Tubbed 2016 02: March/April by TUBBED

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE

MAR/APR

2016

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS 6

On the Throttle

Out of the Groove

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Tubbed Life

First Round PCK

FRESH PICKED

ProRender

ProNography

This 1973 Chevy Vega is deliciously packed with tons of tasty tricks! by Toby Brooks

COVER CAR

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admin@tubbedmagazine.com

FEATURE CAR

FULLY INVOLVED This incredible 1984 Chevy Blazer is smoking hot!

STAFF

by Toby Brooks

PUBLICATION

Toby & Christi Brooks....................................Publishers John Baechtel..............................................Contributor Shawn Brereton............................................Contributor Jerry Gary, Jr.................................................Contributor Michael Scheuren........................................Contributor Brian Stupski................................................Contributor Christopher Ellis.........................Director of Advertising Jerry Whitworth................................Visual Media Editor

ART

Toby Brooks.................................................Art Director

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 Christopher at 636.856.4362 today to find out just how affordable new media can be!

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PROJECT CAR

WINGED TO WIN

Project aPocalypSe Horse gets a cool new pro stock-style rear wing thanks to Mark DePriest and Badd Habit Customs by Toby Brooks

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PROJECT TRUCK

OLD RED

Our new project truck has patiently waited for restoration for decades, but by the time 13 Sins gets done, it promises to be one wild way to haul! by Toby Brooks

ON THE COVER

They just don’t come any smoother than Ed Lemanski’s incredible 1973, Vega, and when we started looking it over and catching all the incredible tricks, we knew we were checking out a future cover car. The buddy of pro street Legend Gary Buckles, Lemanski’s super slick little Chevy is a clear descendant of the less-is-more, no-doodads flavor of pro street. We love it! Toby Brooks photos. TUBBED Magazine is published six times per year by Chaplain Publishing, a division of NiTROhype Creative, 3104 CR 7520, Lubbock, 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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2016

Throttle

ON THE TOBY

BROOKS

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

t is somewhat surreal to think about how the pro street movement has changed so dramatically throughout the years. From literally exploding onto the scene in the late ’70s, growing wilder through the ’80s and ’90s, seemingly heading into hiding for the next 20 or so years, then reemerging bigger and badder just a short time ago, it has been one heck of a ride. The most exciting part for me has been seeing renewed interest in the genre from both classic builders and newcomers alike. For example, wild rides like Tony Netzel’s insane green Plymouth debuting at the Nats beside Matt & Debbie Hay’s masterfully restored but still iconic doubleblown Thunderbird was like a trip down memory lane. But then to hear about guys like Wally Elder and Rocky Robertson both eyeballs-deep in new pro street builds tells us that things look good for fat tire rides both new and old. The inevitable question, then, becomes what’s next? You see, we’ve been down this path before. Wild creations one day became ho-hum builds the next. The pro street arms race between the legendary builders of the era isn’t just a fabricated tale of hyperbole. It actually happened. Stuff got crazy. Then finally, it dried up. From the ashes of pro street’s first demise grew two trends: pro touring and street legal drags. The former was originally intended to be a revolt of the all-show-and-no-go fairgrounds queens of pro street, but it wasn’t long before these classic rides fitted with modern power and suspensions became high-dollar undrivable show pieces themselves. Sadly, owners and builders ended up with tons of money invested in cars that they—yet again— either couldn’t or wouldn’t drive. On the other hand, the street legal drag contingent took the street/strip idea of pro street and turned it on its ear into more of a strip/street arrangement. Sure, they were often brutally fast, but they were rarely if ever as clean and pristine as a Mark Grimes or Rocky Robertson build. And for good reason: they simply couldn’t be. They were driven hard and often on the track. While they might have been trailered, they weren’t queens. They were raced. Caked with burnt rubber and dirty undercarriages, they bore ample evidence to support the contention that they were built to be flogged hard and loaded on the trailer filthy.

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Meanwhile, the good looking, highlevel fat tire cars of the first era of pro street all but vanished...at least new builds of the style. However, internet forums and major shows alike point to the return of such rides. At long last we find ourselves at the threshold of a whole new era of big tire awesomeness. So what now? No doubt LS engines and fully independent suspensions are popular with the pro touring bunch, while twin turbo setups, centrifugal blowers, or multistage nitrous have grown huge with the DOT tire group. Coupled with technology like a GearVendors overdrive and learnon-the-fly EFI, putting together a nasty four-digit horsepower mill that is still wellmannered around town never been easier to acheive. And what of the high-end builds? Our own Project aPocalypSe Horse is intended to show what cutting-edge can look like, but it is by no means the only game in town. In addition to Robertson’s pickup and Elder’s Daytona clone, rumor has it Scott Sullivan has a wild new 1954 Chevy all but complete and fellow Legend Mark Grimes may have a build of his own going. We’ve seen signs that other builds have kicked off around the country, too. As exciting as all these developments may be, we are still cautiously optimistic—with an emphasis on the cautious. Why, you may ask? Because as has been said before, those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it. While it is always tempting—dare we say nearly compulsory—to push the limits and see where the genre can go this time, we’re here begging for a modicum of sustainability. In other words, we’re hoping this time around, the trend is here to stay. However, we also understand that such is probably a little unlikely. After all, trends come and go. Despite her current “flavor of the month” status in several publications, pro street could just as easily go right back to second-class status in many of those “other” mags. So our advice? Savor the flavor. Enjoy the moment and cruise your steamroller rear meats early and often this summer, because you never know what will come next in the crazy and fickle custom car industry. In the meantime, we’ll still be here, searching the globe for cool pro street rides and doing our best to give you what you love six times a year!

Just $22 and includes FREE Only a few remain of this lim SHIPPING! ited edition! www.streetmachinereunion. com/sensory-overload

Groove

OUT OF THE

READERS’ RIDES

e are working on ways of streamlining our process to submit your rides for our “Out of the Groove” column, but for now, to be considered, each of these owners had to submit their photos and info to our submission address at rides@tubbedmagazine.com. Just like last issue, we enjoyed them all but 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.

DAVE

Lakatos

KELSEYVILLE, CALIFORNIA 1955 Chevy 210 Business Man’s Coupe

This gorgeous tri-five Chevy was built by Pete’s Fabrications in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where more than 3,500 hours went into its creation. It features a balanced and blueprinted 468 BBC, a narrowed 9-inch rear, and Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels.

Have other cool rides we should feature? Share them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine!

Janiszewski

TONY

QUAKERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 1967 Chevy Nova

Janiszewski’s Nova post features a 383 stroker with a 6/71 BDS huffer and a 5-speed Tremec transmission. The subtle two tone paint is accentuated by a cowl hood and shaved door handles, while the Chevy rolls on a set of polished Weld Racing Drag Stars. The Quaker state resident says the car is super streetable and that he drives it everywhere. Although it is in the shop for a refresh of the interior, he plans to have it done in plenty of time for a busy cruising and showing season this summer.

MAR/APR

2016

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2016

Marciano

TONY

NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS 1970 Plymouth Duster

For most of us, the pro street obsession started small...literally. How many of you kit bashed your favorite 1:25 scale body style with a Revell pro stock chassis and a blower and twin four barrel carbs pilfered from another kit? Chicago-area native Tony Marciano is quite a scale craftsman himself, putting together this ultra-slick blown Mopar for display in his home. Cool, Tony!

