Winter 2015 Tubbed Magazine by TUBBED

www.ridetech.com

812-482-2932

The Original Air Suspension Company...Since1996 Air Ride Technologies president Bret Voelkelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

WINTER

2015

DEPARTMENTS On the Throttle

8 10

Out of the Groove

Racer’s Library

Tubbed Life

First Round PCK

ProRender

ProNography

36 |

COVER CAR

LITTLE DEUCE LEGACY A father, a son, a pro street Nova, and a man’s dying wish by Toby Brooks

CONNECT www.tubbedmagazine.com | 806.781.8482

52 |

www.facebook.com/TubbedMagazine

FEATURE CAR

ANTITHESIS

www.twitter.com/TubbedMagazine

Kim Gough’s wild wagon proves that standing out sometimes means taking a different approach by Toby Brooks

admin@tubbedmagazine.com

68 | STAFF

FEATURE CAR

throwBACK

PUBLICATION

Jerry Gary Jr.’s pro street Vega is a trip...down memory lane! by Toby Brooks

ART

82 |

Toby & Christi Brooks....................................Publishers John Baechtel..............................................Contributor Michael Scheuren........................................Contributor Brian Stupski................................................Contributor Jim Williams..................................................Contributor

Toby Brooks.................................................Art Director Louis Fronkier...........................................Photographer Chris Kays................................................Photographer Caesar Maragni.........................................Photographer

EVENTS

PRI ME AWAY

We descend on Indianapolis, the city of speed to take in all the cool new gadgets, gizmos, tools, and rides you want but (if you’re like us) probably can’t afford. by Jim Williams

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!

102 |

PROJECT BUILD

BREAKIN’ FREE

After over a year in chassis purgatory, our late model Mustang sprints east to Virginia Rod Company and finally gets movin’! by Toby Brooks

ON THE COVER

We asked and you answered. We seriously love all three of this month’s feature cars, and consider all three owners personal friends, so it was absolutely excruciating to pic just one for the cover. We love the fact that we have room to create a cover for all three, but as a digital pub, only ONE gets to actually BE on the cover. Believe it or not, both Jerry Gary, Jr. and Kim Gough contacted us and requested that Ralph Haga, Jr.’s car needed to be on the cover, a true testament to the kind of guys they are. When you read the story, we think you’ll see why. Ralph Haga, Jr. photo. TUBBED Magazine is published quarterly 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.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

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.

36 www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Throttle

ON THE TOBY

BROOKS

LET IT GO

his will probably be a first for you. It is certainly a first for me. And if I’m guessing correctly, it will probably be a last for both of

us, too. “What is this dude talking about?” you might ask. I’m talking about an editorial in a hardcore street machine magazine that has a legit tie-in to a Disney princess movie. Oh. Wait. What? I’m glad you asked.

You see, I have been eyebrows-deep in my own pro street build, Project aPocalypSe Horse, since September of 2013. I thought I had all the plans laid out to have the car head to a wellrespected shop and have it in time for the 2014 Street Machine Nationals. It was going to be awesome. Long story short, it didn’t happen. I made an egregious error in selecting the right shop the first time, and the car sat virtually untouched for 13 months. Money had been spent. Little progress was being made. I was getting mad. Mad spilled over into full-blown high speed come-apart more than once. I wanted to see significant progress. I didn’t get what I was hoping for. I was tempted to do something—do anything—to try and will this car into completion. It became abundantly clear that 2014 was out of the question. As time dragged on, 2015 began to seem unlikely, too. I finally had to pull the plug, and the car was moved to another shop. I wanted to believe that the previous place would do the right thing. But in my mind, they didn’t. In the end, I had waited longer than I thought I should, paid more than I thought it was worth, and got less than I thought I deserved over the span of more than a year. While it was very tempting to cry a river and claim “woe-is-me” from the mountaintops, I really only needed to look to Princess Aurora. I had to Let it Go. 8

WINTER

2015

You see, I wanted a killer car. I still do. Thanks to Jon Kaase, Cliff Moore, and Doug Schriefer at Jon Kaase Racing, Donald Williams, Bobby Starcher, and a whole host of skilled craftsmen at Virginia Rod Company, Tim Strange at Strange Motion, and an as-yet-tobe-determined interior shop—coupled with my meager efforts to pull it all together—it will be. Unfortunately, my abilities to build a car don’t match my vision and expectations of what the finished product should be. As a result, I’m dependent on others to deliver. And if there is anything I’ve learned about people in my nearly four decades on turf, it is that not everyone agrees on what’s right, what’s reasonable, and what’s fair. As tempting as it is to harbor that anger and animosity, it just isn’t worth it. My now-good friend Jason Allen of Metalcrafters of Monmouth said it best when he told me to just ease up. Offer grace. Not everyone is perfect, especially not me. I needed to let it go. So I did. I’m still hoping for that refund, but I’m not harboring any ill will. How can I really, when I actually consider how many people have stepped up to help and have contributed time, talents, or resources to help me will this thing into existence. When you really sit down and think about it, we’re all crazy about cars, and that’s cool. But there are people that live on my own street who are dealing with financial woes, others with divorce, and one mother who lost her youngest daughter, nearly lost her oldest daughter, and was critically wounded herself when the family—out for a walk—was tragically struck by a car. Stuff like that puts it all into perspective. This car is going to be a wicked, double-throwdown, firebreathing animal the likes of which the world has never seen. But it’s still just a car. And so what if it is going to take longer than expected. I’ve got to let it go. But for the record, the cold still bothers me, anyway.

www.tubbedmagazine.com

ONE SLOW PONY We delivered the Mustang to our former chassis shop nearly completely stripped (we needed it to still roll so that it could be transferred from one trailer to another) in October 2013 (inset). After over $10,000 and nearly 14 months, our new shop picked it up in this condition.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Groove

OUT OF THE

RANDOM PRO STREET FACTS

e here at TUBBED like to fancy ourselves as experts of all things pro street. Since we couldn’t come up with anything better for this month’s “Out of the Groove,” we thought it might be cool to share some cool facts we’ve learned about some of the most legendary cars ever built and the folks who built them. Enjoy! Have similar tales to tell? Share them on our Facebook page at our page at www.facebook. com/tubbedmagazine!

PAYING THE PRICE FOR PINK The retina-searing neon pink on Matt & Debbie Hays’ incredible Thunderbird is so hot and bright that is actually starts to fade the moment it leaves the spray gun. The Hays are cautious about showing the vehicle and leaving it exposed to the elements, as the high-dollar Squeeg’s Customs paint job would dull and fade relatively soon if not properly cared for.

LIGHT ON THE CHEEZ? Although Scott Sullivan’s “Cheez Whiz” 1955 Chevy is arguably one of the most widely recognized pro street cars of all time, when it debuted in 1988, it was actually only lightly featured in US-based magazines. Although the two-part series of Sullivan and Hot Rod’s Jeff Smith driving the car across country were nearly unforgettable, the car itself wasn’t really the subject as much as the trip. Thankfully, this changed recently, when Hot Rod ran a full feature on Sullivan’s builds late in 2013.

STREET MACHINE NATS: IN THE BAG Legendary Pro Street builder Mark Grimes sold his iconic blue pro street Malibu—named “America’s Best Street Machine” by Car Craft—at the Street Machine Nationals the year after the car’s debut. The buyer of the car, Robbie Bennett, brought Grimes’ total asking price in cash in a paper grocery sack and took delivery of the car on the spot. Grimes has since re-purchased and restored the car, but we’re guessing he paid by check. WELL THAT’S A FIRST... Most everyone who has been into pro streeters before has heard about Rick Dobbertin’s wild J-2000 (right). The yellow Pontiac was the first pro street car with an all-stainless steel tube chassis and featured two turbochargers, two superchargers, and a 20-port nitrous system. Prior to that build, his Nova (left) featured two turbos and a 6-71 blower. However, Dobbertin was also the world’s first person to drive an amphibious vehicle—the Dobbertin Surface Orbiter (rear) that he built from a stainless steel tanker trailer—through the Panama Canal.

