a 1969 Plymouth and a ’64 Candy Wagon didn’t help the big Plymouth’s target completion date, either. However, recharged with the idea of finally finishing the Belvedere, Netzel sold off his other cars and summoned all his available energy and financial resources for a strong push to finish his long-overdue pro street project at long last. With the previously planned Hemi outside the budget, Netzel’s friend Matt Johnson suggested a twin turbo setup with a cool long ram induction setup. Again not wanting to settle for normal, Netzel agreed. The choice was perfect in that as crazy looking as the setup appears, it was an available factory option. After machine work by Line Performance, Johnson pieced together the 440—now poked and stroked to 496 ci— with an Eagle crank and rods swinging Ross 9:1 pistons. A COMP solid lifter cam calls the valvetrain’s shots, while a pair of Indy aluminum heads has been topped with body color-tricked Indy aluminum valve covers. The stock block has been fortified with a set of Pro-Gram cross-bolted main caps. Lubrication duties are handled by a Melling high volume mechanical pump in a 8-quart Milodon pan. A Mezeire water pump keeps things cool while a Powermaster alternator keeps the Optima Yellow Top battery charged. Likewise, a relatively typical MSD digital 6AL2 box and MSD distributor handle the spark. However, the induction system took an awesome turn to the alternative. The 1960 vintage Chrysler long ram intake manifolds are topped with a
PERFECTLY STANCED The sinister slam up front is courtesy of a Morrison clip and Firestone airbags. Out back, a fabbed 9-inch narrowed rear rides on QA1 shocks beneath a Morrison 2x4 custom back half. The narrow Budnik Diamond Light wheels roll up front, while deep offset 15x15 Welds are tucked beneath the factory rear sheetmetal.
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pair of highly detailed Holley 4160 450 blow through carbs. “The long ram manifolds really kept the horsepower numbers down and the torque numbers up at such a low rpm range,” Netzel admitted. “This isn’t an all out max-effort race combo, and a traditional single four intake would’ve most likely made more power but not looked as unique,” he added. An Aeromotive A1000 pump and regulator provide the juice while a pair of 64mm Borg Warner S400 turbos push 9-10 pounds of boost. “On the dyno, for every pound of boost it gained 40-50 hp, “ Netzel said. The combo was good for nearly 700 horsepower and 900 ft./lbs. of torque to the crank. “There is more in it if we pushed it a bit more, but how much can a stock block take before failing?” he added. CSU carb hats have been utilized along with a custom fabricated cold-side induction arrangement that is as cool as it is unique. On the hot side, Matt Johnson stainless steel 2-inch headers have been custom fabricated to fit, and a wrapped 4-inch exhaust with Spintech mufflers and super-trick rocker panel side dumps deliver a lopey, mellow, but not overpowering exhaust note directly to the chest of the typical slack-jawed onlooker. Backing the potent twinturbo mill is a Chrysler 727 Torqueflite tranny assembled by Dave’s Automatic. A Griner valve body adds durability behind the stout powerplant while a PTC stall converter enhances the big Plymouth’s street manners. Power is sent rearward to the Jason Ryggfabbed Ford 9-inch housing that has been equipped with 35-spline Strange axles and 4.10 Richmond gears. With the driveline well in hand, Netzel turned his attention to the chassis, where a host of custom mods were teamed to provide