MAR/APR

2016

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TUBBED

Life

WHAT CATCHES YOUR EYE?

lright Tubbed fans and groupies, I was talkin’ cars the other day with some friends about what catches your eye at a car show. Now I’m not talking about the short shorts and bikini tops, (we’ll save that for a different time and place) or the Ford vs. Chevy vs. Mopar groups, but more about the things that draw your attention to a car. So over the next few issues I’ll try to break down what I think are most critical to drawing a crowd at the shows (if that’s your thing). We will start this all off with wheels and tires for your ride. Now I know everyone has their own opinion on what’s hot (like blondes, brunettes, and redheads), but I like to keep an open mind about what people like as well as the current trends going on today. So, let’s try and break it down a little… Yes, it’s Tubbed Magazine, so there will be a little—alright a lot—of bias towards the pro street style of wheels. Who would dare say the 15X15 inch wheels with the Mickey Thompson tires aren’t still cool today? Not this cat…. Mickey Thompson, along with just about every other tire company, makes huge tires to fit just about any wheel size, even 20 inches and up! I know, I know, a

NEW SCHOOL COOL Modern billet designs like this Tungsten wheel from Budnik are intricately machined using complex CNC programs to produce incredible precision. When coupled with a high-tech ceramic coating like this matte gunmetal finish on the center with a polished rim, the result is a modern twist on a tried-and-true look...especially when it is 15 inches wide with a deep offset!

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2016

MICHAEL

SCHUEREN

lot of you don’t consider a car or truck with 20s on them (even if they are 15 inches wide with M/T’s on them) a true pro street car. I’m not going to even think about throwing fuel on that fire/debate here. Everyone has their own opinions and is entitled to them. Some guys like the classic American Racing or Centerline wheels, while others like the newer styles of billet wheels from Budnik, Billet Specialties, Bonspeed, etc. The cool thing about being in the hobby today is the fact that most, if not all companies will make a wheel to your specs. So whichever style you like, it’s available for your ride! Some shops like Greening Automotive are now creating their own wheel lines to offer something different for the enthusiast to set their ride apart from the rest. Sizing and style options aside, let’s talk about wheel finishes offered today. Personally, I’m still a fan of chrome or polished wheels with a clear powdercoat on them. Yes, it probably puts me in the minority, but that’s what I like. I’m not a big fan of black or colored wheels. Not saying I hate them all together—they would just have to be on the right car and have a good color combination to look “right” to me. I mean how many street machines do we need with all black wheels because everyone else has them on their C-10 or Camaro or (insert car here)? I actually like seeing some of the nickel plating and hope to see some other finishes start coming around as well. I like being able

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to see the wheel design and not have it blended in with the rest of the car. I also think sometimes the black wheels make it look “dirtier” or dull. Maybe it’s because black is so hard to keep clean, especially when driving your car on the street and having to deal with road grime and brake dust. To me, wheels are one of the most important parts of the exterior of any vehicle and can really change the look and attitude of any car or truck. The tires for your street machine shouldn’t be left out either. They are part of the look and performance of anything on the road. Your options here are endless as well. Pick any brand and they’ll likely have a tire for you. I’m a fan of both the low profile and the big sidewall tires. However, I’m not a fan of the rubber bands with hardly any sidewall at all, as you’re just asking for a bent wheel running those on the street (especially if you’re driving around my house in Michigan!). I like ’em to have some meat on them, but it all depends on the style of build and what you like for your car. If you’re going to be doing some high speed testing, make sure the tires you choose are rated for the speeds you will be attaining. You’d hate to have a tire come apart at 130 M.P.H.!! Also keep in mind, if you’re using a drag radial or something really wide on the street, the least little bit of water could mean a lot of trouble, even at relatively slow speeds and no one wants to see their street machine in a crumpled up heap! The bottom line is—as with most aspects of our hobby—it really all boils down to a combination of personal taste and what the builder thinks will perform best for his or her application. However, one thing is for sure: they’ve gotta be fat in back or it just isn’t pro street!

CHANGE UP Whether you have old or new wheels, one way to totally change the look is through the install of beadlocks. Not only are they functional, they can be used to alter wheel width up to two inches, and the look can’t be beat. We started with 15x14 inch one-off Budnik wheels (top left) and sent them to Mac Fab Beadlocks (www. beadlockconversions.com) to add an inch of width and a set of their cool DXP style beadlocks (middle). When their new Blade design came out, we decided to get a pair of new outer rings and installed them with anodized cup washers for an easy bolt-on that totally changed the look of our wheels (bottom). Budnik makes complementary/ matching split grip steering wheels to add to the overall look of their custom wheels on any car.

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MAR/APR

2016

FIRST ROUND

TUBBED IN

PCK

GRAND

FASHION by

’ve heard the term “Grand Touring” thrown around recently, but not in reference to the automobiles you’d expect—like the Ferrari 458, or an Aston Martin DB or any of their ilk. The moniker is being applied to the current wave of Pro-Touring-style rides that walk that eerie line between customized midsize car and track poseur. Granted, there’s nothing wrong with building your car the way you want it. And if you hold a highly-detailed car that’s simply not streetable due to investment and level of detail, then good on you. It’s nice to have pretty things to look at. I’d imagine that the Kardashians have a bunch of museum-quality kitchen gadgets and appliances laying around, too. You know, really neat-o stuff that you won’t dare allow to become dirty. “Grand Kitchen” would be a fun thing to explore. “Oh, you have the 1992 Douchioglio Cafe’ Espresso Mondale? That’s quite a beast. Is yours restored?” “No. Never used. Dare I risk it smelling like coffee? It makes it look as though I know what I’m doing.” Consider that the term “Grand Touring” has roots in meaning “a vehicle with luxury appointments and styling that mimics the modern aesthetic, while placing a premium on road-going manners like handling and comfort.” It’s about getting into a leather-filled study on wheels, and taking the curvier entrance to the shopping plaza before turning the valet key

“It’s a lot like having the best track-ready suspension under the car and then subjecting it to the rigors of hold-downs and a speed bump at the fairgrounds when you loop once or twice that weekend. It’s fantastic to have the best, but you feel a little guilty about it.”

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2016

BRIAN

STUPSKI

over to some guy who will place it into a spot far enough away from the commoners in general population. However, we’re seeing the term applied to cars built to be trailered from show to show but crafted to look like they may be somewhat capable on the street and perhaps marginally so on a track. While there are a number of these cars built which are capable, the majority tend to fall into that “looks kinda like a race car” gray area. Again, it’s not a bad thing to build in the style that feels attractive to you. Hell, I married up, and I’m stoked about the whole thing. Can I make the most of my beautiful bride’s looks as far as making group photos seem like something out of a movie or high-end catalog? Nope. I look like I’m photobombing this nice family. But she seems to enjoy me for whatever reason, and it all works out. It’s a lot like having the best track-ready suspension under the car and then subjecting it to the rigors of hold-downs and a speed bump at the fairgrounds when you loop once or twice that weekend. It’s fantastic to have the best, but you feel a little guilty about it. Perhaps I’m like a mid-range coffee machine: I smell a bit, have a few dings, and I get the job done while blending with the decor. Wait, that’s not it at all. The name of this whole car game is “dig me,” right? To put your best foot forward and express your automotive interests in the very thing you drive. Boom.