WIRED TO RIDE Rocky Robertson was the first builder to incorporate modern electronic fuel injection on a pro street build. A Buick factory tech came to his shop in Illinois with a wiring schematic large enough to cover his shop wall to help him set the system up over the course of two weeks.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

RACER’S JOHN

Library

BAECHTEL

THE DAWN OF PRO STOCK Legendary photographer Steve Reyes revisits the golden age of factory doorslammer drag racing

s spawned in the early seventies, the Pro Stock class introduced a powerful new force in drag racing. Evolving from the popularity of Super Stock class racing, Pro Stock quickly became a fan favorite. Drag racing fans came to see the Funny Cars, but hardcore racing fans were clearly there to see the Pro Stock cars with hero drivers slamming gears behind screaming naturally aspirated factory based engines not that far removed from local dealer showrooms. Pro Stock has changed dramatically over the years, but the early period gave drag racing fans all gear bangin’ glory they could possibly ask for with ‘Cudas, Mustangs, Camaros, Mavericks, and Vegas going at it hot and heavy on the nation’s drag strips every weekend. These mostly stock-bodied cars resembled what many fans longed for in their own street cars. But over time, the original genre of Pro Stock morphed into a completely different animal driven largely by corporate sponsorships and a wholesale switch to tube frame chassis and larger engines. This drove a wedge between fans and the sanctioning bodies where fan support stemmed from the relative stock appearance of the cars.Today’s cookie cutter version pales in comparison to the pioneers who had to bring it on their own merit and the sharpest builder and most talented drivers rose to the

WINTER

2015

top much like the legendary Gasser heros of the sixties. The Dawn of Pro Stock by Steve Reyes is a welcome refresher course on those early years, when fans could really connect with the cars, and brand rivalries were intense. Drag racing photographer Steve Reyes was trackside at virtually all of the major NHRA events from the mid 1960s through the late 1990s, photographically documenting the evolution of Pro Stock cars and the hero drivers who crafted racing legends with 4-speeds and Lenco transmissions. Reyes has gathered the best shots of his lengthy career, supplementing them with great images from his contemporaries to provide this special look at the dawn and evolution of a racing class that became as popular as Funny Cars and spawned numerous spinoffs in Pro Mod style competition. Steve’s personal commentary explains the many outstanding images and provides readers with a wholly unique perspective on the developmental years of one of the most favored classes in drag racing. Every hardcore drag racng fan should have this book on the shelf for the photos alone. Reyes commentary helps carry the flavor of the day and the only flaw is seen in a few accidental misspellings of several well-known drivers. That aside, the book is a wonderful photographic interpretation

www.tubbedmagazine.com

by one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest drag racing photographers and a testament to the original intent of Pro Stock racing with true factorybased cars. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Reyes is the author of previous CarTech drag racing photo books Fuel Altereds Forever, Funny Car Fever and Quarter-Mile Chaos. He is one of the most noteworthy and respected drag racing photographers in history. Reyes is also recognized for his outstanding photography skills in other sports coverage as well, especially for his work covering NHL hockey. From the 1960s-1990s, he was the staff photographer for Popular Hot Rodding magazine and published both new and vintage imagery in every issue. He has also shot and written car features for Super Chevy and Street Rodder magazine, along with a wide range of motorcycle and chopper magazine features. Series: Cartech Paperback: 176 pages Publisher: Car Tech (2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1613250401 ISBN-13: 978-1613250402 Available: www.cartechbooks.com

John Baechtel is former editor of both Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines and currently owns and operates Landspeed Media Group. His newest site, Hot Rod Engine Tech (www.hotrodenginetech. com) is a fantastic source of information for any high performance engine builder. He is a regular contributor to TUBBED Magazine. Check him out at www.johnbaechtel.com or contact him at http://hotrodenginetech.com/contact/.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

TUBBED MICHAEL

INSIGHT INTO AN OBSESSION

hat got you started on our shared obsession of hot rods and street machines? My obsession started when I was about 10 years old. My family was going on a shopping trip and we happened to stop at a diner along the way. I was not too excited about going shopping until we stopped for lunch. As I got out of the car, there were about a dozen hot rods and muscle cars in the parking lot. I was like a deer caught in the headlights. Going over to look at the cars was like being in Heaven. Every car was different and had its own style, from a bright yellow Model A street rod to the 1967 Camaro with side pipes and a tunnel ram sticking through the hood, they were all so incredible to my impressionable eyes. The coolest part of it all was that as I was looking at them, the owners starting coming out of the restaurant and were more than happy to talk to a young kid that new nothing about cars. They all told me about their cars and answered all my stupid questions. Needless to say, my mind was on those cars for the rest of the trip and the hook was set. That’s about the time my magazine collection started. I can still remember the first car magazine I ever had, it was the October 1979 issue

of Popular Hot Rodding and you will never guess what was on the cover: none other than Scott Sullivan’s 1967 Pro Street Nova. Now that just pushed me over the edge. There was nothing I didn’t like about that car—blower motor, BIG fat tires, cool paint and graphics—it was the car of my dreams. It had nothing but attitude and a style that I, along with just about everyone else, just fell in love with. After that (in no particular order), it was Rick Dobbertin’s Nova and J2000, Mark Grimes’ Eurosport, Malibu, and Nova, Rod Saboury’s Corvettes, anything by Troy, etc., etc., etc. I was never able to see those cars in person back then but they definitely had an effect on my psyche. The cars and their builders became my heroes and role models. I followed them all as much as possible through the mags and dreamed of being like them someday. In the mid ’90s, I built my own street machine—a 1972 Nova that I had sitting in my garage. I wanted something that wasn’t seen around here (the Upper Peninsula of Michigan), so I contacted a local builder and we got started on it. I had the engine rebuilt to about 450 hp, had a rebuilt Muncie 4-speed transmission, and a rebuilt suspension that we lowered two inches front and rear. We widened the quarter panels

Life

SCHUEREN

NICE NOVA I built my 1972 Nova as a clean ’90s era street machine. With the lowered stance, lightly massaged sheetmetal, and House of Kolors paint job, it was an attention getter back in the day. It was a perfect candidate for a fat set of meats out back too, don’t you think?

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

two inches on each side but made it look factory and mounted scoops in them. You couldn’t tell they were widened unless it was next to a stock Nova. We also shaved all the handles and locks, made custom bowtie side marker lights, put a digital dash in it, and applied a slick House of Kolor shimrin pearl paint for the paintjob. In 2005, I was also fortunate enough to buy a 1963 Nova SS convertible from Mark Grimes. It had a 468 big block with a 700r4 trans. It was on a full rectangular tube chassis with Baer disc brakes and air ride suspension. It also featured 18 and 20 inch wheels and was bright yellow with a black top and interior. I was lucky enough to win the “Best Bitchin’” award at the Good Guys show in Columbus, Ohio in 2006. Unfortunately, I no longer own either of those cars and wish every day I had them back. However, as they say, life goes on. In 2008 I created my own website dedicated to the street machine scene (www.streetmachinecentral. com). I made it a point to show the history of the Street Machine Nationals and what street machines have evolved into today. I have been lucky enough to become friends with a lot of the guys that were my heroes when I was a kid. Heck, they’re still my heroes today—folks like Scott Sullivan, Rick Dobbertin, Rod Saboury,

Matt and Debbie Hay, and Mark Grimes. I was finally able to see some of the cars that were such an influence on me at the Street Machine Nationals when they brought the show back to Du Quoin in 2013. Hot rods and street machines are in my blood. I cannot ever seem to get enough of them. There is definitely a resurgence in pro street—thank goodness—as I think we really need something besides a parking lot full of pro touring cars at every event. Let’s not follow the trends. Let’s dare to be different, and most importantly, build something YOU want to drive. You never know who you might influence or inspire!! ’NOTHER NOVA I purchased this cool little Nova convertible from another pro street legend, Mark Grimes, in 2005. The well-detailed big block was stout, and it was an award winning street machine in its own right. Unfortunately, I ultimately ended up selling this one, too.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

HANGINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WITH HEROES In 2013, I got the chance to meet and greet with several of the builders I idolized as a kid when I attended the 2013 Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin. Here, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m listening intently as Scott Sullivan tells tales to onlookers. Check out his vintage 1986 Rick Dobbertin J-2000 t-shirt... Chris Kays photo

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

FIRST ROUND

PCK

PRO STREET: BRIAN

STUPSKI

PROBLEM CHILD CUSTOMS STUDIO

RELATIVELY SAFE FROM JOINING THE RAT RODEO

ne word can get my blood boiling faster than nearly anything when it comes to cars, and that word is (ugh… I hate to even type it) “patina.” Has another word ever been so over-used, and, for the record, so IMPROPERLY used in all of history? I submit that there has not been such a word. While patina is easily defined as a thin layer of oxidation weathering that may form on the surface of something deemed as valuable, modern society has—as it usually does with such things—twisted the meaning and applied the word to every rusty thing out there, regardless of the actual value, in some attempt to prescribe some value to the most worthless of tin. When I think “patina,” I think of antique malls and estate sales with oddly-discolored brass nicknacks sitting on doilies. Yeah, Mr. Rustbucket-slammed-way-too-low, I just said that your ride looks like it should be displayed on a decorative piece of lace. We’ve come to see the day when the “rat rod” ideal has leapt from simply being anything cobbled together using a piece or two that is remotely similar to an actual hot rod part, and “fabrication” skills rivaled only by things having rusted together accidentally in a field someplace finding a way to appear sightly more acceptable, simply by altering the jargon. A turd is always a turd, no

