Spring 2015 Tubbed Magazine by TUBBED

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE

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FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS 10

On the Throttle

Out of the Groove

Racer’s Library

Tubbed Life

First Round PCK

ProRender

ProNography

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COVER CAR

DO OVER Ed Kirk’s blown & injected ’55 Chevy redefines smoooooooooooth by Toby Brooks

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CONNECT

FEATURE CAR

DYNAMIC DUO

www.tubbedmagazine.com | 806.781.8482

This pair of wild Pro Street Shoeboxes has a lot in common—most notably, the man who built them by Toby Brooks

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FEATURE CAR

BAD WAG

This classic ’56 150 two-door wagon has the guts—and the cabin space—to really haul the mail by Toby Brooks

STAFF

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PUBLICATION

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

FEATURE CAR

FAMILY AFFAIR

Tony Davidson’s pro street ’55 Bel Air is a fat-tired family heirloom by Shawn Brereton

ART

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

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FEATURE CAR

PERFECTLY BROKEN

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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!

As Louis Jackson says of his smooth ’55 Bel Air, “It may not be the fastest, but it looks good losing!” by Jim Williams

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PROJECT CAR

ROLLIN’ ALONG

Project aPocalypSe Horse is finally down on all fours as chassis fabrication winds down and body work begins by Toby Brooks

ON THE COVER

Although we had a record number of feature cars this month (five...count ’em FIVE!), Ed Kirk’s incredibly cool red suede ’55 Chevy simply stole our hearts at last year’s Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin, Illinois. The stance is perfect, the EFI’d blown small block purrs like a kitten at idle, and the street rod interior is simply out of this world. We hope you’ll agree that Ed’s tri-five represents all that pro street was while signaling all that it currently is and will be all at the same time. Ed Kirk photo. TUBBED Magazine is published quarterly by Chaplain Publishing, a division of NiTROhype Creative, 3104 CR 7520, L ubbock, Texas, 79423, phone 806.781.8482. Contents may not be reproduced without consent of the copyright owner. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronically or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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TUBBED Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, articles, photographs, or artwork. To submit information, photos, or stories or for advertising inquiries please contact TUBBED Magazine at 806.781.8482, via email at admin@tubbedmagazine.com, or via the TUBBED Magazine website at www.tubbedmagazine.com.

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Throttl

ON THE

BROOKS

TOBY

SIX BITS

t was probably the ugliest car I had ever laid eyes on. Before patina was cool, it sported no less than four or five paint colors coupled with a healthy dose of Midwest surface rust and a hand-drawn quarter panel graphic, to boot. It barely ran, and smoked like a two-stroke every day as its owner proudly fired it to life. The leaky exhaust and tattered interior added to the whole “scrap car with license plates” aura. But good grief. Was it ever cool. Now you’ll have to forgive me, friends. This month’s On the Throttle isn’t about a fat-tired pro streeter. Heck, the car I’m talking about didn’t even have eight cylinders, let alone four-digit horsepower. What it was was my old band teacher’s clapped out hot rod. And what it was was the first shoebox Chevy I had ever seen with my young eyes. And given the fact that this month’s issue is a special tribute to tri-fives, I thought it fitting. Allen Brickhaus—“Mr. B” to most—was a likable and well-rounded music educator who had come to my school before I did and rapidly turned a tiny band program into a gem. He built a legacy of excellence and his attitude to “be your own best” is one that persists with my former band mates and me even to this day. But I’ll be honest. None of that mattered to a hot rod-crazy nine-year old in 1984.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KATHY

BRICKHAUS

All I cared about was his car. “Six Bits,” as he liked to call her, was about as sorry as a car could be, but Mr. B drove her regularly. He had acquired the car in 1966 for $35. Mr. B parked it in the same spot at the end of the row each day, and I remember staring at it out the window of my big yellow school bus each and every day as the other kids loaded on. The clean lines of that ’55 shell couldn’t be hidden from view despite the years of decay present. 10