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the long, heavily-finned classic sheetmetal with a sinister but still perfect stance. Out back, an Art Morrison 2x4-inch square tube chassis kit has been fitted with QA1 single-adjustable shocks. The Morrison 4-link features poly rod ends for enhanced ride on the street. The custom 10-point cage installed by Jason Rygg helps keep occupants safe while stiffening the ride against chassis flex. Up front, a Morrison clip with adjustable ride height via Firestone bags accommodates an almost unbelievable slam that places the classic chrome bumper perilously close to the pavement. Rolling stock consists of 15x4-inch Budnik Diamond Light billet wheels shod with Nexen tires up front and a huge pair of 15x14 Welds with 33x22.5-15 Hoosier Quick Time Pros out back. Stopping duties are managed by Wilwood Dynalite discs in front with Strange S-Series discs in back all plumbed to a Strange master cylinder. As if a twin-turbo Moparpowered 1961 Belvedere wasn’t alternative enough, Netzel continued the theme of Dare to Be Different with the crazy color combo. The classic sheetmetal was lovingly massaged to betterthan-new with a host of subtle and not-so-subtle custom touches, including shaved door handles, the previously mentioned rocker cutouts, and a cool radiused factory hood nose that finishes off the factory grille area perfectly while leaving the engine bay fully exposed in all its dual hairdryer/ long ram glory. After thorough prepping, Marky Mark Detoffol laid down the incredible two-tone PPG Viper Snakeskin Green and PT Cruiser Yellow paint. The yellow topside features a subtle green pearl/gold flake that really pops in the sunlight. The car’s frame and floorpans
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OLD MEETS NEW The interior in the Belvedere is just as unique as the rest of the car. Factory-style door panels have been wrapped in light beige material along with the matching Teas’s Design low back buckets. Classic touches like the factory steerig wheel and dash-mounted rear view mirror contrast with the modern double-DIN in-dash DVD player and AutoMeter instrumentation. Check out the Chrysler Pentastar shaped shift knob and cup holders in the console. The trunk houses a converted nitrous bottle for air ride, an RCI fuel cell, and an Optima Yellow Top battery.
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were treated to color-matched Armorthane for beauty and durability. Even the incredibly cool “WAWAZAT” personalized plate was treated to custom pinstriping. Talk about attention to detail… Moving inside, the Big Belv’ is an eclectic mix of high-tech contemporary pro street and classic Plymouth. The color-matched factory dash has been plugged solid with a host of Auto Meter Phantom gauges and direction changes are managed by a factory Plymouth sparkle steering wheel. The Tea’s Design Pro 93 seats have been covered in vinyl by Bill Ion, and a Hurst Quarter Stick handles the gear changes. A Pioneer deck has been teamed with Alpine amps and Kicker separates & 10inch subwoofers for audio entertainment purposes should occupants tire of the sweet sound of nearly 500 spacious cubes of boosted Mopar power. Netzel is particularly thankful to the crew who assisted him during the car’s long construction process. “Jason Rygg handled the www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine
chassis/cage/metal work and tons of miscellaneous fabrication, while Matt “Radar” Johnson was responsible for the engine, headers, turbo setup, wiring, and pretty much anything else I needed help with,” he said. “I’d also like to thank Ryan “Sonar” McCafferty for the extra hands, Marky Mark Detoffol for the shine, and Ryan Underthun, Pat Peterson, Nathan Angell, Ryan Merritt, and Bill Ion for help elsewhere throughout the build. Lastly, I am especially thankful to my girls Tracy, Rachel, Brooke, and Taylor for their support throughout the process,” he added. To say the car’s “re-debut” has been a success would be a profound understatement. In addition to showing the car at local cruise-ins, Netzel recently took the car to the Street Machine Nationals in DuQuoin, Illinois, where he hauled off the Power & Performance News Editor’s Choice Award, Best Turbocharged Pro Street, and one of three highly-coveted Legends’ Choice awards, all of which were well-deserved |
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in an extremely competitive group of high-level pro street builds. So if you happen to see Netzel’s now highly-decorated pro street pounder cruising the strip in Duluth or making the rounds at a nearby fairgrounds, your reaction is completely understandable. But remind yourself to close that dropped jaw of yours and avoid the temptation to be too jealous… it just isn’t becoming.