WINTER

2015

matter what name you try to stick to it. It’s that simple. Yet, sadly enough, we see marginally acceptable sheet metal thrown onto the street, under the guise of “patina” cars and trucks. More than just skin-deep weathering, we’re seeing rotten, unsafe, and, in many cases unrestorable cars thrown over an air-bagged chassis and big-inch smoothie wheels, and having these abominations celebrated by websites, magazines, and “reformed” rat rodders. It started with the hot rod crowd, cobbling together old parts cars to “make a statement.” We’ve seen the Sport Truck crowd fall victim to it, with scores of these rusty C-10s parading around with panels that are sinful to look at. We’ve even seen a few ProTouring-style rides trying to play the patina part in a parade of idiocy. Yet, Pro Street (with a few notable attempts, anyway), has steered clear. Why? Pride in engineering and execution, and the willingness to strive for perfection. It’s as simple as that. Granted, if someone were to happen upon a Pro Street masterpiece from the golden age, they’d want to show it off in as-found condition. It makes sense. Show the depths to which your prize was sunk, and allow everyone to experience that mix of excitement of rediscovery, with the exasperation of near death. Yet, that pride thing creeps in, and you just know that the challenge would be accepted, and that the mighty would be resurrected. Matt and Debbie

www.tubbedmagazine.com

Hays’ T-Bird is a prime example. Neglected, beat on, and left for dead, it’s back. It could have been left in disrepair, or even partial decomposition, but there’s a level of respect in our corner of the universe that dictates a certain manner of treatment for our own: We bring ’em back. And in my opinion, anyway, that is what not only elevates what we build in the land of the tubbed beyond the average street machine, but continues to drive the style. It’s one part heart, one part understanding of the soul of the build, and all other parts some need to pursue a level of detail and finish as the icing on the cake. Don’t get me wrong… I’m the first guy to encourage someone to build what they enjoy, and most importantly what they can afford (be it budget or talent-wise); I simply want people to have a far deeper sense of pride when they take that creation of theirs out for a cruise. There is a HUGE difference in the tone of conversation when speaking to someone with a (ugh… again) “patina” or “pseudo-barnfind” ride, and the guy who put his hours into polishing and perfecting everything he could. One usually has a bit of an attitude, and you can’t wait to walk away, while the latter just hits you with the “I need to have a beer with this guy” feeling. That said, go forth and build to the highest level. Challenge yourself. Help your fellow fat-tired friend reach those goals by offering your talents to their project. And, for the love of it all, keep the “patina” where it belongs: In the antique stores, and sitting on a doily.

A REAL BARN FIND One of the coolest stories from the Street Machine Nationals return to Du Quoin in 2013 was this ’55 Sedan Delivery owned by Justin Beam of Loganville, Georgia. After a typical long-term pro street build-up, the car was taken to the 1996 Nats, brought home, and stored in a barn. When Beam got word that the show was returning, he rolled it back out, 17 years after it had last seen the light of day, and brought it back to Du Quoin. Covered in dust, it featured raccoon footprints in the thick layer of dust on the top and windshield. Beam said he plans a full resto, but thought it would be cool to show the old Chevy “as-is” first. We couldn’t agree more!

Chris Kays photos

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Render

PRO

BRIAN

STUPSKI

PROBLEM CHILD CUSTOMS STUDIO

1973 DODGE CHARGER A little throwback piece, if you’ll indulge me, that seems to hold up over the years. This rendering is about five years old or so, and was for a long-term build that, as far as I know, has yet to be completed. With many of the components already in place, I was brought on by my paint-slinging pal Shawn Ray to get some colors and graphics figured out, and, working in the playground I was given, thought it best to play up some old-school Mopar flavor, and go “restrained,” allowing the tubbed-and-scooped ride speak for itself, with the graphic treatment singing back-up. A tip of the hat to the classic billboard graphic, bringing in some strobed lines for good measure, and keeping everything timeless in blue and silver, bridging the play of light between the paint, exterior trim and wheels. The shapes complement the long, flowing lines and short-deck styling, while helping to balance the heavier rear quarter panels with the lengthy, lean front fenders. When laying a graphic treatment, it’s all about making the most of the existing forms, not reinventing them. All of that said, we have a low-slung, highpowered beast packing some big-block Mopar power with a sheet metal intake and more horses than the Kentucky Derby could claim in all her years. The race-ready driveline and chassis are right at home under the agressively-styled beast, and those Billet Specialties Comp- wheels further bridge that old school/new-school gap, creating a timeless bruiser that will hopefully see the road one day.

Brian Stupski owns and operates Problem Child Kustoms Studios in the dry-heat state of Arizona. In addition to being a super-cool guy and a personal friend, he is one of the most sought-after automotive graphic artists in the world. Check out PCK on Facebook, Instagram, and anywhere eloquent and expletive-laced rants sold.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

SUMMER

2014

www.tubbedmagazine.com

Nography

PRO

STILL ROCKIN’ Back in the 1980s, you could find Illinois boy Rocky Robertson thrashing on wild rides nearly any night of the week out of his shop in Albers, located just a short trip east of St. Louis. He brought us such killer creations as a smooth, understated Somerset, this wicked-cool Buick Le Sabre, and a double-blown Kaiser. These days, he might not be cranking out a new car to debut at the Nationals (or maybe he is?), but he’s still very much in the game, operating Robertson’s Auto Shop where he does anything from tires and wheels to paint and body to full blown builds (someone please take a well-supported checkbook and hire him to build a new pro streeter!). Check him out on Facebook at www. facebook.com/pages/Robertsons-auto-shop.

Caesar Maragni photos

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Nography

PRO

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

LEGENDS’ CHOICE Phillip ‘Flip’ Riley’s sweet metallic brown 1963 Pontiac Tempest (get it...1B4GTO?) was a hit at the 2014 Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin, taking the new and highly coveted Grand Champion Legends’ Choice award in addition to Best of Show BOP (Buick, Olds, Pontiac). In addition to a big roots blower, the well-done creation features the requisite wall-towall Mickey Thompsons out back. As Flip says, it is an “Odd Beast,” and you can read all about it in the October issue of RPM Magazine.

Chris Kays photos

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Nography

PRO

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

FIRST FAMILY OF PRO STREET The sheer fact that there was a Matt and Debbie Hay gave every pimple-faced, fat-tire loving â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s boy hope that there just might be a girl out there like Debbie who would not only be the marrying type but also be into cars. The likable Indiana natives came on the scene in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s with a series of builds that seemed to get better and better each year. In 1985, this ground breaking alcohol-burning Oldsmobile took the Nats by storm and raised the bar for pro street, spurring other familiar names like Rocky Robertson to cut up late model iron, too. This pic, taken at the 1986 Street Machine Nationals at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds shows the wild ride rumbling the grounds and wowing the more than 62,000 spectators who attended the event its first year there.

Caesar Maragni photo

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Nography

PRO

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

SAVIN’ THE BUNS There is just something about those Virginia pro street guys. This photo, adeptly shot from a drone piloted by ace photographer Louis Fronkier, was taken at a Saturday Night Cruise-In organized by the boys from VA this past summer. We spy Ronald Bookman’s ‘Dart Vader,’ Ricky Ashworth’s nitroused Chevy truck, Jerry Gary, Jr.’s Vega, Tony Atkins’ S-10, Ronnie Ashworth’s Firebird, and a whole host of other cool cars. The cruise actually helped raise money to help keep the place open, so not only do the VA boys know how to build killer cars, they can keep the Thickburgers flippin’, too. According to sources, Ricky Ashworth was instrumental in pulling the whole thing together and saving the beloved burger joint. Great job, Ricky! You can see the feature on his black beast in the November issue of RPM Magazine. Louis Fronkier photo

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

RANDOM EYE CANDY Charles Leake’s sinister all-black pro street Chevy II was featured in the December issue of RPM Magazine and was named a 2014 TOP GUN. If Al Capone had a tubbed Chevy, this would probably have been the car he’d have built.

-Louis Fronkier photo courtesy of RPM Magazine

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

Nography

PRO

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

Nography

PRO

BLOWN BOX We gave you a sneak peek at George Norovich’s grocerygettin’ 1957 Nomad in our last issue, and since then we’ve been working on a full feature. Until then, we thought you’d enjoy a pic of the incredibly well detailed Rat motor. When we visited George’s place on a recent trip to West Frankfort, Illinois, he was in the process of converting the car over to a full electronic fuel injection system. Nice looking engine bay, George!