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Mr. B was the high school band teacher and I was just an elementary school kid. I wouldn’t have him as a teacher for years, but when I asked him about his car, his face lit up. We connected immediately. Sometime in the late ’80s, Mr. B had saved his pennies and the time had come to finally give his beloved tri-five a full makeover. Bobby Boyd in Elizabethtown, Illinois prepped and painted the car a stunning all-over red that was contemporary yet classic all at the same time. With shaved trim and smoothed bumpers, it had all the makings of a wicked pro streeter. Despite my persistence, I could never convince Mr. B to give the car the fat tire treatment. Mr. B eventually married my sixth grade teacher, Ms. Ashford. They dated in the car, and as the now-Mrs. B tells it, her suitor knew she was a “keeper” because she wasn’t too embarrassed to ride with him in it. “I remember watching the road through the hole in the floorboard,” Mrs. B. recalled. After I graduated in ’93, I checked in on him from time to time. He eventually left for an opportunity at a larger school. A true testament to the power of just one man to make a difference, that legacy music program he built single-handedly in the ’80s and ’90s was tragically but completely gone just a few short years after he left. Together, the Brickhauses enjoyed cruising the ’55 and also acquired a clean classic Monte Carlo, as well. They were regulars on the Hot Rod Power Tour when it came near and over time—as so many of us do—he just kept upgrading the car. It was repainted around 1995. Local Adam Broadway did touch-ups and Bruce Slimp at Broadway Body Shop later applied the custom flames. I had the distinct pleasure of sitting with Mr. Brickhaus for 45 minutes at the 2013 Street Machine Nationals. The show I had worked hard to help bring back had returned and I had books to sell. In short, I was busy.

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“I remember watching the road through the hole in the floorboard.” -Kathy Brickhaus

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Mr. B.’s ’55 Chevy had an inline six, Chevy rallye wheels, and an atrocious “paint job” to go with the rat’s nest of an interior. As a music teacher at a small rural high school, he didn’t have the budget to checkbook build the car, so he drove it like this for years before saving enough money to give it a full makeover in the late ’80s. Despite the tiedown strap to secure the deck lid, the missing trim, and all the other things obviously in need of repair, it exuded cool way before patina and rat rods were fashionable.

However, we chatted for a bit and I had a great time catching up. Most importantly, my son Taye got the chance to meet Mr. B, too. Although Taye was only 7 at the time, Mr. B sat and talked with him as if they had been friends forever. It was just his way. Mr. B invited us to dinner for the evening. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get away. I promised we’d schedule it and do it for sure in 2014. And we’d ride in Six Bits. Sadly, that was an appointment that couldn’t be kept. I received word just after Christmas that Mr. B had suddenly passed. I never got the chance to thank him as I wish I could have for taking me under his wing… for being about more than the job he www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

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BUCCANEER’S PRIDE Mr. B eventually turned his ratty old shoebox into a clean and locally recognizable street machine. He and wife Kathy were regulars at area car shows and the Hot Rod Power Tour. Here he poses by Six Bits at the 2012 stop at Gateway International Raceway just East of St. Louis.

not taking more time to enjoy the show with you more in 2013. But I’m supremely thankful to you for those moments we did share and for the many lessons you taught. Not the least of which was just how cool a raggedy old 1955 Chevy could become.

had been paid to do...and instead for just being himself and for speaking his life and his lessons into me. It is a sharp and painful lesson that haunts me to this day of just how short our opportunities can be to tell someone what a difference they have made in our life. Mr. B., I wish I could go back and drop everything to share that burger with you that night and enjoy the pleasure of your company one last time. So no, you never tubbed Six Bits, Mr. B. I guess I can forgive that. And try as I might, I have a hard time forgiving myself for www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

This one’s for you.

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Groove

OUT OF THE

FACEBOOK FINDS

he resurgence in pro street’s popularity over the past three years has been nothing short of amazing. We like to keep our ears to the pavement (so to speak) and keep an eye out for hot new builds and wild new rides. At the same time, we also like to be on the lookout for awesome personalities that help make this niche of the car scene so interesting. As a result, we thought it might be fun to use this month’s “Out of the Groove” to share some of our favorites with you. With any luck, you’ll be seeing these cars and features about their builders in upcoming issues. Have other cool rides we should feature? Share them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ tubbedmagazine! JEF FERN’S CAMARO AKA: WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF RICK DOBBERTIN, GARY BUCKLES, AND A STREET RODDER BUILT A PRO STREETER Jef Fern’s incredible build has been through several pro street transformations, but his latest is undoubtedly his greatest. With a blinged-out twin turbo mill, a wicked cool stance, mile-deep metallic blue paint, and a ground-breaking Bux Customs leather interior, it is not your typical second gen Camaro. Pro Street Legend Rod Saboury said it was “easily the nicest car” at the recent pro street-heavy Ocean City cruise—incredibly high praise from a guy who knows a thing or two about what’s what in pro street. If we can ever get a full set of pictures, this bad boy will be getting a full feature soon! photos provided courtesy Mark at goDragRacing.com