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G
eneticists and behaviorists have disagreed for decades…what makes us who we are? Geneticists claim that nature is the key determinant and that our genes pre-program us to ultimately be who we end up to be. On the other hand, Behaviorists claim that it is our environment and the way that we are raised that shapes who we become. But who’s right? If you were to do a quick case study of 12-year old Ryan Robinson of Jenison, Michigan, you’d be no closer to an answer. You see, pro street is both in his blood and in his raising. It all started when father Rob decided it was time to introduce his son to the joys of hot rodding six years ago. “I grew up hanging out with my older brother Rick and his friends from the Grand Rapids Street Racers (GRSR),” the elder Robinson said. The GRSRs were well known back in the day for having some of the wildest cars—and wildest times—at the Street Machine Nationals. “I got PASTEL POWERED The first thing we noticed was the monochrome robin’s egg blue color and the raspberry dry brush graphics. The old school Weld billet wheels and the subtle cowl hood give the car a perfect understated look that is just perfect on a classic G-body.
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BIG ’N LITTLES The Monte rides on a custom ladder bar rear suspension out back and a factory front with drop spindles and springs. The Weld Racing VR Billet five-spoke directional wheels are a nice touch, with 15x15s shod with 31x18-15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro rears and 15x4s with 26x7.5-15s up front.
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hooked with the ’80s theme, and after getting my family settled it was time to joint the club,” he added. Before the Robinsons could join any clubs, they needed a ride. After searching on-line, they found a good-looking allshow, no-go 1984 Monte Carlo SS in St. Charles, Missouri. The car had already been treated to a backhalf and a nice paint job, but motorvation was sorely lacking with a relatively stock ZZ4 crate motor, a stock trans, and a stock driveshaft. For the bargain-basement price of $10,500, the Robinsons took the G-body back home to the Wolverine State to get to work. What they got was a great starting point on a cool cruiser. The factory sheetmetal had been, smoothed, prepped, and painted with a ’80s-era perfect Tropical Turquoise DuPont two-stage color. Save for a subtle 2-inch Harwood cowl induction hood and a fabricated aluminum rear wing, the body is otherwise stock. Some subtle dry-brush graphics down the flanks and on the raised cowl finish the monochrome look off nicely while adding just a hint of color. Chassis work on the car consists of a chromoly ladder bar backhalf with fabricated frame connectors and a stock front clip with 2-inch Bell Tech drop spindles to hunker the nose down just a bit. The
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narrowed 8 ž-inch Chrysler rear features 4.10 Eaton gears with shortened 35-spline Moser axles. Factory disc brakes all around help bring the car to a stop, while singleadjustable QA1 shocks help smooth the bumps. A six-point roll bar was added to help stiffen the chassis and add safety for occupants, while neat and tidy tinwork out back help finish off the custom fab work. The car rolls on a set of Weld 5-spoke VR billet wheels with Mickey Thompson tires. 15x4s with 26x7.5-15 Sportsmans roll up front, while big 15x15s with 31x18.515s steamroll out back. The threaded center caps have been removed out back to clear the long studs and show off the Moser axles. Pleased with the stance and finish of the car, Rob wanted to upgrade the car’s performance. With the help of older brother Rick and with son Ryan looking on and learning along the way, the Robinsons yanked the tame small block and started a new build. Big Round Racing started with a 1975 4-bolt cast iron block. After a
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BACK HALFED The ladder bar rear suspension left some room in the interior for a sectioned back seat, but cleared the way for the big rear meats. The trunk has been finished out in carpet and the factory hinges have been moved inboard and supported with gas struts to retain a functional hinged rear deck lid. While the blue NOS cylinder appropriately suggests that the Monte is on the bottle, the fuel cell has been hidden and still fills via the factory flip down rear plate.
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through hot tank and magnaflux, they poked the familiar mouse out an extra 0.030 and added a balanced Eagle forged stock stroke crank, yielding 355 cubes. Eagle H-beam connecting rods were fitted with Eagle 10.5:1 compression pistons. A lopey highlift COMP camshaft was selected and mated with a set of solid roller lifters. Up top, a pair of Pro Comp aluminum cylinder heads with 2.02/1.60 stainless valves and Engine Pro roller rockers were mounted up with ARP studs. An Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum air gap intake has been fitted with an NOS 150-horse plate fogger systems and a PRO Systems 750 cfm carb. A Summit mechanical fuel pump keeps the thirsty small block’s thirst slaked, while Earl’s Performance braided stainless hoses and anodized fittings handle the plumbing duties. A Moroso 6-quart pan and a Summit high volume oil pump manage the lubrication chores, while a Summit high-flow water pump and Griffin 4-row aluminum radiator serves to keep things cool. A billet serpentine system drives the high-output alternator
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MIGHTY MOUSE The aggressive small block has been equipped with a high-lift cam and 10.5:1 compression, giving it a nasty idle and powerful exhaust note when RObinson gets on the throttle. The additional 150-horse shot of nitrous provides a bit of insurance when the 500+ naturally aspirated horsepower isn’t quite enough. The Robinsons are considering switching over to a blower motor, but we think it is just begging for a a TPI system or a detailed twin-turbo LS motor to keep everything under the clean lines of the Harwood hood.