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That’s the elevator pitch for building a project car. Use that on the wife. “I need to express myself. And that blower is the best that money can buy, and I only want people to know that we will not compromise on quality. Someone as beautiful as you deserves a polished case.” If that works, high-five me when we meet. No words needed. I’ll simply follow you over to your ride, look it over, and nod in approval before we go our separate ways. Anyway… This whole “expression” thing out there often takes a project into uncharted (and unplanned) territory. What begins very often as “I need this and this and that,” often morphs into “but his one is shiny, and if it’s shiny, so should that part next to it be shiny,” and you’ve spent the kid’s tuition money at the plating shop. You’ve effectively moved on from fun driver and gone headfirst into show-only. You’ve not built a car, my friend…you created sculpture. And therein lies my issue with treating machinery as objet d’art: It sucks the machine out of the machine. It strips purpose, and thus meaning. Now, you might be asking “what does any of this have to do with touring, much less pro street, which is what brought me here in the first place?” And I can’t blame you. Heck, I’m not really sure anymore. I kid…It has everything to do with the future of pro street and the whole Tubbed lifestyle. Consider that it was the shift to pro touring which really put the screws to the coverage of our chosen build style, and turned things upside-down on us. The magazines started covering these corner-carving cars, and the advertisers hawking back-halves and interior tin kits and pro stock scoops and wheelie bars and so-on pulled out. How could anyone not think that it was a trend that had gone the way of avocado-colored refrigerators? And it happened because the tubbed cars being built

had abandoned the original look and were opting to make cars look more like luxury sedans with cartoon-size tires. We got soft. Ironically enough, every argument used to help strike the nails into the top of our little “Pro-Street is Dead” coffin are coming around to bite pro touring square in its skinny jeans-clad behind. Before you say “whoa there, partner… This ain’t some them VS us thing here,” give this a quick glance over. I truly believe that there is a place for all of us. Tuner, pro street, pro touring, (ugh) resto-mod...whatever. We can all live in sweet harmony, and enjoy the sound of a burbling, loping idle over some cacophony of fart cans and guys talking about 1-G cornering and ultra leather inserts on Lexus bucket seats. However, what we need to remain conscious of is where we take this whole thing in V2.0. Do we stumble into street rod territory, and offer a fleet of red 1969 Camaros all wearing the same parts, and only identifiable via the humorous t-shirt we put on the crying kid doll leaning on the bumper? I’d suggest that we do not (editor’s note: please, no, for the love of all that is sacred and holy!). Should we get everyone to use the same chassis set-up and wheel/tire combo? No way! We’d run out of tricks and tips to swap. Nor should we simply do some catalog-built, tab-A/slot-B builds. We need to retain that rebellious attitude that calls a guy to worship at the altar of fat tires and fun: clean, well-engineered and executed cars built to drive. With the technology available today, there’s little excuse for not being able to have stump-pulling, pavement-buckling torque and obscene horsepower numbers, and still being able to fill-up at the pump and idle in traffic. With suspension technology

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“Do we stumble into street rod territory and offer a fleet of red 1969 Camaros all wearing the same parts, and only identifiable via the humorous t-shirt we put on the crying kid doll leaning on the bumper? I’d suggest that we do not.”

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“We have the tools to make pro street “Grand Street”— to take it to a level we never thought possible, all while sacrificing nothing at all.”

GRAND SLAMMED Rides like Tony Netzel’s killer Belvedere, our Oct/ Nov 2015 cover car, display classic pro street styling, but with twin turbos and airride suspension, it flaunts drivability only dreamed of by our pro street forefathers. Greg Gustafson photos

of the day, things can be comfortable and controlled over potholes and tractor trailer ruts. The mechanicals all sorted, there’s a plethora of tech available to make things right by the driver and passengers as well. Sound deadening, comfortable seating, and even wiring kits that weigh almost nothing. Entertainment for the little ones (mine grew up playing “watch the tachometer climb,” your kids’ childhoods may differ greatly) on long hauls, and even compact, electric A/C. We have the tools to make pro street “Grand Street”—to take it to a level we never thought possible, all while sacrificing nothing at all. Gone are the days of posing or having to choose between cruising or racing. Dualpurpose will be passé. This will signal the age of multi-purpose pro-streeting. Much as “M Theory” seeks to explain the nature of the universe, “M-Streeting” will be the answer to the question “can I have my tubs and street it, too?” Grand Streeting will MAR/APR

2016

be all about keeping that Pro-Stocker on the street vibe, but with the added element of family fun. Bring on the long drives and thumbs-up reactions as you cruise all interstate-like. Let’s elevate the whole thing while getting down with our bad selves. There can be a place for creature comforts and exposed hardware. This is the place where you can craft a machine that looks great, and functions better…and you can enjoy it along with all of the little nicks and scars that come together to tell a story. It’s not about having the best raceready parts if you’re not going to use them; it’s about engineering your project to perform as needed. It’s about using what you’ve built, and appreciating the little things you built in there to make you happy. You truly can have your cake and eat it, too. Just as long as you use that nice mixer, and enjoy the little things like licking the batter from the beaters with the kids before hopping into that detailed, street-pounding monster with them.

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2016

Render

PRO BRIAN

STUPSKI

PROBLEM CHILD CUSTOMS STUDIO

THE MIGHTY A-TONA Oh, sweet iron-y. With a deliberate tip of the hat to Bill “Maverick” Golden’s “Little Red Wagon,” this A-100 is a melting pot of everything that was haunting my eleven year old brain when I sketched the first (and sadly lost to time) version on my Math folder. It had a blown Hemi, HUGE-by-obnoxious rear tires, zoomie headers, a low stance, and that giant wing I had seen on the tail of a Super Bird the weekend before at a car show. Many years and iterations later (often in Math class, hmmm…), it began to gather some more iconic muscle car features, including the door indent details from a Coronet, the Charger-esque grille, and the quarter panel lettering, lest there be any confusion as to what you were looking at. A distinct spin on the pro street look, it’s one of those rides I’d build if money and time were of little object. Or if I understood either often, having spent those classes drawing stuff like this. Oh, sweet irony indeed.

Brian Stupski loves John Cena memes, glittered hand sanitizer, and cats that don’t bite when you pet their stomach. He owns and operates Problem Child Kustoms Studios in the veritable inferno of Higley, Arizona. In addition to being a skilled web developer and a recorgnized industry expert, 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 expletivelaced political and/or automotive rants are sold.

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Nography

PRO

NO POSER Harold Caron might have a beautiful third-gen Camaro, but this picture proves he isn’t afraid to roast the rear meats and take his Chevy on another 9-second pass. The blown small block features an Enderle scoop with a trick progressive linkage (see the single butterfly opening while the other two remain closed?) and a clean cage installed by Hellbent Race Cars. You can read all about it in the March 2016 “Pro Street Spectacular” special issue of RPM Magazine.