PAY HOMAGE TO DePRIEST It is funny how social media works. Pages often develop a pecking order of posters and just like in real life, leaders emerge who police the place and keep the knuckleheads in line. One such enforcer is Mark DePriest, a skilled fabricator from West Virginia. Mark posts often on Jerry Gary’s Pro Street Era page and has some cool builds going in his shop and in his mind when time and funds permit. We may even be getting him involved on our very own Project aPocalypSe Horse soon.

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TONY NETZEL’S KILLER TWIN TURBO BELVIDERE What would happen if you took a crazy alternative body style like Troy Trepanier’s Pro Box Impala, threw in a bigcube twin turbo motor, and coated the whole glorious concoction with gallons of metallic green apple paint? Simple. You’d get Tony Netzel’s awesomely alternative pro street Belvidere. You’ll be seeing a full ginorous awesome feature on this car next issue, but until then feast your eyes on the insanity here. Greg Gustafson photos

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RACER’S JOHN

Library

BAECHTEL

SUPERCHARGING PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK Jeff Hartman’s book is an essential for any gearhead considering going blown

upercharging is hot. Many of today’s top performance cars are supercharged right from the factory and they deliver performance like nobody’s business. Aftermarket specialty suppliers have invested heavily in supercharging and times have never been better for showroom shoppers and the do-it-yourself hot rodder. You can buy everything you need to supercharge any engine and build yourself a super boosted screamer that will tear the tires off anything you’ve got. The only caveat is that supercharging can be dangerous to your engine’s health if you don’t respect the basics. Jeff Hartman’s Supercharging Performance Handbook is highly

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recommended reading for any enthusiast planning a supercharged engine for his or her ride. When you purchase a turnkey factory ride, all the supercharging safeguards are taken care of for you. Factory engineers have invested countless hours in the fine engine calibrations required to ensure safe and powerful operation under all driving conditions. You can pretty much drive it like you stole it and it won’t break even if you get a load of bad gas or fail to perform consistent maintenance. That’s not necessarily so with purpose-built hot rod engines or factory production cars modified with add-on supercharger kits. Kit manufacturers do a good job of providing proper calibrations,

2015

www.tubbedmagazine.com

Photo courtesy of Valley Head Service

Photo courtesy of Holley

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but you still have to pay attention if you’re going to lean on a supercharged engine hard and often. Hartman is imminently qualified to provide guidance on street and race supercharging. He is a long-standing multititled author who has written frequently for numerous magazines and authored multiple performance books that are known for their quality of information. His supercharging book covers all the bases whether you’re just trying to learn more about factory built supercharged cars and trucks, trying to install and set up an aftermarket supercharger kit, or building your own forced induction performance engine from scratch. He walks you through all the basics of supercharging and identifies the trouble spots that can bite you. In a methodical, logical manner Hartman details how the different types of superchargers work including roots type, twin screw, centrifugal and others with knowledgeable commentary on planning every aspect of your supercharger upgrade or conversion. He discusses how to choose the engine and how to build it for safe supercharger operation, including the critical management of engine and intake charge heat. And he covers the important fuel and ignition support systems that maintain adequate fuel and

spark under boosted conditions. Specific chapters are dedicated to blower engine management, selecting, buying, and installing a supercharger kit, designing your own supercharger system, and advanced topics like over-boosting and extreme supercharging. There are 222 jam-packed pages that include sharp detailed photos and illustrated diagrams, charts and compressor maps, and explanations to support them all. Hartman also includes the appropriate math and does a superb job of simplifying it for the mathematically challenged. In clear and concise terms— characteristics of Hartman’s work and Motorbooks products in general—this book delivers everything the reader needs to know about supercharging a hot rod or a modern performance car. The book truly does serve as a supercharging handbook for both novice and experienced engine builders and tuners alike. There’s a lot to absorb, but a dedicated read will leave you well armed with supercharger knowledge that applies to any type of supercharged engine. Paperback: 222 pages Publisher: Motorbooks International Language: English ISBN-10: 0760339384 ISBN-13: 978-0760339381 Available: www.motorbooks.com

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Photo courtesy of Holley

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/.