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Nography

PRO

NIGHT and DAY Anyone who remembers the first heyday of pro street can recall these two classic ends of the fat tire continuum. Scott Sullivan’s ‘Cheez Whiz’ 1955 Chevy is widely credited for returning pro street back to more a more sensible display of cool and even kicked off the first-ever version of what would become the Hot Rod Power Tour. Scott’s goal was to “... build an old car with a single four-barrel and no crazy graphics that I would drive to the event and spank everything on the premises,” which he pretty much did in 1988. At the other end of the spectrum was Rick Dobbertin’s J-2000, widely regarded as “the pro street car to top all pro street cars.” With an all-stainless chassis, two blowers, two turbos, a 20-port nitrous system, uber-wide Goodyear sprint car tires, and an articulated body, it has never been matched, let alone topped, for its sheer excess. And we here at TUBBED love them both.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

here’s just something about wrenching on cars that brings fathers and sons together. Whether it is a simple oil change on the family truckster or a full-blown shoulder-toshoulder effort on an all-out pro street build, time spent on a creeper in a garage has a way of cementing those generational links. At the same time, those experiences can deepen and forge bonds that can span a lifetime and can resonate in the ever after. Case in point: consider this silky-smooth 1964 Chevy Nova now owned by Ralph Haga, III of Galva, IL. Haga is no stranger to pro street. Among other cool cars he’s owned in his lifetime—including Troy Trepanier’s world-famous turquoise 1961 “Pro Box” Impala—none is as important or irreplaceable to the Reiman’s Harley Davidson Sales Manager as this little Nova. It seems there’s more to a gearhead’s heart than magazine exposure or show awards, and Haga’s love for the slime-green Deuce is proof-positive. The reason for that deepseated affection is simple: the car was the last build Haga got to complete with his late father, Ralph Haga, Jr. The elder Haga had battled cancer for years, but after a trip to the 2013 Street Machine Nationals in Du

Quoin, the pro street bug had bitten his son hard. “When I returned from Du Quoin, I told dad we had to build him a pro street car. He had a mild Monte Carlo that had been backhalved and was okay, but it didn’t sit right,” Haga, III said. “We sold it and started looking for a new car,” he added. A thorough internet search had brought up a Camaro in Virginia. Cash in hand, the younger Haga set off for the long drive. However, as so often happens, the car was not as advertised. It was an all-out drag car that would have taken far more work than either of the Hagas had bargained for to get it back in shape for street duty. “After driving all that way, I was disappointed at the thought of coming home empty handed,” he said. Haga asked the Camaro’s owner if he had anything else, and he promptly offered up a far milder ’64 Chevy II that had a 2x3-inch rectangle frame and seemed to be a better candidate for what the Galva father/son duo had in mind. A deal was struck and Haga headed west with a tubbed bowtie project in tow. The car had already been treated to a full square tube chassis with a 4-link and coilovers out back and a Mustang II setup up front. With a little tweaking to the

CLEAR INFLUENCES Haga says the car had a nice stance and a well-dressed small block when he got it, but after seeing Scott Sullivan’s 1955 Chevy at Du Quoin and revisiting the many Troy Trepanier builds he’s seen (and even owned), he opted for a subtle monochrome theme and played with flat and gloss finishes to add further interest.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WE HATE TO SEE HER GO... ...but with a perfect stance like this, huge Billet Specialties hoops and matching Mickey Thompson meats, and a body color cage visible in the back glass, we love to watch her leave. Haga found the car via the internet and it already had much of the heavy lifting done. That didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep him from teaming with his dad to meticulously rebuild the car.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

chassis—including a mild channel job and a fresh new set of wheel tubs with a custom floor—and a nice new set of Billet Specialties Street Lites (15x15 rears and 15x3.5 fronts) fitted with new Mickey Thompson rubber (Sportsman SR 33x22-15 rears with matching tread skinnies up front), the car would sport a sinister pro street stance. It also had a mild small block that ran…sort of. “Dad was already pretty sick by the time we got the car home,” he recalled. “We got it running and he took it for a lap around the block. He really liked the car. It was my goal for us to totally re-do his car and for the two of us to show it along with my Impala at the 2014 Du Quoin show,” he added. The pair took the car to Lewis Auto Body in Kewanee, IL and promptly set out to treat it to a bevy of understated pro street tricks. Taking obvious cues from heroes such as Trepanier and the legendary Scott Sullivan, Haga settled on a less-ismore, no-bling engine bay with monochrome tan color to match a tan interior and a new bright green tone-ontone paint job. Stealy Performance Machine in Moline, IL was tapped to bring the warmed-over small block up to snuff. A Dart 4-bolt 350 block was fitted with an Eagle Chevy 400 cast crank and Eagle rods swinging Keith Black forged flat top 10.7:1 pistons for to produce a high-winding 383

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

“It was my goal for us to totally re-do his car and for the two of us to show it along with my Impala at the 2014 Du Quoin show.” -Ralph Haga, III

cubic inch bullet. Patriot aluminum heads were portmatched to the Dart aluminum intake, and a Quick Fuel carburetor was crowned with a one-off sheetmetal air cleaner. Nearly all parts, shiny and non-shiny alike were treated to copious amounts of matte tan paint to give a contemporary look. “I have plans to swap the carb for an MSD electronic fuel injection system this winter, so coupled with the overdrive transmission, this thing will really be fun to drive. The mighty little mouse cranked out an impressive 523 hp on the dyno. Under the hood, a pair of custom-

made sheetmetal inner fenders have been painted flat body color, further complimenting the Sullivan-inspired engine bay. Backing the monochrome mill is a beefed Chevy Turbo 350 with a reverse manual valve body. The Gear Vendors overdrive unit makes the tall 5.10 rear gear manageable on the interstate. Moving rearward, the narrowed Ford 9-inch has been fitted with Strange axles and reworked factory Ford brakes. With the drivetrain all sorted, it was time to turn attention to the paint and body. Rich, Chad, and Shawn Lewis and Jose Munoz of

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

THE MOUSE IN KHAKIS Haga detailed the warmed-over small block with a few gallons of matte tan paint. Custom touches like a hand-fabricated air cleaner and master cylinder cover along with select parts and pieces from Rad Rides carry the silky-smooth theme through the engine bay.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

SWEET INSIDE WITH JUST A HINT OF LIME... The well-appointed interior features the same tan hue of the engine bay carried throughout, intermixed with a generous helping of custom touches. A whole dash full of Auto Meter gauges sits behind a LeCarra wheel. Shifting duties are managed by a console-mounted B&M Pro Stick shifter, and a pair of custom leather-wrapped buckets are bolted within the confines of the glossy green body color cage.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

Lewis Auto Body massaged the 50-yearold GM sheetmetal and prepped the car for paint. A custom VFN cowl-induction hood was installed for added style, lighter weight, and better performance. The custom-mixed DuPont green was dazzledup with a blue pearl in the clear up top and a matte-clear below the bodyline. Brad Grimm added the custom pin striping, complete with an understated “Shrek” graphic to complement the ogreific new color choice. Moving inside, the Haga’s pieced together a nice streetfriendly cockpit, including copious amounts of tan leather and a full body-color roll cage. Autometer Pro Comp gauges help keep an eye on the vital signs, while a LeCarra leather-wrapped wheel handles turning duties. A B&M shifter has been massaged into a one-off center console that features a monster 5-inch Sport Comp tach. A bushel basket full of cool billet parts and pieces round out the custom touches.

2015

With the Street Machine Nationals drawing near, Haga, Jr. had removed the wheels and was polishing his new ride up in preparation for the show that would occur in just a few days. Before he could complete the job, he called his son and asked for a ride to the hospital. “Dad had never been to Du Quoin, and we were thrilled at the prospect of both having our cars there for 2014,” Haga, III said. Unfortunately, with the elder Haga in the hospital, those plans were scrapped. “I told him I wanted to stay with him and that we’d skip the show,” he said. “However, dad wouldn’t have it. From his hospital bed he insisted that

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

I take the new build and have a good time,” he added. As directed, Haga, III took the car to the Nats, where it was well received. After arriving on Friday and taking in the first day of the show, Haga, III got a dreaded call from his wife back home. “She told me I better get home quick because it didn’t look like dad was gonna make it,” he somberly recalled. Haga, III rushed to the hospital to his father’s bedside. After the four hour trek, he arrived—but not before his dad’s last valiant effort had nearly fallen to the relentless disease. “My dad always worked hard and wanted a car like this, but we could never afford it. I was thrilled that at long last we could

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

build him one,” he said. “We got word that Saturday that the car had been named to Car Craft’s list of Top 10 Pro Street Cars at the event,” he said. Screen in hand, son showed father the reward of their effort, and the elder Haga bubbled into a wide smile. They had done it, Together. And to top it all off, others found the cool cruiser recognitionworthy, as well. Haga’s dad passed two days later on July 1, 2014. His memorial service was a car show and a celebration of a life well lived all at the same time. “We drove the Nova to the graveside the day dad was buried,” Haga, III recalled. “As long as I live, this car will remain in my family,” he added. It has been said that whatever we do in life that remains after we are gone is the essence of our legacy. For Ralph Haga, III, his father’s—and now his—legacy just happens to be a halfcentury old Chevy with a perfect stance and a clear nod to classic pro street tradition. Godspeed, Ralph, Jr. Your legacy is beautiful.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

im Gough had had enough. He had poured nearly all his time and resources into a wicked S3 Laguna pro street car that, in his words, contained all his favorite elements from the cars of his heroes, including Rick Dobbertin, Matt and Debbie Hay, Mark Grimes, Rocky Robertson, and others. With a blown and electronic fuel injection-equipped big block, aluminum floor, and low-slung pro stock stance, it was wild, over the top, wretched excess in every sense of the term. “Although it won a room full of awards, it wasn’t very streetable,” Gough said. “I started to envy those who drove their cars to the shows,” he added. As so often happens, that fleeting feeling of malaise turned into a gnawing sensation that wouldn’t quite subside. While building and showing the Laguna had been great, the Monmouth, Illinois resident and proprietor of Metalcrafters just couldn’t shake the notion that—as cool as it was—he was tired of having so much tied up in a car that was, by all accounts, impractical. Too wild to drive and too nice to race, it did its duty on the show circuit, and little else.