Tara Bowker/Blackrock Photography photo courtesy RPM Magazine

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THE NEMESIS Terry Podschweit’s gorgeous 1967 Mustang is like a rolling time capsule of all that pro street was in the style’s first wave of popularity in the ’80s and ’90s. The Dyersblown small block Ford powerplant crowned with a classic Mr. Gasket Street Scoop serves notice that this is no restomod, and if that weren’t enough, the massive Mickey Thompsons on polished Centerlines out back are enough to make any fat tire fanatic jump for joy while crushing the soul of the wine-and-cheese collector types. This car is as decorated as any when it comes to the show scene, and it dominated for decades before recently being refreshed a bit in time for the Street Machine Nationals. Like Harold Caron’s Camaro on pages 20-21, can read all about this pavement pounder in the March 2016 “Pro Street Spectacular” special issue of Toby Brooks photo RPM Magazine.

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Nography

PRO

FROM THE PAGES OF

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2016

WINGED

TO WIN

Project aPocalypSe Horse gets a cool new pro stock-style rear wing thanks to Mark DePriest and Badd Habit Customs

story by TOBY

e’ve entered year two on the project that refuses to be finished, but we are happy to say that since last issue, Michael Lee at Mykal’s Custom Auto & Paint has nearly wrapped up prepping the body and has turned his attention to the nightmare that is a stretched 2014 Mustang front clip. During work, Lee discovered some less than spectacular fabrication work under the similarly less than spectacular sheetmetal work, necessitating a full re-do to both the outer skin and the mounting points beneath them. Meanwhile, our good friend and now defacto grief counselor (he’s talked us off the ledge more times than we can count on this roller coaster ride) Mark DePriest of Badd Habit Customs had completed fabrication

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on a trick new rear wing and sent it to the previous shop. Unfortunately, with shipping taking longer than anticipated and time running short, they didn’t have a chance to get it installed before the car headed west to Mykal’s. Undeterred, DePriest decided it would be a good excuse for him to visit some family and install the piece himself, so he loaded up his metalworking tools and headed west himself. After arriving at Mykal’s, he quickly assessed the situation and got to work. After aligning the main wing panel, Mark mounted it to the deck lid using cleco pins so that it could be easily removed during paint prep. Supporting the main panel with a bodywork stand, he then used a sheetmetal brake to install the custom contoured

2016

STABLE AT HIGH SPEED The BHC wing, fabricated by Mark DePriest, adds an extra 12 inches of length to the ’Stang, critical for keeping the car out of the retaining wall as she approaches 180+ mph. At the same time, it will visually balance out the 5-inch stretch up front and help restore some proportion to the car. And with the addition of the Ed Quay strut supports, it gives the car a super cool look. WICKER WHAT? One of our first decisions was what kind of wickerbill to use. The wickerbill is the adjustable trailing edge of the wing that allows for adjustment in downforce. Although many employ a hinged design, we liked the idea of a radiused trailing edge to mimic the contour of the decklid. As a result, DePriest used a slotted wickerbill that was cut on a WaterJet.

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NOT EXACTLY PRIORITY We received this unconfirmed footage from a friend who insists it is of our package as it was being delivered from BHC in West Virginia to the chassis shop in Virginia. Despite the fact that it is just a two hour drive, it took the shipper 10 days to deliver it. TRIAL FIT After promising not to scratch anything, DePriest managed to convince a friend to let him borrow a 20052009 â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Stang so that he could build the wing to hug the factory contours. The spill plates carry the factory body line and will provide a nice area to carry the graphics once we finally get to that point.

spill plates before mounting the Ed Quay support rods to keep everything securely in place. One particularly cool feature of the wing is the fact that the support struts all tie in to the decklid itself rather than the bumper, meaning

opening the trunk is as simple as stock without the need to remove any quick release pins or other such hardware as is often typical in such installs. Additionally, due to the fact the factory Ford hinges open to vertical, the trunk will stay open

UNDER CONSTRUCTION The wickerbill is attached using cool stainless brackets along with buttonheaded Aleen fasteners and nyloc bolts. In this pic, you can see the passenger side spill plate prior to custom contouring in the sheetmetal brake. Since we were more interested in durability than absolute minimum weight, DePriest fabbed the spill plates from a slightly thicker material than normal.

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TOMMY LIKES WINGIES Here you can see what the wing looks like from behind as DePriest mounted it to the deck lid and supported it with a body work stand prior to installing the struts. FILTHY LYING MEDIA... You want the truth? The truth is that we forgot to shoot any pics of Mark actually WORKING during the install, so we had him stage this shot back at his shop. Although he used Michael Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Woodward Fab sheetmetal brake, even an inexpensive unit like this Harbor Freight unit will get the job done.

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UP AND UNDER This pic shows the lightweight Ed Quay supports all mounted in place to add some rigidity to the whole glorious concoction. Since the paintjob Lee will lay down will be a two tone pink and raspberry split right at the body line, the top of the wing will be black while the underside will be the retina-searing pink hue. Coupled with the DJ Safety launcher parachutes and a trick license plate mount, it should all add up to a very impressive backside if we do say so ourselves.

OPENED EASY We’ll keep it real: we kind of lucked out here. The design of the factory Mustang deck lid with the extended rear panel on the back made for a convenient mounting point for the support struts that prevented the need for unpinning the struts from their tethers as would be necessary if we mounted them to the bumper. That would have made opening the trunk a real pain. Instead, a simple push of a button on a key fob will trigger the release and we’ll be good to go. Also lucky was the fact that the factory hinge opens to vertical, meaning the added weight of the wing won’t overtax the gas struts and pull the trunk closed prematurely. Just the way we planned it. Honest.

COMING ALONG With the wing mocked in place and the S&W Race Cars single chromoly wheelie bar hanging out back, it is starting to look like a pro streeter back here. Lee and DePriest were also able to sort out the rear bumper (not shown) to ensure that the wheelie bar would clear prior to final prep.With a little luck and a lot of work, hopefully this sheetmetal will be wearing some color the next time we check in with you for the May/ June issue. Halleluejah!

despite the added weight of the wing. With DePreist wrapping up the wing, Lee turned his attention back to the sheetmetal, that unfortunately needed more work

than anticipated. Despite that fact, we are still holding out hope that the car will be painted and hopefully moving under its own power in time for the 2016 Street

Machine Nationals in DuQuoin and complete in time for the 2016 SEMA show in Vegas. We’ve got tons to do until then, though, so keep checking back in the pages

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of TUBBED, RPM Magazine, and on the TUBBED Facebook page as we keep plugging away in our effort to usher in the Second Coming of Pro Street!