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TUBBED

MICHAEL

Life

SCHUEREN

DREAMIN’ OUT LOUD

SHOEBOX STANCE Denny Terzich is known for building some killer pro street rides, and this ultra-smooth ’55 is about as fine of an example of a fat-tired shoebox as you’re likely to find.

ll right TUBBED aficionados, spring is FINALLY here (editor’s note: nearly gone thanks to me and the long delay in producing this issue!) and cruising is just around the corner (for those of us living in the northern part of the country, anyway). I must admit, I’m a little envious of all you guys living in the warmer climate states. It’s been a long, cold winter here so it’s nice to finally see the sun and some “warmer” temps outside. Okay guys and gals, it is about time to open up those garage doors and share your winter projects with the world!

Now I will admit, I am a Chevy/ GM guy at heart, but I really cannot dislike any other manufacturer’s cars—especially if they have been given the street machine or tubbed treatment. A cool car is a cool car, no matter what the badge or emblem says. I even like the “dare to be different” 20

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cars that aren’t nearly as popular as the mainstream GMs, Fords, and Mopars. I’m sure I am not the only guy with a “wish list” of cars they want to see in their garage, and I can name off about a dozen I’d like to see in mine. When it comes to my list of cars though, the first on the list has to be a tri-five Chevy. There’s nothing that gets my blood pumping like a slammed, big-tired ’55-’57 Chevy. I know a lot of people love the Camaros, Mustangs, Novas, Cudas and Challengers (I love them too!), but when I think of the ultimate street machine, a ’55-’57 Chevy Bel Air tops the list for me. It is hard to beat their style: the chrome, the fins, the beginning of engine performance from Chevrolet in 1955, etc. But let’s fast forward a bit... this isn’t history class! The tri-five Chevys have stood the test of time and never seem to go out of style no matter how you build them. It seems like the ’60s muscle cars are becoming more popular today, but overall, the ’55-’57 Chevys are still on top of the street machine world. One of the best things about them is that just about every part you can imagine for them is available. Whether it is a stock replacement part or a high performance piece, it can be found in a catalog or online. You don’t even have to have a car to start with, as bodies and chassis in any form are available today. Your project now has endless possibilities. Want a pro streeter? No problem. How about a big block with a sixspeed trans? Easy. Or how about a twin turbo LS motor? Done. Or maybe an old-school gasser your dream? The parts to do it any way you can dream of are just a phone call or mouse click away.

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YEAH, IT’S STILL COOL It is a time-tested formula that still holds true today: take a tri-five Chevy, add a huge roots blower and fat meats, slam it to the ground, and presto... pro street awesomeness. This incredible Bahama Blue ’57 (top) is as show-stopping today as it would have been had it been built in the ’80s, and the even wilder blown and injected ’57 (left) will be just as relevant (if not more so) 30 years from now.

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Photo stolen from Scott Sullivan’s Facebook page

ROD FATHER Is there anyone on the planet personally responsible for more awesome tri-five Chevys than Scott Sullivan? We asked the Magic 8-Ball...

LOST IN TRANSLATION Although it is obviously one of the most iconic cars of the first wave of the pro street movement, Scott Sullivan’s timeless Cheez Whiz ’57 was not turned into a Revell model kit because company officials thought that it “wasn’t wild enough” to be a hot seller as a 1:24 scale model kit. Boy, did they ever miss the boat. In Sullivan’s words, he wanted to combat the big-gun pro streeters of the day with “a car with no tube chassis and a single 4- barrel carburetor that would kick all their a$$es.” That it did, Scott. That it did.