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THE REGULARS The factory front glass tells the tale: the turquoise Chevy has been present for all three events since the Street Machine Nationals returned to Du Quoin in 2013. We hope to see the Robinsons there next year, too!
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STREET READY Much of the Monte Carlo’s interior is factory gray velour, but the body color six point cage adds a splash of color, added chassis rigidity, and enhances occupant safety. A LeCarra leather-wrapped billet steering wheel sits in front of a custom Dakota Digital gauge panel. One of the coolest features is that the factory rear seat is still in place, albeit slightly cut down to make way for the huge rear tubs. A B&M rachet shifter resides within the factory center console and handles the gear changes.
and factory AC, keeping the Robinsons cool when they are cruising the Monte, which is frequently during the summer months. An MSD Pro Billet distributor has been partnered with a Digital 6AL box to keep the fires lit, while Hooker Comp headers expel the gaseous byproducts of combustion. Aft the collectors is a Rick Robinson-fabbed 3-inch exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers. Backing the 525-hp engine (675 with nitrous) is a beefed-up GM Turbo 350 trans with a manual reverse valve body and a trans brake. A Hughes Performance 3,200 stall converter the car’s street manners, and a D&R Driveline 4-inch shaft sends the power back to the differential. Moving inside, the relatively stock gray interior has been treated to a bodycolor cage along with a custom narrowed but still functional rear seat and factory front buckets. A B&M ratchet shifter has been mounted in the factory center console, and
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MOUSECAPADES The warmed-over small block pushes around 500 hp before the juice, and over 600 with the plate NOS system adminstering the N2O.
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a custom blue LED Dakota Digital multi-gauge panel has been installed in place of the factory unit. A LeCarra billet steering wheel has also been added along with a billet column adapter. The trunk has been finished with matching gray carpet and the factory deck lid is held in place via a quartet of custom gas struts on a narrowed factory-style hinge. A 10-pound NOS nitrous cylinder rounds out the custom touches, while a 10-gallon fuel cell has been installed and hidden away in the factory location. Future plans for the smooth cruiser include a roots blower and an engine rebuild to suit. But for now, the Robinsons are content to keep on cruising along with the rest of their GRSR friends at area and national shows. When we spotted the car in a hotel parking lot just outside the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds on the opening day of the show and told the Robinsons we wanted to shoot it for a feature, both were all smiles. During our shoot, Rob elaborated. “This is like a dream come true for us,” he said. “I’m thankful to Rick Robinson for his assistance on fabrication, Big Round Engines, and Ricky & Ryan (Robinson) who always help whether it is rebuilding, cleaning, or showing the car,” he added. So Ryan, you’re in luck, buddy. Hot rodding—and more specifically Pro Streeting—is in your blood. But even more than that, it’s in your raising, too. So whether you blame nature or nurture, one thing is certain: this pastel-hued pavement pounding Monte Carlo SS is one cool ride that all generations can appreciate!
GIDDYUP Ryan got to check out the aPocalypSe Horse at Du Quoin. We promised him a ride in the finished product next summer!
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Nats!