In an ironic twist, it would be a visit to the hallowed pro street confines of the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds and the Street Machine Nationals that would provide the starting point for Gough’s next creation: this wild looking but relatively easydriving 1991 Caprice Wagon. “In 1997, my wife at the time and I drove our 1995 Impala SS to Du Quoin,” he recalled. “As we drove in the main entrance, there was this purple Caprice station wagon sitting right there with a for sale sign on it.” In addition to a cool paint job with airbrushed graphics, it had been lowered and sported a set of then-huge 17-inch billet wheels. “A light bulb went on over my head. I thought, ‘Can you imagine that thing with the Laguna motor in it?’ I sure could,” he said. Gough had a long list of demands for the build, though. It needed four doors, four seats, no cage, and a full flat floor in back. “I wanted to be able to take it to the grocery store and rattle the windows when I pulled up or drive it to shows with all the stuff in the back,” he added with a chuckle. But what about ride height? Getting the right stance meant an impractical drop, particularly problematic on

BACK FOR ANOTHER SPIN Thanks to a mad thrash by the crew at Metalcrafters, Gough was able to bring his long-time-coming wagon back to Du Quoin in 2014, the very place where he bought the car originally in 1997. We selected this site for his photo shoot as it had served as the site for his pro Street Laguna photo shoot nearly 20 years prior.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

a long wheelbase car like a Caprice wagon. An encounter the prior year with Air Ride Technologies (now Ridetech) founder Bret Voelkel for some help on an EFI setup had led to a discussion about Voelkel’s new-fangled idea to put hot rods—and pro streeters—on air bags. The cushiony soft ride with the adjustable ride height would be the best of both worlds. It could be the perfect setup. Gough knew it then and there: he HAD to buy the wagon. “I called the bank on our brand-new Star Tac flip phone (Baller Mode: ENGAGED) from the fairgrounds and drove it home on Sunday. Just 17 years later, he’d roll right back into the Fairgrounds with his vision completed. Wait. What? Yep, the build might have taken the better part of two decades, but it sure makes for a better story. Initially, the project started at a good pace. About a month after purchasing the car, the cutting began. Gough made the decision not to use the 6-71 blown 427 big block from the Laguna. Instead, he acquired an all-aluminum Keith Black 540 and strapped on a bigger 8-71 huffer. Larry Wright lovingly machined and assembled the big Rat, fitting it with pumpgas friendly 7:1 Comp forged pistons, steel rods and a

COOL BEGINNINGS... The wagon was pretty cool even before Gough and crew got after it. Here’s how the car looked at the Street Machine Nationals in 1993, and it would remain relatively unchanged until Gough purchased it in 1997. Although the initial plan was to keep the cool airbrushed graphics, a blistered quarter panel during floor pan plasma cutting resulted in the need for a whole new paint job.

Diahann Schuebel photo

KILLER ENDING It might have taken 17 years, but the end result was clearly worth the wait. The car features clear nods to the past, with SuperTrapp exhaust inspired by Matt & Debbie Hay, Ride Tech air suspension inspired by Brett Voelkel, and a plethora of subtle and not-so-subtle body mods. The nitrous and fuel injection plumbing alone, largely the handiwork of Robert Carrasca based on Gough’s vision, is a work of art all by itself.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

NOT MUCH BOLTED ON You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just go online to Summit and buy most of what you see here. The crew at Metalcrafters have countless hours invested in things like nitrous solenoid brackets, seemingly endless lengths of custombent hard lines, and other fabricated pieces. Check out the custom firewall mounted tank, fabricated to match the profile of the custom valve covers, or the cool carbon fiber firewall. Everywhere you look, the engine bay has been detailed and tricked out...and it has AC!

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

forged crank. A Comp solid roller cam was selected to command the valvetrain, and a pair of Brodix aluminum heads were torqued down to cap the cylinders. Up top, that large 8-71 BDS blower spins at 20% overdrive and has been equipped with a Holley EFI system. Moroso fabricated sheetmetal valve covers and a host of trick aluminum parts and pieces finish out the look. A wild two-stage nitrous system designed by Gough and installed by Metalcrafters resident fabricator and fellow Pro Street Mad Scientist Robert Carrasca was installed. A Stefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabricated aluminum oil pan and full custom 2 1/8-inch shorty headers were added for improved ground clearance. Backing the potent Chevy engine is a fortified Chevy 700R4 transmission built by Bob Alexander at Performance Transmissions in Clinton, Illinois. The overdrive makes for easier interstate cruising, and the 10inch stall converter further enhances the wild wagonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s street manners and overall drivability. Like the transmission, Alexander

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

ATYPICAL UNDERPINNINGS Gough’s goal was to build a pro street car without the normal maze of tubing in the interior by keeping much of the factory frame and beefing it up with a chrome moly “exoskeleton.” The custom Metalcrafters 4-link hangs an Alston Fab9 differential with altitude adjustments via a Ridetech four-corner air suspension system. The car also features an incredible exhaust system that runs all the way out the back and exits via a quartet of SuperTrapp mufflers, while a huge fabricated aluminum fuel cell ensures the thirsty Rat doesn’t need to hit every exit on roadtrips in order to stay properly “hydrated.” It all plays a part in fulfilling Gough’s vision to build a cool cruiser with seating for four, air conditioning, and a wickedly low (yet still streetable) stance.

also assembled the car’s differential. An Alston Fab9 housing was equipped with a Strange center section with a Detroit locker, Strange 35-spline axles, and 4.30 gears.

WINTER

Rolling stock for the car consists of eraperfect original Boyd’s billet wheels and Mickey Thompson tires. A pair of 15x5-inchers wrapped in 195/75-15s spin up front, while massive 15x15s with 33x19.5 Sportsmans fill the tubs out back. The chassis was a chore by itself. Turns out the original vision to retain much of the factory

2015

floor and avoid a cage in the interior was even more difficult than originally anticipated. The factory front suspension was retained, but upgraded to Ridetech Cool Ride bags with Wilwood disc brakes. A custom fabricated 4-link was installed out back, also suspended from Ridetech bags and stopped with matching Wilwood discs.

www.tubbedmagazine.com

Ridetech shocks were installed on all corners and the factory frame was retained front and middle with significant stiffening via round tube bracing snaked around the factory floor pan. A custom double 1 5/8-inch round tube back third (hey, this is a looooong frame!) was fabricated and the entire chassis was powder coated black.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

Periodic work on the car continued and it got some attention here and there, but it was never consistently a true priority. When Metalcrafters bought a paint booth and hired a couple of paint and body men, the car was nearly readied for paint, but again was sent back to the bullpen to wait some more. As much as Gough liked the paint and graphics when he acquired the car, he later decided on a repaint after getting a bit close to the quarter with the plasma during chassis surgery and triggering some unsightly blistering. The sheetmetal was media-blasted bare. The previousowner’s shaved handles were retained, and Gough’s idea for a two-piece hood was created with the help of body man Garry Lemley using a part of a second hood pulled from an old police cruiser. The car was also equipped with a fiberglass roll pan and fiberglass front

nosepiece, and John Perry shaved the luggage rack. In an era before artist’s renderings and carefully laid marketing plans, Gough still had a crystal-clear vision of the ride he wanted. The problem was, that vision steadily began to fade. As so often happens, life got in the way. Not only that, the Street Machine Nationals died an unceremonious death after the 1998 show. With countless other paying projects taking priority in the shop and pro street’s grandest stage now padlocked shut every summer, the Caprice was pushed deeper and deeper into the recesses of his growing Metalcrafters operation. The car literally sat for years untouched. “I thought about selling it several times, even trying to track down a guy I met at an SS meet who said to call him if I ever wanted to sell it,” Gough recalled. However, the

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

The huge cockpit is fully climate controlled with heat and AC, and tunes are provided via a Pioneer CD player. The touch panel is fof contrlling the Holley EFI system and adds yet another a high tech touch to the Pro Plush interior.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

ATYPICAL INSIDES No cage? No problem. Gough had grown tired of climbing in and out of a jungle gym of tubing due to previous builds, so he purposely built the wagon sans roll bars.The wagon features a dashboard stuffed with nearly every gauge ever produced by AutoMeter in a super cool contoured body color insert that angles every face right at the driver. Andy Laird wrapped the Oldsmobile seats in tone-on-tone gray leather, and the trick center console houses the Dakota Digital gauges for the Ridetech suspension along with a billet shifter.