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If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out a sampling of the killer cars built by Scott Sullivan (builder of perhaps the most famours tri-five of all time and currently constructing another game-changer in a ’54 Chevy), Denny Terzich (wait until you see his next ride!), and the late Stan Shaw. I am sure there are many more builders out there that I have missed and I’m sorry for that but there’s not enough room in this article to list them all. My ultimate tri-five would be a ’55 Bel Air. The first thing I would do is call my good friend Brian Stupski at Problem Child Kustoms for all of the design work including some subtle but effective body mods you would have to look for to find, as well as paint choices and to design some wide by huge wheels for it. When it comes to designing a car, He is the MAN! In my opinion, he’s the best designer in the game today. I would start with a full tube

Roadster Shop chassis, 4-wheel disc brakes, narrowed rear and sitting about four inches off the ground at the rockers. It would have in the neighborhood of 700 horsepower with air conditioning, and a Recovery Room interior with a killer stereo. I love the sound of a great exhaust but the passengers might like some other entertainment. There’s a rendering that’s pretty close to my dream car on my Street Machine Central facebook page...take a look if you’re interested! Now I know they have been built just about every way possible there is to build a car, but you could say that about any popular car from any brand. I have just scratched the surface on building my dream ’55 but what it really comes down to your own personal taste, not the latest trend or winning a $20 dollar trophy at a car show. It’s about what lights the fire inside of you—about your true passion. What do you want to build and drive? What will put a smile on

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YOUR face every time you look at it or do a big smoky burnout in it? If tweed interior and neon graphics are your thing, DO IT! If it’s a 6-71 blown big block with a Lenco and Mickeys on the back, DO IT! It is not always about being the most popular or doing what’s already being done, but rather taking pride in building something you love and want to share with other car enthusiasts. I’d love to hear about and see what your dream car is and what you’ve been working on. Feel free to hit me up on Facebook at Street Machine Central or email me at scheuren_ michael@hotmail.com Enough talkin’ about it. LET’S CRUISE!!!

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FIRST ROUND

PCK

TRI-FIVES and ME: BRIAN

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN and ALWAYS HEADS BACK TO

STUPSKI

PROBLEM CHILD KUSTOMS STUDIO

was but a Kindergarten kid when Gary Kollofski’s black ’55 Chevy burned a double nickelsize hole into my consciousness. Consider that the generally-accepted age for working memory is around four years of age and you realize that my seeing photos of this car was probably at the perfect time in my development to seal my fate as a car guy. Even worse, a guy who would forever judge every ’55 against that sinister machine. Born into a car crazy home, both of my parents were die-hard Chevy fans, and the tri-fives were their passion. We had a string of them

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through the years, and they were more than the sum of their parts to us; they were a lifestyle. I grew up absorbing facts, figures, production numbers, judging formulas, restoration and parts interchange information… I knew what to look for at swap meets and wrecking yards, how to swap a 605 steering box and side engine mounts and Nova rears, and so on. We had car club friends with bad-ass ’55s, ’56s and ’57s of every trim level and body configuration, yet, no matter how quick or wicked theirs might be, it always found itself judged at the altar of Kollofski’s mighty bruiser, albeit subconsciously.

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Oh sure, there were other cars I loved that fit the three year dynasty: The Project X ’57 (“Hollywood Knights”-era version, thank you very much), Dan Glover’s gold ’57 with the engine set WAAAAYY back, and, of course, Sullivan’s timeless Cheez Whiz orange ’55, but man… Kollofski’s evil blown L-88-powered animal burrowed so deeply into my gray matter that to this day, it’s the car I’d love most to build outside of my prized Mopar zone (A Mopar lover born from die-hard Chevy folk? Another story for another time, kids). In an era of Street Freaks and vans, this thing was a mash-up of

all I’d come to hold dear, and the living embodiment of my small Hot Wheels collection. At that age, I can recall thinking “this thing is REAL??!,” and giving up on Spiderman or Batman or Superman being the greatest superhero. My new hero didn’t live in Gotham or Metropolis. He lived in someplace called “Minnesota”—a land I imagined was populated by awesome machinery piloted by guys who were cooler than Fonzie. Heeyyyy….I was FIVE. Back off. And just what is it about a ’55 twodoor post car that just looks so, well, “right” when stuffed with steamroller meats? As a designer, I can attest that from a proportional standpoint, tubbed rears on that car just balance everything out. Hefty, low mass on a car with just enough of a slab-sided look and short wheel openings just works to balance

BEFORE IT WAS FAMOUS Most magazines won’t admit it, but the publishing business is notoriously slow to demonstrate new trends. This was particularly true back in the day. Case in point, Gary Kolloski’s iconic black ’55 was considered cutting-edge when it was featured in the December 1977 issue of Hot Rod. However, Kollofski had been running the car for years with the blown big block and fat rear meats. Sporting its original green paint, here it is at Minnesota Dragway in 1975.