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Our new project truck has patiently waited for restoration for decades, but by the time 13 Sins gets done, it promises to be one wild way to haul! story by TOBY

BROOKS

n the magazine world, project vehicles serve two primary purposes: to show readers how they can do similar modifications on their own rides and to showcase the best parts available. To that end, we’ve shown TUBBED readers every step of the way with Project aPocalypSe Horse. But along that path, we realized that once the car finishes up at the paint shop, we’re going to need some local assistance to finish the build. When we started looking, we discovered 13 Sins Garage, a veritable stone’s throw away from our own shop in Lubbock, Texas. Upon speaking with co-owner Ben Brewer, we happened to discover a wild pro street build going on at 13 Sins already: this work-in-progress 1954 Ford pickup. As cool as the truck will eventually become, perhaps the coolest part of the entire build is the story behind. it. The Ford first entered Brewer’s family when it was purchased as a service vehicle for Ben’s grandfather, Charles Price, at his Texaco service station in the early 1960s. “He used it to help keep people running up and down the road until the mid ’70s when it was replaced with a newer model,” Brewer said. The truck was sold to a local farmer who planned to use it to help out as he managed his fields and serviced his irrigation systems. After about a year of use, the new owner thought he had

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spun a bearing and parked the tired old pickup on a sand hill where it slowly baked in the Texas heat. A few years later, the farmer offered the truck back to Price at no charge. He just wanted it our of the way and thought Charles might be interested in having it back. “My grandpa went and dug it out and took it back to his shop where he discovered it was actually servicable,” Brewer said. Price found that the engine was actually just fine. A flywheel bolt had fallen out and was rattling around the dust cover of the transmission. With a second lease on life, the truck, dubbed “Old Red” was now back on the road. “So it’s running and driving again and my grandpa offered it to his oldest daughter, who was repulsed by the idea,” Brewer said with a laugh. Price then moved to the next in line, Brewer’s uncle, who also declined, citing the truck as “not cool enouogh.” “At that point my mom was the last attempt, and my dad owned a small body shop, so my grandpa figured my dad would fix it up and let my mom drive it,” he added. GET LOW A Heidt’s independent front suspension with dropped spindles has already been installed onto the factory framerails. The chassis will be completely boxed and smoothed before heading to powder coat.

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OLD RED, NEW’S COOL The Ford will ride low and nasty on a massively dropped Heidt’s independent front suspension with a 13 Sins-fabbed custom 4-link setup in back. The old school sheetmetal will be smoothed, shaved, and tucked for a classic look, while a set of Weld 18-inch front and 20inch diameter black and machined billet wheels hint at a little new-school flavor. Although the massively high factory hood is spacious enough to fully conceal the blown big block, there will be no hiding the nasty powerplant when it roars to life. Jeremy Velasquez rendering

FLIPPIN’ AWESOME Although body work has just started up, the 13 Sins crew has already installed a cool front flip hood hinge that allows the factory steel piece to articulate near the grille while still covering up the 466 cubic inches of blown and injected Ford power.

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Wrong again. It sat dormant for years until Price’s young hot roddin’ 12 yearold grandson Ben got an eyeful of it. “I asked my mom who owned it and she immediately offered it to me as my first vehicle,” Brewer said. “I gladly accepted but quickly realized that I didn’t have the skills or the cash to make it happen the way I wanted it to,” he admitted. Now 21 years later, the 13 Sins co-founder is finally ready to showcase the skills he’s developed, and Old Red gets to be his canvas. Power will come in the form of a 466 cubic inch Ford big block with an

8-71 BDS huffer that will hopefully run a BDS EFI system as well (it sports a mechanical injection system currently). A Heidt’s front suspension has already been installed and 13 Sins is in the process of working the kinks out of the heartily neglected 60+ year old sheetmetal. Elsewhere, a narrowed rearend will make room for a massive set of Weld Racing wheels and Mickey Thompson tires for the requisite fat tire look. So we are just getting started, but stay tuned, because we’re going to turn Old Red into one wild new pro street ride!

CLEAN SLATE The interior has been completely gutted, but a dash full of Dakota Digital gauges will eventually make their home here, and a full custom pro street interior will eventually line the confines.

GET BACK TO OUR ROOTS The BDS-blown and injected big block has been mocked in place, but will come back out for a thorough detailing. Although the injection setup is mechanical for now, we’re hoping to outfit Old Red with an EFI system, instead.

MAKE ROOM FOR SOME TIRE Out back, the 13 Sins crew will remove this coilover setup and replace it with a custom 4-link and a narrowed 9-inch Ford rearend. Rolling stock will consist of Mickey Thompson Sportsman SRs and Weld billet wheels. The well-worn interior of the bed will be fully finished, as well...a move likely to make rat rodders cry. That’s legit patina there, but when Ben and the gang are done it will shine like glass!

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hoever “they” are, they say that eeverything verything that’s old is new again. Trends come and trends go. If anyone understands this mantra, it is we fat tire fanatics, right? After all, the magazine-types came out in droves to celebrate the emergence of pro street in the late ’70s, the growth and decadence of the ’80s, and the slow but steady decline in the ’90s. Those same folks were quick to sign what they thought was pro street’s death certificate in the late ’90s, too. But those of us who love the

CUT SO CLOSE After your eyeballs adjust to the rodsn-cones destroying nuclear tangerine hue, the first thing you’ll notice is the coolest hood cutout in the history of hot rodding. Metalwork extraordinaire Doug Times of Times’ Welding is responsible for the execution.

style never quit loving it. And we knew it was only a matter of time before it became en vogue among the masses again. One game-changing ride of that first wave of popularity was Gary Buckles’ 1971 Camaro. We featured the car in our very first full issue back in 2013, and it is still as cool today as it was back in the day. When it burst on the scene in 1993 with a slicked and understated TPI engine, motorized front flip hood, incredible slam, and painted sheetmetal interior, it altered much of what we thought a full-guns pro street ride should be. So it stands to reason that if a car that was that cool 20 years ago is still that cool today,

emulating that style with similar subtle smoothness so heavily slathered about would result in a whole new generation of cool. And especially when that same Gary Buckles is a close friend and “designated beer delivery guy” for the duration of the build, it is a formula for success. And judging by the results you see here, the formula was executed to perfection. The build began when owner and builder Ed Lemanski had pieced together a small block Chevy and was on the hunt for something to squeeze it into. Starting with a 1970 4-bolt 350 block, Lemanski had it bored 0.30 over before fitting it with a steel GM crank with forged rods and Manley blower

pistons. A Herbert solid roller cam with Lunati lifters handles the intake and exhaust commands, sending them up to a pair of lightly massaged World Products cylinder heads that have been equipped with Lunati roller rockers and studs. Induction for the mouse consists of an unorthodox combo in the form of a polished 4/71 Cragar supercharger topped with a Barry Grant 750 carb and a ball

milled billet air cleaner. “Lots of people run 6/71 or even 8/71 blowers with dual quads on small blocks, so I decided to go with the little blower and a single four just to be different,” Lemanski said. The little huffer has been spun to run a streetfriendly 6 lbs. of boost. The small block relies on an MSD distributor and a 6 AL box for ignition. A Melling high volume oil pump keeps the internals

well-lubricated, while a pair of polished Brodix aluminum Brodix valve covers add a touch of sparkle. Backing the 550-horse/565 ft./lb. mill is a fortified GM TH400 trans that was assembled by Kirby Thoma. A TCI 3,000 rpm stall converter enhances drivability and ensures excellent power transfer when Lemanski stabs the throttle. With such a cool powerplant assembled

and ready, the Miamisburg native was on the lookout for a suitable host, and he quickly discovered a rust belt rarity. “I found a very low mileage car in town,” he said. “It was rust free and the project was born,” he added. Given that Lemanski and Buckles are such close friends, the fact that the former would choose a Chevy Vega to transform is of little surprise. Chevy’s

ONE BAD VEGA Even from behind, the level of detail on the build is obvious, but the longer you look, the more you notice. the tail of the car has been smoothed, filled, tucked, and tricked, while the undercarriage is as spotless as the top side. Everything below has been painted body color, plated, or polished...and the end result is spectacular.