crew at Metalcrafters always managed to convince the boss man to hang onto to the project. If not for Shop Foreman Jason Allen, the car might not ever have been moved to the front of the line. “A couple of years ago, I made a decision. I had several cars and lots of parts sitting around doing nothing, so I decided to just pick what I wanted and just finish it,” Gough recalled. “Then Jason says, ‘We ought to finish the wagon. It’s the closest to paint and you pretty much have all the parts to put it together,’” he said. It made sense. With the wagon sulking incomplete and dust-covered in the corner, Gough took Allen’s advice and went to give it another look. In his words, “We had never bowed to the magazine fads and had always been die-hard pro street. I thought, ‘Hell, this thing was so far out of style it might almost be cool again,’” he chuckled. At the same time, word of the return of the Nats to their former home in Du Quoin for 2013 was all the shove the gang needed to official kick the project back off in earnest. It was game on to finish the car in time for the 2014 show. “We were like, ‘Okay, let’s do it,’ and the rest, as they say, is history,” he said. Despite having most of the parts and much of the heavy lifting on the fabrication done, completing the car in time for the show was no small feat. Rocket Restorations owner Josh Lester handled final prep and sprayed the mile-deep House of Kolors Passion Purple paint. Other parts of the build needed attention, too.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

The massive interior of the car is luxurious and well appointed, boasting a quartet of leather-wrapped modified Oldsmobile seats wrapped by Andy Laird of Laird’s Custom Upholstery in Milan, Illinois. Gough modified the dash with a custom steel insert filled to capacity with Auto Meter instrumentation, and also built a matching console with Dakota Digital air gauges. Carrasca handled the install of the Holley EFI touch panel. An all-billet steering wheel provides a tasteful touch of bling, while a Precision Performance Kwik-Shift II billet shifter provides a raceinspired look. The car features air conditioning for those hot summer cruises and other trick touches like remote controlled windows and back glass release courtesy of Stacy Johnson. A Pioneer CD player handles the tunes and is mounted just above a pair of console-mounted cup holders (we told you this thing was built for cruisin’!). A Carrasca-fabricated custom aluminum fuel cell rides out back and the impressive full exhaust system with a quartet of SuperTrapps on the tips is Gough’s handiwork. With Gough north in Canada as the show approached, the Metalcrafters team pulled together and got much of the final assembly done in time for the show. “Although the early work on the car was done by me, the

WINTER

2015

last few months was almost all my friends and co-workers,” Gough said. “Jason, Stacy, Robert, and Josh did a fantastic job. Without them, it absolutely would not have been finished with me being up north,” he added. The car was a smash at the 2014 Nationals, walking away with a coveted Legends’ Choice Award and consistently commanding a throng of oogling onlookers from its prominent position on the front row of the pro street corral. Although there were some cars that were wilder and some cars that were milder, there were none that boasted quite the Nats pedigree or intriguing build story as Gough’s Purple People Hauler. Like any true street machiner, Gough isn’t quite finished with the car just yet. He has plans to finish out a few details in the interior and convert over to a plug-on-coil ignition system. But more than likely, you’ll see him again next summer roaming the grounds in one of the coolest pro street wagons ever conceived or built. It is a beautiful and interesting juxtaposition of blower whine and luxurious seating for four, massive rear meats and ice cold air conditioning, and a fabricated custom chassis with factory stamped floorpans. Done in his eyes or not, Gough’s wagon is proof positive that sometimes in order to get everything we want, we have to go back and do things differently than we did them the first time. This car was initially conceived to be just the opposite of his magazinecaliber Laguna, while still being drop-dead gorgeous, killer cool, and true to the roots of pro street. We say mission accomplished.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

erry Gary, Jr. was sick. Really sick. The likeable Smithfield, Virginia auto parts consultant spent more than a few days wondering if his time was almost up. However, during his lengthy illness, he stumbled across a book about the Street Machine Nationals and the heyday of pro street and discovered a freshly-stoked fire for all things fat-tired. Within a few months, Gary had recovered and he was ready to find a car of his own. “When I was growing up, I was consumed by two things: car magazines and my girlfriend (and eventual wife) Shari,” he said with a laugh. In particular, Gary says he has always had a particular interest in the venerable Chevy Vega. The mini-Camaros featured clean lines, light weight, and were common subjects for small block swaps. “I will never forget the first time I saw my Vega. It was in April 1986 issue of Popular Hot Rodding magazine. I purchased a subscription to the magazine as a present to myself for my 20th birthday,” he said. At the time, the highlydetailed ’72 was owned by Jim Bell and had been voted as one of “America’s Best Hot Rods” in that month’s issue. The car was being shown on the ISCA circuit and had been at the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals. In

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

TIME MACHINE (NON-DeLOREAN VERSION) Not many of us get the chance to own the car we wanted as a kid, but that’s just what Gary has managed to do. After stumbling upon the classic Jim Bell Vega, he purchased it and lovingly restored it to nearly new. Although it doesn’t feature steamroller rear meats, it is a picture perfect representation of street machining and the very beginning of the pro street era of the late ’70s and early ’80s.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

DUAL QUADS ON A RAM Back in the day, a Weiand tunnel ram and a pair of Holley four barrels were a quick and easy way to get your induction system north of the hood line and propel you on the way to street machine stardom. Although the car had been altered with a single four, the previous owner still had the cool polished manifold and classic fuel squirters handy and kicked them in on the deal. A little polish and a pair of gaskets later, the little Vega was on her way back to her former glory.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

addition to a 302 small block pirated from a Z/28, it featured a wild multi-color paint job and extensive chrome plating on the suspension. Almost 30 years ago, Gary recalls saying to himself, “One day I’ll have a Vega like that.” Over the years, Gary owned several Vegas as well as other high performance cars. Some were street cars and some were race cars. In 2012, bitten hard by the pro street bug again, Gary was on the hunt for a new ride. He had no idea that his new ride would be one with such vintage fat tire roots. “I saw a Vega for sale with a trick paint job, so I eagerly dialed the number listed in the ad,” he said. “The car was local, so at my lunch time I left work and went right over. I was told the owner was home and was welcomed to come take a look. The Vega was sitting in the corner of the garage and covered with racing stickers and dust. It clearly needed a lot of TLC,” he recalled. The car’s undercarriage was the first sign that this was no run-of-themill clapped out old

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

drag car. Tons of chrome and custom paint told the story. Gary casually inquired if the ride happened to be an old show car, and the former owner pulled out a copy of the very same 1986 Popular Hot Rodding Gary had drooled over as a teen. “It was then I realized I realized I was looking at the very same Vega I’d dreamed of all those years ago,” he said with a laugh. “I immediately reached into my pocket and happily left a deposit to buy the car,” he added. To make things even better, the owner offered to trade the single carburetor intake that was on the car at the time for the polished tunnel ram that used to be on it back in her prime. Gary couldn’t say yes fast enough

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

and the deal was made. The Vega was his, 26 years to the day from when he first saw the car in his youth. Once Gary got the car home, he started posting pictures on Vega websites and on Facebook. One of Bell’s friends saw a picture and contacted Gary. The two were put into contact and talked at length about the car. Bell even sent several pictures of the car from project inception from bare metal all the way to a winning ISCA show car. “With the pictures and Jim’s knowledge, I’ve been able to get the Vega to the same condition it was in 1986,” Gary said. In its current iteration, the car features a 406 ci Chevy small block with 12.5:1 TRW forged pistons, a Lunati solid lifter cam,

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

and the aforementioned polished Weiand tunnel ram with twin Holley 600cfm squirters. A custom Kevin Hedrick exhaust system keeps the mouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audible ruckus street legal, and the estimated 450+ horsepower mill pushes the ponies through a beefed Turbo 400 with a manual valve body and a 4000-stall converter. The high stall is critical for the era-perfect and notoriously wildmannered induction system on the street. A chrome driveshaft sends power rearward to the

narrowed GM 12-bolt posi rearend that has been equipped with 4.88 gears and Strange axles. The chassis features narrowed frame rails, a chrome 4-link out back along with a customfabricated 8-point cage to stiffen things up. Much of the suspension up front is factory, but a heavy dose of chrome plating on numerous parts and pieces still sparkle after all these years. Continuing the throwback theme, the car rides on Weld SuperLites measuring 13x3.5-inches

up front and 15x9-inches out back. Moroso Front Runners help keep the bowtie pointed in the right direction, while 29x12.5-15-inch MT Sportsmans provide the hook out back. Factory discs in front and drums out back help slow the car from speed. Although not massive, the baby meats out back are eraappropriate and were the exact tires that were on the car its first go-â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;round back in the day, so we at TUBBED avoided poking any fun at Gary for his relative lack of steamroller girth.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

EVERYTHING BUT A FLUX CAPACITOR The Vega features all the parts, fit, and finish to show her roots as a pro street time machine. The rear bench seat was removed to make way for the 4-link suspension and small tubs that have been carpeted in loop pile carpet. The 8-point roll cage. Custom pinstriping is found throughout the build, as evidenced on the door jamb and rear cage supports. Stewart Warner gauges in the dash are complemented by a Moroso cable-driven tach on the dash.

2015

WELL DETAILED It didn’t take an expert to realize that this car was no ragged out old bracket car, but Gary knew right away that it was in fact a former magazine-featured ISCA show car with Street Machine Nationals heritage. The body color narrowed Chevy 12-bolt has been treated to a chrome rear cover and rides on a then-cuttingedge 4-link with coilovers. Notice the contrasting colors of the factory Chevy drum brakes and fuel tank, along with pinstriping and chrome accents such as the factory GM tank straps and the in-line Fram fuel filter.