the taller greenhouse. The lengthy quarter windows help to lighten things just enough near the top of the form, and when you sit the car just right on some Sportsmans, you get an implied visual line that creates a flowing arc downward from the C-pillar, around that rear wheel’s outer lip, and back along the rocker, where your eye lifts back up to trace that gentle fender sweep back through the “sweetheart dip” just behind the door, and off into oblivion across the neatly squared tail. It’s the ideal car to see tubbed. Granted, it can (and has) been done wrong a few times, but when you see it done “right” (again Scott’s ’55), you can feel it in your bones. “So,” you ask, “how can you justify saying that two very different cars (Kollofski’s and Sullivan’s – which, for the record, would be the only two

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Gary Kollofski photos

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guys I’d see a Broadway musical written by…Imagine it: “Kollofski and Sullivan’s ‘CARS.’ An epic tale of tubbed tri-five goodness, featuring a soundtrack of burbling, lopey idles”) have had an eerily similar effect on your taste in cars, as well as possibly your psyche?” To which I’d answer “Simply put, the two embody the same quest for bad-assery, and even though they may approach from differing angles, they land squarely on that spot of universal appeal.” And THAT, my friend, is what this whole game has always been about, whether we’ve felt it as a wide-eyed kid

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waiting for a haircut and having his mind forever warped by a magazine feature, or have set out to purposely give that feeling to someone else by rigidly planning our own tubbed tri-five project to the millimeter: To be a part of something timeless that requires no explanation..to lay something on this Earth that requires no explanation (which would be hard to do anyway with your jaw all slack and resting on the ground and whatnot), but just very simply IS. And a tri-five just IS cool. It just IS bad-ass. It just IS that one car that continues to inspire. And that’s pretty cool indeed.

GAME CHANGER Kollofski’s ’55 is still discussed in many circles as one of the most influential cars ever constructed of any genre, making it a no-brainer as one of the most legendary pro street builds ever. Scott Sullivan himself attempted to spearhead an effort to rebuild the car a few years ago until the project died a quick death when it was discovered that worthless criminals had stolen the chassis and cut it up. The blower setup had been found and Sullivan had even convinced friend, legendary road trip wingman, and longtime Car Craft and Hot Rod editor Jeff Smith to rebuild the Chevy rat motor for the car. Gary Kollofski photos

THE ONE AND ONLY Perhaps the most telling thing about Sullivan’s ’55 is that it continues to draw a crowd at any show even today, nearly 30 years after it first debuted. The stance is absolutely perfect and the insane level of hidden details make it a special treat every time you see it, as there’s probably a trick or a custom touch you missed the first few times you saw it. Add in the fact that Sullivan has put so many miles on the car (he never trailers it ANYWHERE), and the level of straight up coolness is simply immeasurable. Jim Brooks photos

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Render

PRO

BRIAN

STUPSKI

PROBLEM CHILD CUSTOMS STUDIO

PROJECT W A little mash-up of themes, this is the tubbed tri-five that your mother warned you about. A low-down, street brawling stance makes the most of that evil front bumper delete (seriously...does any car beg for this more than a tri-five? I submit that none does), and adds a lot of attitude, while emphasizing the nose-in-the-weeds stance. My original idea for the car was a ’56 tribute to the famous “Project X” ’57 Chevy, but with a serious pro street vibe. While the rake gives a nod to nostalgia, we’ve brought it up to date by keeping everything low to the pavement, tucking those skinny front and massive rear tires deep into the timeless wheel openings. Amber front marker lamps just look sinister at night, so that’s a no-brainer, and removing the vertical grille bars makes everything appear even lower and wider. That yellow hue up front continues our tribute, but the roof and rear flanks get some sinister black pearl (bonus points if you build this with a CF body and leave the composite exposed!), and we’ll opt for 210 trim, simply because it’s beautiful, and draws the eye through the car with haste. A little selective emblem and handle removal are all it needs to look even more sleek. The real fun begins with that Morrison chassis and tuckedaway cage (keeping the interior looking spartan and business-like, but without a jungle gym to ruin the original character of the cockpit). This gives us the right foundation, and something firm to bolt that blown aluminum W-block to. Why a W-block? Because “Project W” is a much more fitting name for a tribute to “Project X,” and what’s cooler than a built-to-the-hilt, one-off W-block with a massive huffer up top? Very little, my friend. We’ll opt for a Lenco backed by a stout 9-inch rear, and provide some serious “whoa” in the form of modern 6-piston stoppers. It may not have giant turbos and a wing and exotic paint, but that’s not the point here. The idea is simply putting a unique spin on a tried and true theme and body style, and being as radical as you want without going so far off of the reservation that you have to scream for attention. And it’s the kind of car that you can enjoy as-is or happily ride along as it evolves from year to year, and that, my friend, is all the fun of having a “project.” Brian Stupski loves long walks on the beach, three-legged hamsters, and a nice long snuggle. He owns and operates Problem Child Kustoms Studios in the veritable inferno of Higley, Arizona. In addition to being a politcal satirist and certified Southwestern barbeque judge, 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 are sold.