BY A NOSE Don’t expect to find a billet grille for a Vega down at O’Reilly’s. We’ll save you a trip. They don’t have one. This piece is a one-off hand built item. It’s easy to see why many refer to the Vega as a minature second gen Camaro, and Lemanski’s cruiser is as cool as they come.

early ’70s lightweights have long been sought by drag racers because a little bit of power goes a long way in their svelte, compact chassis. For Lemanski and others, the fact that they are spitting image kid brothers of the iconic second-gen Camaros doesn’t hurt either. Over the course of the next five years, Lemanski and friends would transform the pint-sized Chevy into an 40

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incredible piece. First, Doug Times of Times’ Welding put together a clean full tube chromoly chassis. While Buckles’ Camaro relied upon the only available technology of the the time for adjustable ride height, hydraulics, Lemanski chose to incorporate a four-corner Ride Tech air ride system. A custom 4-link on bags out back suspends a narrowed Ford 9-inch rearend equipped with Strange 31-spline axles and 3.98 gears. Up front, a custom control arm setup with Ride Tech bags manages the bumps and the altitude, and a Ride Tech RidePRO system allows for changes in height on demand. Aerospace Components disc brakes have been fitted at all

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ORANGE YOU GLAD IT IS PRO STREET? The super clean theme isn’t just on and under the car, it is evident IN it, as well. Although Lemanski’s build stops just short of the all steel interior like his buddy Gary Buckles debuted in the early ’90s, there’s still plenty of House of Kolors Tangelo Pearl to go around in the-ultra smooth interior. The pistol Hurst shifter has been snuggled into a molded center console, and on first glance the dash is sparsely appointed with instrumentation. However, when the car is started and the Ride Tech suspension pressurizes, a pneumatic actuator engages a flip down gauge pod that houses another quartet of Auto Meter instruments. How trick is that??

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four corners to manage stopping chores. Times’ handiwork wasn’t limited to the chassis, though. A pair of one-off ceramic coated Times-built headers handles exhaust duties, and the plethora of subtle body mods is simply too much to list. Perhaps the most prominent is what is quite possibly the tightest and coolest hole in the hood you’re likely to ever lay eyes on. Not only has the hole been cut to fit around blower pulleys and the supercharger itself, even the fuel lines have been clearanced in the opening. As if that weren’t trick enough, the opening was fully welded and smoothed, the underside slicked, and the billet hinges adapted to allow for a reverse tilt opening. Elsewhere, Times also fabricated a handmade billet grille and assisted with the Buckles-style fully smoothed and painted steel interior. Shaved emblems, updated flush-mount door handles, and stretched rear wheel openings are but a few of the most noticeable modifications to the factory sheetmetal. BJ Honious of BJ’s Body Shop handled prep work and sprayed the deliciously sweet House of Kolor Tangelo Orange Pearl paint. The monochrome look is everywhere, as the cage, underhood compartment, fuel cell, and full interior were WORTH REPEATING Did we mention we think the opening in the hood is cool? Just in case you missed it, the opening in the hood is cool...as in killer...trick...hot...whatever. Details like this are what make some rides go from pretty sweet to freaking spectacular. And cool. Wait...we said that already.

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WE’RE SENSING A THEME HERE... Smooth. Clean. Detailed. Well-executed. Just the way Lemanski planned it. We’re a perceptive bunch, huh?

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treated to the citrusy hue, as well. Contrasting starkly with the glossy sheen inside is a pair of black leather Recaro bucket seats draped with G-Force 3-inch lap belts. A Billet Specialties black leather wrapped billet steering wheel complements the billet pedals and the aluminum pistol grip Hurst shifter that has been sleekly massaged into an integrated center console. At first glance, the custom smoothie dash has been sparsely appointed with nothing more than an AutoMeter

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Pro Comp Ultra Lite speedo and tach. However, as soon as the Ride Tech system pressurizes, a hidden four-gauge pod actuated by a small pneumatic cylinder swings down into view. How cool is that? A black headliner and black factory-style door panels depart from

the Buckles all steel interior motif, but the floor and tubs provide a sure nod to the tradition. Rolling stock for the Vega consists of a set of Centerline Convo Pro wheels and a classic big-nlittle tire fitment. Up front, a pair of 15x4s have been shod with Nankang 145/5015w, while the big 15x12 out back have been mounted with MT 29x15.5-

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15 Sportsmans. The car has been well received everywhere it goes, most notably garnering a prestigious Legends’ Choice award at the 2015 Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin. Like Buckles’ ride before it, even though it doesn’t sport a 4-digit horsepower bigcube motor or wild graphics all over the place, one can’t help but stare. We found ourselves attracted to

it all weekend, going back time and time again to notice other hidden customization tricks literally everywhere. So while we don’t usually like to give “them” much credit, this time “they” hit the nail right on the head. Although we’ve seen an iteration of this style before in the past, it is just as cool today as it first was back in 1993. And how sweet it is!

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or fire fighters, any time a building is “fully involved,” it is usually a very bad sign. Every room in the building is on fire and the blaze is affecting every room in the structure. However, during construction of this mostly owner-built and heavily flame-licked 1984 Chevy Blazer, Freeman Spur, Illinois resident Carl Peters was fully involved. And it is a flipping awesome thing. “It was a good, drivable truck,” said Peters. The owner of Peters Roofing, self-taught fabricator, and all-around gearhead couldn’t leave well enough alone, though. After owning and driving the

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Chevy for a time, he tore into it with a vengeance with his sights set squarely on pro street stardom. And over the course of eight years of off and on efforts (“…more off than on,” chuckled Peters), it is safe to say that he and wife Kelly have achieved just that. “I’d say the engine on the build is probably the most unique feature,” the affable Peters remarked. There’s plenty there to be proud of. The cavernous 540 cubic inch Chevy Rat was assembled by the now-defunct Speed-O-Motive in West Covina, California. Starting with a 2000 Chevy Bowtie block, an Eagle forged steel crankshaft was mated with Eagle H-beam connecting rods and modest but boost-friendly 9.2:1 compression Eagle forged pistons. The entire assembly was fully balanced and blueprinted before a COMP Cams solid roller cam with COMP lifters was slid into place and spun via a COMP double |

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HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? Practical it ain’t, but a Ride Techequipped Chevy that can lay the rockers while tucking 17-inch billet wheels up front with monster meats out back is like the love child of an ’80s pro streeter and a ’90s minitrucker...and it’s a beautiful thing. Add in more body mods than you can count and a wild tribal-meets-true-fire-meetsairbrushed-skulls paint scheme and you’ve got a ride that is most decidedly neither on the chain NOR the hook. RODENTIA GARGANTUA Whether it is the massive (and rare) two-piece Induction Engineering valve covers, the intercooled B&M MegaBlower, or the triple Edelbrock carbs, somehow, the spacious 540-cube Chevy looks bigger than normal. A Nitrous Express port nitrous system with billet rails adds further punch when that isn’t quite enough. “My line of sight is just fine, officer. Promise!” Sure Carl... if you say so!