Inside, the Vega features racing seats and belts and a dash stuffed full of vintage Stewart Warner instrumentation supplemented by a Moroso cable-driven tach. Shifting duties are managed by a (what else?) classic oldschool B&M QuickClick shifter. Most notably, the car still wears the iconic candy brandywine paint and multi-hued candy graphics applied back in 1985. “Another person I had the pleasure of contacting me

WINTER

that was involved with the building of my Vega was Dusty Palmer. He did all the custom painting on the car,” Gary said. “He had purchased the car from Jim back in the day and continued showing it for a few years. He still had the original bucket seats, red door panel inserts, and Moroso valve covers from back in the show days,” he added. Gary was thrilled to discover that the car was included in the January 2014 “Readers’ Rides” section of Popular Hot Rodding and had the pleasure of meeting the car’s original owner and builder Jim Bell himself while showing

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

the Vega in the Virginia Hot Rod and Custom Car show at Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia. And just like the magazine coverage came full circle, Gary intends to do the same showing the car as well. It was in attendance at the 1982 Street Machine Nationals and if all goes according to plan, will be in attendance in 2015, too. Gary is thankful to wife Shari who allows him to pursue his pro street passions,

brother Jeff who helped piece the car back together, and to Ron Derrick who helped encourage him to find a Vega of his own. Cutting-edge? No. High tech? Far from it. However, Garyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little Vega is a rolling, rumbling, time capsule look into the real roots of pro street. And while Jerry made a recovery and is no longer ill like he once was, it is his throwback Vega that is sick... But in a good way.

NOT TOO SHABBY, JERRY... Gary, Jr. married his high school sweetheart Shari, seen here, and now owns a car he could only dream of back in his school days. No wonder heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smiling...

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

TUBBED

Events CITY OF SPEED

JIM

PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY SHOW HITS INDY

WILLIAMS

or most of us, when winter hits, all the fun of cruising and racing that persisted throughout the summer comes to a screeching halt as colder temps and poor weather in genral sets in. It is a time for off-season projects completed on cold concrete floors and not much else. However, there’s at least one bright spot for any horsepower junkie, and the weather inside is always favorable: the 27th Annual Performance Racing Industry tradeshow December 11-13 in Indianapolis, Indiana. For the second year in a row, we attended PRI as guests of “the big mag,” RPM Magazine...our parent publication. The two halls at the Indiana Convention Center were packed wall-towall with tons of cool rides, awesome parts, and all the best tools in the world. We did our best to capture some of favorite scenes from the show, and we hope you enjoy!

WINTER

MAJOR LEAGUE MILLS PRI brings out all the best in the nation’s engine builders. While we had hoped our friends from Jon Kaase Racing Engines might bring the aPocalypSe Horse bullet and have it on display, it is probably just as well they didn’t as it would have seemed hohum by comparison. We continue to see increased use of CNC machined parts and pieces never even dreamed of just a few years agao. However, with continued advances in technology and machining, more and more builders are turning to billet parts over fabricated pieces like valve covers, oil pans, intakes, etc. This piece from Moran (right) had a steady stream of drolling onlookers all weekend.

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

STILL DRAGGINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Drag Week legend Larry Larson was busy all weekend, as he was with his new S-10 pickup was in the Racepak booth, while his legendary Nova was in another booth in the other hall. Far from pristine, it is clear that the Nova is ridden hard, but is is still a beautiful piece. Hard to believe, but in this configuration, producing four-digit horsepower, would have absolutely no chance in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drag Week. The game moves quickly!

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FIGHT THE LAWMAN The SCE Gaskets booth featured this beautiful 1970 Boss Mustang-styled nostalgia funny car. Although we love the speeds and the technology of modern fuel racing, there is something to be said for floppers that still bear a distinct resemblance to their production counterparts. This car was simply breathtaking and worth a good inspection.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY! Order your copy of Toby Brooksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; incredible book, Sensory Overload: Cool Builders, Hot Cars, and Wild Times at the Street Machine Nationals. Almost 270 pages crammed full of pictures, stories, and memories of the greatest car show EVER! Just $22 with FREE SHIPPING!! Go to www. streetmachinereunion.com/sensory-overload and order your copy today!

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

STILL SICK One of the things we wanted to see most at PRI 2014 was Tom Baileyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Sick Seconds 2.0 currently under construction. However, Sick Seconds 1.0 was on display in the Gurit Composities booth. While some scoff that these Drag Week Unlimited cars are just pro mods with license plates, it is hard to argue with the 1,000+ miles at five tracks that each must complete in order to have a chance at the title. With a gratuitous amount of Steve Morris horsepower on tap, the old â&#x20AC;&#x2122;69 is still an incredible machine.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

THE NEW SICKNESS And speaking of Baileyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new car, here it is. Featuring a water-cooled but all-billet big block and an all carbonfiber body weighing just 60 pounds, Sick Seconds 2.0 promises to be a stout challenger to Jeff Lutz, Larry Larson, and the typical crew of drag week competitors. An absolutely insane build, one has to wonder just how much faster these cars can go.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

MODERN MUSCLE This new Mustang, built by Mike Roth of MR2 Performance, was an absolutely breathtaking piece of craftsmanship. Try as we might to get anything other than detail shots, the throng of spectators the car drew all weekend made it impossible.

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

MORE MODERN MUSCLE Builder Mike Roth talked to us for a good long while just after nearly calling the authorities on us for stalking this car. Roth handled every aspect of the build, including engine, chassis, paint and body, and interior. The details were astounding, such as the cool flip-out emergency kit built into the cage on a billet panel. The tubs featured a killer scalloped stitching pattern in the black leather that had to be seen to be believed. The craftsmanship on this build was absolutely off the charts!

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

DOOR SLAMMERS GALORE Although none of these rides are pro street cars, they were all chock full of ideas for anyone considering a top-shelf pro street build. As evidenced by Baily, Larson, Lutz, and others, the line between pro street and pro mod continues to grow increasingly blurry, and cars like Dina Parisiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredible CTS Caddy (below) or this late model Camaro (right) of Don Walsh, Jr. are real teasers as to what these cars would look like in no-holds-barred pro street trim.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

OUTLAWS IN THE HOUSE Andrade of the popular Discovery Channel show Street Outlaws was in the house with his freshly tubbed Cutty. After fortifying his ride with more than 1,500 hp from the Texas Speed LS engine, he says going small tire was no longer an option. He figures to be a real contender in the upcoming season. Look for a full feature on this wicked ride in an upcoming issue of RPM Magazine.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

AMONG THE CHAMPIONS A number of professional racers were on hand to meet and greet with fans and sponsors. Here, we had the honor of saying hello to 2014 NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders, while 2014 NHRA Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s US Army dragster was on display in the main foyer.

100

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

101

GETS BACK

ON TRACK

VIRGINIA ROD COMPANY TO THE RESCUE TOBY

ast issue we brought you up to speed on our wild new Pro Street 2.0 build, Project aPocalypSe Horse. Much has happened since that time, and with any luck (wouldn’t that be a nice change of pace for this project!), we’ll be rolling toward paint by next issue. Plans have changed substantially in some respects, as we now have a wonderful new chassis shop in Virginia Rod Company, headed up by Donald Williams and his right hand man, fabricator Bobby Starcher. After we finally made the difficult decision to pull the car from the previous shop, Donald road-tripped through the night with buddy Ron Bookman to pick the car up in Cincinnati, as the previous shop owner was kind enough to at least deliver the car halfway. 102

WINTER

2015

BROOKS

The original plan was for Donald and Bobby to complete the chassis that was delivered with the car. Unfortunately, despite more than a year of waiting and a considerable amount of cash, the chassis that was delivered was unusable. To make matters worse, some of our parts were also either unusable or not delivered with the other parts of the car at all. Now the last thing we want to do is run down another shop. However, if you read the editorial in this month’s issue, you know that the whole situation has been chock full of drama and eventual victory (when the car was sent to Virginia). We’re still holding out a slight glimmer of hope that the parties involved will do the right thing www.tubbedmagazine.com

and return much of what we paid for services that were never rendered, but if nothing else, let our mistake be a lesson to you: get everything IN WRITING UP FRONT and only pay as you go. We made the mistake of paying two-thirds of the agreed upon

THE JIG IS UP Maybe weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re impatient, but we finally figured that over a year with little or no progress was enough. The car arrived at Virginia Rod Company in pretty poor shape (inset), but within a matter of days Donald, Bobby, and the crew had the Mustang coming along nicely.

price up front, and so far all we have to show for it is a car with cut floor pans and an unusable half-started chassis. If we had it to do over again, we would certainly handle the whole situation differently, so if nothing else we hope our mistakes can serve as

valuable lessons for you, our readers. At any rate, with the shell of the car delivered to VA Rod Co, Donald and Bobby got to work, starting with over 300 feet of 4130 chrome moly tubing from Stockcar Steel and Aluminum. Within a matter of three days, the

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

all-new chassis was further along than the previous chassis had been after 13 months. This was finally getting exciting. Bobby incorporated S&W Racecars components and an S&W fabricated Ford differential and quickly got the |

WINTER

2015

103

BEFORE 4-link sorted out. One of the reasons VA Rod Co suggested starting from scratch was the mounting points used for the 4-link brackets in the old chassis were incorrectly positioned. The mounts were too low in the frame, which would have resulted in a 20-30-degree angle on the lower 4-link bars and an unacceptable pinion angle between the driveshaft and the rearend. With the rearend mounted, Bobby also mocked up our cool dual caliper crossdrilled and slotted Baer SS4 disc brakes. As we went to press, he was in the process of installing the Ridetech ShockWaves that will allow for four or five inches of adjustable suspension travel controllable from a cell phone via Bluetooth. One of the coolest features thus far in the build has been the twin funny car cages. The chassis is being built to 25.3 spec which will accomodate our huge Kaase horsepower along with the added weight of a fullydressed street car such as interior comforts like AC and a full Rockford Fosgate audio system.