BACK to the
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The Street Machine Nationals through the eyes —and words—of a nine year-old story and photos by
TAYE
I
photos by
ROADTRIP! Dad and I loaded up the Durango late on Wednesday night. He had to finish up a magazine before we left, so it was almost midnight by the time we left.
t started in about 1970 I think. Anyways there is this thing called the Street Machine Nationals. My dad (AKA: Best Dad) helped get the Street Machines back for all car lovers. He and my family have been going to the Street Machines since it came back. So now the present. I started to pack with my mom. I was tired after that. Then my dad and I started off to the Street Machines. I slept a lot on the trip. When I woke up, we played games in the truck. We played for about 45 minutes. Then we headed to the Street Machines then to the hotel. I went to my cousin’s house
and spent the night over there. The next day my dad picked me up. We met up with other car lovers at McDonalds. We ate dessert and then we watched cars go by. Cops were driving everywhere. When any cool cars came by they were getting tickets like crazy. When we were bored of that we went back to the hotel. When I woke up, my phone was gone. I was crying all night while watching K.C. Undercover. I was so sad because I was going to use it to take pictures. I had to use my dad’s phone instead. I finally got to bed.
LET THE FUN BEGIN It took forever, but we finally made it! There were some cars inside the gates already when we got there, but we decided to go to the hotel first.
HOW FAR?? It was going to take a long time to get to the street machines. 970 miles ad almost 15 hours!! TIRED These tires we took for the Mustang were really heavy and hard to lift.
BROOKS
DIFFERENT KIND OF TIRED It was very hard to keep my eyes open and I was sleepy.
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PONTIAC GTO I especially liked the graphics on this car.
69 CAMARO My dad was doing a photo shoot for this guy who kept saying very bad words. He did a burnout and the rubber smelt decent. ORANGE VEGA I thought the engine looked pretty cool on this car.
MINTY CHEVY I liked this car because it looks like one of the cars in the movie “Cars.”
The next day I went cruisin’ the fairgrounds in a golf cart, helped sell books, and did a lot of walking. My dad got my phone back. It was a HUGE relief. I fell asleep under a tree. I made a pillow out of grass. My PawPaw woke me up about 45 minutes or so later.
PAW PAW This is my Paw Paw on this golf cart. He wore his funny old Pro Street hat that he bought at the show when my dad was my age.
BLOWER I liked this pic because my favorite thing about a car is that it appealed to me how engines work and move.
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MAKES A GREAT GIFT! GET YOUR COPYTODAY! ONLY $22 and includes FREE www.tubbedmagazine.com SHIPPING! /tubbed-store
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CHEVY VEGA I thought the license plate on this car sounded cool. BLOWN MAFIA I liked the small flame on the engine.
BLUE AMX I liked the gloss metallic type of paint on this car.
HEMI HOT ROD Dad and I were taking a pic of this car together because he liked car for one reason and I liked this car because of the Hemi. RED HOT ROD I liked the gloss paint and I just like hot rods for some reason but I didn’t know why.
MUSTANG I liked the graphics on this car because they make it look both bright and dark.
PANORAMA I was afraid it was going to rain on Friday and after the Street Machines that day, I spent the night at my cousin Micah’s house. I took this cool pano on my dad’s iPhone.
FLIPOVR I liked that this car builder found out how to make the body flip over yet still have everything else fit in place. SIX PACK PIC My dad told me about this six pack so I wanted to take a pic. COPS The cops were swarming everywhere.
MR. RICK Mr. Rick Dobbertin was signing my dad’s car. VACATION On Monday, we went to Holiday World!!
CORVETTE I thought this Corvette engine looked pretty cool so I took a pic.
FISHIN’ After the show, I got to go fishing with my grandpa Lawrence, Uncle Bryan, and sister Brynnan. I caught a bluegill...my first catch!
By Saturday night, I was pretty tired, so I left the show and went to my MawMaw and PawPaw’s house. I went swimming over there. I also spent the night over there at their house. My dad picked me up the next day. I had a lot of fun at the Street Machines. I’ll always remember this.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Taye Brooks is a fourth grader at Lubbock Cooper South Elementary. He loves playing video games and baseball, and is reluctantly learning to play the piano. He has attended the Street Machine Nationals for each of the three years since its return to Du Quoin, 2013-2015.
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