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roller timing chain. A Milodon 8-quart pan conceals a Milodon high-volume oil pump to keep the engine adequately lubricated. Moving northward in the spacious powerplant, a pair of Merlin rectangular port iron heads were equipped with COMP roller rockers and COMP studs before being torqued into place. A pair of ultra-rare Induction Engineering two-piece valve covers fitted with Edelbrock breathers have been installed, too. Crowning the towering mill is a B&M aluminum blower intake with another relatively rare piece—a B&M SuperChiller water-toair-intercooler and a B&M 420 Roots-type MegaBlower. The belt has even been adorned with cool airbrush graphics, a common trick on Harleys and choppers but rarely

FULL SIZE MINI TRUCK A quick glance at the Blazer would lead the uninformed to see an 88-98 Chevy pickup phantom billet grille and think “fullsize.” However, the smaller proportions and the first generation Blazer side windows tell the story: this is a one off creation that started life as a plain-Jane S-10 minitruck.

seen in four-wheeled rides. As if the SuperChiller/ MegaBlower combo wasn’t impressively tall to begin with, Peters fabricated a custom adapter atop the supercharger to mount not just two but three Edelbrock 850 CFM carbs fed by a Mega500 electric fuel pump. Since a threecarbed Hilborn scoops isn’t exactly an offthe-shelf item, Peters fabricated a custom unit by piecing two standard parts together. The huffer has been spun to deliver around 15 pounds of boost and is augmented by an NX two-stage fogger nitrous system that incorporates a quartet of billet nitrous and fuel rails. An MSD distributor with a 7AL box lights the fires, and a pair of hand-fabbed and Jet Hot-coated 2 ¼-inch to 3-inch collector headers expel the spent fumes. A

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PowerMaster 200-amp alternator keeps the battery charged and a CSI billet electric water pump has been partnered with a massive custom aluminum radiator to help the huge engine chill out during a hot day cruising. Putting all that power to the ground is no easy task, so Peters beefed the driveline tremendously to

try and keep pace with the copious crowd of ponies created by the roomy 540. First, a well-fortified GM TH400 3-speed auto trans was equipped with a manual valve body before being bolted to a TCI 3,500-stall converter. A TCI SFI-rated flexplate ensures safe mating between the crankshaft and the tranny (you never can

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be too safe when mating, after all). With the engine and trans complete, Peters turned his attention to

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the chassis and suspension. First, he installed a custom backhalf with ladder bars out back along with a full funny car-style cage inside to add a measure of safety and stiffness to the little Chevy. A narrowed Dana 60 locking differential equipped with shortened Strange 31-spline axles and 4.88 gears has been suspended via Air Ride Technologies bags. When joined with the complimentary Air Ride Technologies bags, on-board air management system, and Bell Tech 2-inch dropped spindles up front, the Blazer can sport the most wicked slam you’re likely to see in pro streeter with the touch of a button (and unmistakable ‘pssssssst’ of escaping air). Rolling stock for the wild ride consists of a matched set of Colorado Custom Wild Horse wheels, with 17x5s up front and 15x15s out back fitted with Dunlop motorcycle tires fore and Mickey Thompson 33x21.5-15 Sportsmans aft. Brakes consist of factory discs up front with stock drums out back along with a Corvette master cylinder that has been plumbed with hand-bent stainless lines. As over-the-top as the engine and

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chassis are, it is undoubtedly the plethora of unique owner-performed body mods that really send the Blazer to the outer limits of cool. “I wanted to be different from everyone else, so I built the front end from scratch to emulate a fullsize Chevy pickup,” Peters said. Different it is…and absolutely awesome. First, Peters used a factory 1988-1998 Chevy/ GMC hood and drastically pared it down to fit widthwise between the little Blazer’s fender openings. He also added a smooth radius to really complement the engine before mounting it in place with Dzus fasteners. A matching Chevy/GMC

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COOL STUFF EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK... The trick license plate bracket is motorized, swinging out of sight at the flip of a switch. Other tricks like flush mounted LED taillights mounted into a molded roll pan and another high mount LED taillamp compliment the super cool National Pro Street Association decal in the back glass. Thanks for representinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Carl!

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FULLY DETAILED The incredible interior was first treated to a sectioned 1959 Impala dash with a custom matching console that was smoothed and painted before being plugged full of AutoMeter instrumentation. Kentucky Customs then covered everything not painted red with tan leather for a sculpted street rod look. Lastly, a killer sound system was installed.

full-size bumper was similarly massaged, being fitted with a one-off billet insert along the way. A complimentary scratch-built phantom billet insert was then created, and a Chevystyle horizontal center bar was added to round out the job. At first glance, you’d swear it was a full-size, but closer inspection reveals the hard-earned but wellexecuted truth. Elsewhere, large rectangular exhaust dumps have been coaxed into the

rocker openings just ahead of the huge steamrollers in back. All other unnecessary factory doodads like handles, drip rails, taillights and the rear bumper were removed and smoothed before a custom roll pan with hideaway license plate and a trio of flush mounted LED taillights were installed in their stead. Peters handled all prep work, smoothing and blocking the heavily modified GM steel before

FULLY FLAMED The wild Picasso’s Airbrush graphics highlight the flawless PPG two-tone paint perfectly.

Picasso’s Airbrush in Owensboro Kentucky laid down the killer Guards Red and metallic silver DuPont hues with orange and yellow real fire-style flames and skull graphics. The red was also carried into the cage and interior and that custom scoop for and coordinated—and absolutely killer— look. Speaking of the interior, it would be just as at home in a six-figure street rod build as a contemporary pro

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PRO STREET IN THE BLOOD For most of us, the fat-tired passion started early in life with drawings and model cars all filled up in the back with as much steamrollin’ meat as we could imagine or find. Peters’ nephew, Wyatt Holland, of Herrin, Illinois already has the fever, and he shared this pic he drew of a wild third gen Camaro with us. Tell Uncle Carl to help you get going building it, Wyatt!

streeter (a trend we are happy to see increasingly in the new wave of fat tire builds that is a dramatic improvement of the typical ’80s tin door panels with a pair of racing buckets). First, a heavily modified 1959 Impala dashboard was narrowed, filled, and fitted with a double center opening to accept a 5-inch AutoMeter Pro Comp speedo and matching tach flanked by a host of other 3 3/8inch gauges in the dash and down through the custom molded center console. Copious amounts of tan leather were stitched and stretched over the Kirkey seats, tubs, one-off door panels, headliner, and floors. Kentucky Customs in Morganfield, Kentucky handled the install, even trimming some of the cage with leather slipcovers. The red on tan look really pops. Rounding out the interior is a matching Colorado Customs billet steering wheel and a full Memphis Audio stereo system. RSI five-point harnesses add a measure of safety in the event of a

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high-speed pass. “I had it up to 160 and shut it down,” Peters said with a laugh. In addition to cruising the Chevy at the Street Machine Nationals in DuQuoin, he says showing and cruising at local events— especially downtown Herrin, Illinois not far from his home with his father-in-law Paul Holland—have been the highlights of completion thus far. He says he’s particularly thankful to his wife Kelly for “… all the headaches and heartaches this thing has put her through,” he concluded with a nod. So what if it won’t win Drag Week. Peters HAS participated in the Hot Rod Power Tour and practical or not, it is an incredible example of what a skilled pro street fabricator can build with his own two hands. And if that isn’t fully involved, we don’t know what is.