104

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

AFTER

STARTING OVER The gang at VA Rod Co discovered a number of issues right away upon inspecting the previous unfinished chassis. In addition to concerns over weld quality and overall fitment, the front 4-link brackets were mounted too low in the chassis, which would have resulted in an undesirable angulation as seen on the left. With the new set up, not only is fit and finish excellent, all alignment issues have been addressed.

GETTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; TIG-GY WITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; IT The new chassis came together rapidly, and although most pieces were simply tacked in place until most fitment and construction were finalized, the guys laid a few beads just to demonstrate the quality we can expect throughtout the build. Did we mention how insanely jealous we are of their skills?

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

105

COMING TOGETHER We are by no means the first folks to envision a twin funny car cage (Canadian Al Hinds was well known for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;his-n-hersâ&#x20AC;? cages in his builds), but we do think it is the first to call a newer body style Mustang a home. Here, Bobby Starcher has pieced in both sides of the backs of the cages and tied them in with the rear chassis with incredible symmetry and precision.

106

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

107

714 OLD OYSTER POINT ROAD | NEWPORT NEWS, VA | 23602

757.596.7275 OFFICIAL FABRICATION SHOP OF PROJECT

ONE PIECE AT A TIME With the rear â&#x20AC;&#x153;headache rackâ&#x20AC;? all fabbed up and tacked in, Starcher continued to tie the whole beautiful maze together. The forward portions toward the center of the car went in next, followed by the forward lateral portions. The car is being built to meet or exceed SFI 25.3 spec, which will be critical should we really turn the wick up on the Kaase big block and see what the Boss Nine will do. The symmetry in the cage from side to side is absolutely perfect...no easy task when working with 4130 chrome moly tubing.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

109

GOING TUBIN’ We called several places to find 4130 chrome moly tubing, but no one came close to the prices we got from Stock Car Steel and Aluminum. They delivered over 300 feet of tubing in various sizes in a crate filled with 20+-foot long sticks via truck in less than three days following our order.

110

WINTER

2015

LOOK AT THAT FIT... Not only is the twin funny car cage absolutely perfect, it resulted in quite possibly the coolest roof X-brace in the history of drag racing. We couldn’t be happier with not only the quality of VA Rod Co’s work, but also the creativity they have infused into the build. And how cool do those massive Goodyear slicks and double beadlocked Billet Specialties Street Lites look tucked up under this bad boy?

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

111

BEEFY IN THE BACK With the front half of the chassis awaiting the engine and induction system, Starcher got the fabricated S&W Racecars 9-inch housing hung from the 4-link and mounted in place. Before that could be done, the rear end had to be narrowed an additional five inches, as the previous shop failed to account for the extra drop provided by the Ridetech ShockWaves. Had we left the rear end as it had been prepped, the top sidewalls of the tires would have contacted the inside of the quarter panels, prohibiting full suspension travel, damaging the quarters, or possibly both. Thankfully the nearly indestructable 40-spline Moser axles did not require further shortening, as the deep spline will still fully engage with the Moser aluminum center section. With the rear end mounted, Starcher then popped the Baer SS4 Deep Stage billet mounting plates and rotors in place. The slotted and cross-drilled rotors have an unmistakable heavy duty, high performance look to match their legendary Baer Brakes performance.

112

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

FOR THE LAST TIME, IT ISNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T PINK... With the backing plates and rotors mounted up, it was time to see what the dual Baer calipers would look like. We think the transparent raspberry powder coat is a perfect highlight and will really pop against components that will eventually be painted or powder coated matte black and matte grey.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

113

INTERIOR FITMENT Unfortunately our hopes of having a comfy pair of street rod-style seats were dashed due to the tight confines of the dual framerail and twin funny car cage chassis. Instead, we opted for a pair of lightweight Kirkey road race seats we ordered up from Summit Racing. The primary driver is a pretty big guy, so we ordered the largest size Kirkey makes in this model, 18 inches wide at the base. Hopefully we can find an interior shop soon that can doll these things up and make them both comfy and cool looking.

COLOR MATCHED Paint and body will be handled by award-winning rod builder Tim Strange of Strange Motion Rod & Custom. Tim’s first order of business has been helping us find an Axalta color that is a close complement to the transparent raspberry color we love on the caliper. We are currently leaning to the color on the left, Mystic Magenta. This color is part of Axalta’s CFX Candies line, a two-stage basecoat/ clearcoat that looks similar to a candy without all the hassles associated with spot repairs and fading common in many true candies. The other two colors we are considering are to the right of the caliper, Razberry Pop and Fuschia Kiss. Both of these colors are also basecoat/clearcoat and are part of Axalta’s Hot Hues line.

114

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

115

POWER UP

Progress on the chassis has continued at a brisk pace, but Donald and Bobby have largely held off on fabricating the front suspension until the twin supercharged Kaase Boss 9 engine arrives. With the crank-driven Supercharger Store gear drive out front, it will likely require some massaging in order to fit between the custom frame rails. That said, our friends Jon Kaase, Cliff Moore, Doug Schreifer, and all the good folks at Jon Kaase Racing Engines are wrapping up work on what we expect to be a 1,400+ hp 529 cubic inch big block ford with Kaase hemi heads, a Callies crank and rods, and Diamond pistons. The engine also features a COMP hydraulic roller cam and lifters, TREND pushrods, Mahle Clevite bearings, Cometic gaskets, ARP fastners, MSD ignition, twin F2 ProChargers, March Performance pulleys, Tuff Stuff accessories, and a Weinle fabricated intake finished off by Robert Carrasca and Jason Allen at Metalcrafters of Monmouth. The enjine will also include a FAST XFI 2.0 system, AccuFab throttle bodies, TRE Performance fuel injectors, and a two-

116

WINTER

LOOK OUT, HERE COMES THE BOSS The 529 ci Kaase Boss Nine put up an impressive 825 horsepower naturally aspirated on pump gas on the Kaase dyno. As you can see, we have our work cut out for us to get all the accessories from the March Performance Style Track system working properly with our engine plate. We have opted to do away with the power steering pump (large pulley, lower left) and instead go with a manual rack to save on weight, reduce engine clutter, and accomodate a narrower track width with a Summit Racing Pinto rack rather than the Mustang II power rack we had previously.

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

MORE ISSUES TO ADDRESS ON DOWN THE ROAD The twin ProChargers mounted via the Supercharger Store gear drive looks incredible hanging out front on our shortblock. Due to the ultra low-slung stance of the car, we have opted for an Aviaid five-stage dry sump oiling system that will accomodate a shallow Dan Olson Motorsports dry sump pan and a Moroso accumulator and breather tank. The challenge will be mounting and driving the oil pump, as the typical crank drive setup wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work due to the gear drive. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to use one of the drive mandrels on the back of the supercharger gear drive instead.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

117

118

WINTER

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

stange NOS nitrous system. It is going to be a beast, as it did 825 hp on the dyno on pump gas without superchargers. A final round of dyno pulls with the ProChargers installed is scheduled for this week, so stay tuned. Otherwise, the build is progressing elsewhere, as well. Paint and body will be handled by Tim Strange of Strange Motion Customs. Using the custom transparent raspberry Baer caliper as a starting point, Strange and representatives from Axalta have been helping us select a paint type and color for the car. So far, we are narrowing in on a CFX two-stage candy (“Mystic Magenta”) and two other Hot Hues colors, “Razberry Pop” and “Fuschia Kiss.” Coupled with some cool zombie-inspired graphics, it should be plenty bright and loaded with custom touches. As we said last time, by the time the whole project is complete, our hope is that the aPocalypSe Horse will continue to lead the charge into a brave new future where fattired cars proudly roam fairgrounds, streets, and strips again. And just like before, you’ll get to continue to read and see the whole thing right here in the pages of TUBBED as we turn the vision into reality. Welcome to the new age. Embrace the aPocalypSe.

www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

WINTER

2015

119