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READY TO MAKE AWESOME STUFF AGAIN There was a time when nearly every cool pro street car you saw at an event had at least some super-trick machined and anodized aluminum Performance Engineering parts under the hood. While the hiatus was hard for us to swallow, we are thrilled to say owner and founder Jim Tolson (center) is back in business and has even developed some new parts to complement his classic line of cup washers, fasteners, and other trick pieces. Joining Tolson in the PE facility is machine shop tech Conley (left) and production manager James (right).

PERFORMANCE

n the first heyday of pro street, there were some items that were almost essential for any car. Mickey Thompson Sportsmans on Weld Drag Lites (and later Pro Stars) fit my list. Anodized Moroso valve covers and air cleaners did, too. Some sort of “Pro Street” lettering in the upper

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left of the windshield was a must, as well. And not long after those staples, along came the Performance Engineering cup washer. Although the anodized aluminum cup washer was eventually recreated by a number of manufacturers, the very first one came from the mind and mill of Jim Tolson in his small Oklahoma-based shop. “My interest began at an early age for cars, motorcycles, or anything that had the possibility of going faster,” Tolson said. “In the early ’80s I had an industrial 2016

machine shop and I also had a drag boat and wanted to dress up the engine. I decided to make some washers for the Allen bolts,” he added. The result eventually turned into what we now know as cup washers. They served two purposes: the larger base served to widene the holding surface of a normal Allen bolt, and of course, the piece acted as a washer, too. But there was more. “My boat and trailer were blue, so I sent the parts I’d made off to the plater to have them anodized to match.

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When I got those parts back, I really got excited, because I knew that I had hit on something special,” he said. Business skyrocketed from there. Seemingly overnight, everyone had to have the cool anodized aluminum cup washers on their build. “It was like almost everyone who saw the boat wanted some for their own projects. I started out making hundreds at a time. It went to thousands within weeks… and grew from there. Before I knew it, I was off and running,” Tolson said.

Re-ENGINEERED Legendary speed parts company back in business

What started out as a fun idea for his own boat rapidly turned into the Performance Engineering Company, a flourishing business built to supply hundreds of speed shops and hot rodders across the country with functional and good looking machined aluminum fasteners and parts. The product line rapidly expanded. PE added Cup Caps to their offerings to totally conceal the bolt head. Then machined dipstick handles, air cleaner nuts, and knurled carb and valve cover studs followed, along with unique two-piece valve

covers. PE was a street machining phenomenon. “One day, my dad, who was one of the most practical men I’ve ever known, and certainly not a car guy, walked into the shop,” Tolson recalled. “He walked around and talked to all the guys, and kept picking up the different parts and looking everything over. He finally came over to me, gave me a big hug, and said, ‘Son, I’m so proud of you and what you’ve accomplished here…but I gotta tell you. I don’t know one person who would buy any of this s#!& !!,” Tolson

recalled said with a hearty laugh. Tolson’s father obviously didn’t frequent street machining circles, because people DID want to “…buy that s#!&.” Case in point, when I was 12 years old I asked my parents for two things for Christmas: a pair of chrome Moroso valve covers with matching air cleaner for the ’72 Nova my dad was letting me help him build…and the blue anodized Performance Engineering hardware (knurled valve cover hold downs and an air cleaner nut) to bolt it

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TOBY

BROOKS photos provided

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all down. I was thrilled on Christmas morning to see that familiar yellow and red plastic skinned packaging with my beautiful hardware inside. As other competitors saw how popular the products were, it was only a matter of time before copycats would emerge. Over time, demand dwindled and Tolson eventually moved on to other pursuits. Performance Engineering closed the doors in the late ’90s. Last year we began looking for Performance Engineering and soon discovered nary a trace of the once-sole source for SAE cup washers. A myriad of companies now produce a similar product in metric sizes, but we were unable to find anyone anywhere who still made a cup washer to fit a standard/ non-metric Allen bolt. Undeterred, we scoured the internet for new old stock PE parts, finding a large stash

with Tubbed reader Ron Stroup that we promptly purchased. But it wasn’t enough for what we needed. We called several machine shops about manufacturing some new parts, only to find out the astronomical cost associated with shortrun/one-off CNC machining. We eventually contacted a manufacturer in China and had some samples made, but we were not satisfied with the quality. We had plans for other parts and pieces, too. After all, the theme of our build is old school meets new school. The PE parts would have been a perfect complement to many of the high tech parts and pieces on our ride. But sadly, they were no more. Until they were once more. “After years of retirement, I’ve realized that the interest I had as a young man is still as strong as ever,” Tolson said. “My wife and I go occasionally

to car shows, and we never fail to run into a lot of the same old crowd, and some with the same Performance Engineering parts on their cars,” he said. The market has changed dramatically since the 1990s during the peak years of PE’s first run. “There are very few warehouses that that stock speed parts and hardly any one shops that way. It’s all internet so, we decided to give it go again,” he said. That’s right kids...you read it here first. Performance Engineering is back with a number of classic products already in production with a number of new items and more in the development process, as well. You’ll see as many PE parts and pieces as we can manage to squeeze onto Project aPocalypSe Horse in the coming months. Tolson already crafted a gaggle of cool shoulder washers for

LIKE NO OTHER The fit and finish of Performance Engineering products is unsurpassed, and the attention to detail is unlike anything you’ll find in cheap Chinese rip-offs. The convenient cup washer bolt kits come with high-quality fasteners and detailed and colorful cup washers for intakes, water pumps, thermostat housings, timing chain covers, and oil pans. They still come neatly shrink packed in the familiar red and yellow packaging we lusted for at swap meets and speed shops back in the day.

HIGHER TECH PE products have always added a high tech look to hot rods, street machines, and pro streeters. However, unlike years past, many of the new pieces are CNC machined for precision fit. That said, the hand mills are still used, and all are manned by American craftsmen who aren’t just working at a job, they are creating products with passion. One look and you’ll notice the difference.It shows.

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our button-headed Allen fasteners that will secure the carbon fiber work on the car—a product we are hoping sees production for larger size bolts in the future—and we are busy looking over the build to see where else we can add a dash of function and a splash of color. Be sure to check out

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Performance Engineering’s new website at www. performanceengineering. us in the next few weeks and months for new stuff, including valve covers, carburetor linkage plates, fuel pump block-off plates, as well as cup washer and bolts kits for popular foreign and domestic cars and motor cycles.

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“Thank you in advance for your interest and support,” Tolson added graciously. “It’s good to be back!” We couldn’t agree more, Jim. It’s great to have you back!

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CLASSIC LOOKS PLUS NEW DESIGNS PE has brought back staples of their product line like their famous Cup Caps that completely conceal a cup washered Allen bolt, but they have also designed new itemss like their cool Spike Caps. Other products like their valve cover and air cleaner holddowns have been updated, too.

Source

PERFORMANCE ENGINEERING CORP. www.performanceengineeringparts.com 918.243.5588

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2016