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or this month’s PROnography section, we thought it would be best to stick with the theme and bring you some of the most awesome ’55-’57 Chevys we had pics of. Some are really old photos (see below!), some are all-out drag cars, and others are just plain cool street cruisers. We hope you enjoy!

THE SCREAMIN’ PEACH The late Stan Shaw of Conyers, Georgia had one of the nastiest ’57 Chevys back in the day. The car was clearly ahead of its time, as these photos (from the 1991 Street Machine Nationals) show a car not only blown and nitrous-equipped but also air conditioned and wickedly slammed. Shaw’s cars not only looked fast, they performed well, too, and the classic lines have stood the test of time. We can’t say as much for the chick’s outfit in this pic, though. Yikes.

Jim Brooks photos

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HOUND DOG WAGON It may have the metalflake paintjob of a bass boat, but this 1955 Chevystyled wagon pro mod is one wild creation. Built by Andy Robinson Race Cars across the pond in England, owner/driver David James wanted something instantly recognizable in a sea of Mustangs and Camaros. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say this radical wagon is just the ticket. You can read all about it in the January 2015 issue of RPM Magazine.

Matt Woods photo courtesy RPM Magazine

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THE OL’ ’57 Michael Pisano has had his 1957 Bel Air since 1978. The former junior stock drag car was actually discovered in a barn before it was cool to do so, and Pisano back halved the frame along with the help of a friend in 1983. The car features widened factory tubs and a built 454. Although Pisano couldn’t be happier about the resurgence in pro street’s popularity, he insists that his car has never failed to draw a crowd even when the other rags said that pro street was dead. The fat meats out back and the front-tilting hood with Dobbertin-inspired handbuilt steel windshield-length scoop are obviously cool touches, but the modern Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels and the twisted Torker intake with sidedraft Weber carbs and aluminum Edelbrock are newsworthy, too. Michael Pisano photos

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JAW DROP’R We aren’t sure if it is the sheer awesomenss of Steve Hall’s Andy Robinson Race Cars-built ’55-looking British pro mod, the incredible Matt Woods image of a sinister sky, or both, but this pic makes us want to run for cover. Whether it is the huge-byenormous injector hat and huffer poking through the hood (and windshield!), the funny car-style zoomie headers, the massive Hoosier slicks, or the chopped top, it all adds up to an incredibly nasty combo that is good for nearly 3,000 horses and 5-second ETs. Sure, technically it isn’t pro street, but it IS tubbed and it is always important for us to look fto the strip for inspiration and ideas that we can carry over to the street. You can see the feature on his beast in the March 2014 issue of RPM Magazine. Matt Woods photo courtesy RPM Magazine

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THE CHANGE-UP Glenn Hunter is a regular on the Hot Rod Drag Week scene, and his gorgeous â&#x20AC;&#x2122;56 has been seen on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine. However, most recently, Glenn has been making the switch from the Whipple-blown and Enderle-injected induction system seen here to a twin turbo system with EFI. The entire process has been chronicled in several issues of RPM Magazine, and you can read all about it in the March, April, May, and June issues. Tara Bowker photo courtesy RPM Magazine

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OLD SCHOOL/NEW SCHOOL Tim Harper’s hard-charging ’55 has all the looks of an old-school street bruiser, however the new-school ProCharged 502 has propelled the car to low 8s at nearly 170 mph in the quarter mile. Far from a strip-only machine, Harper cruises and shows the car regularly. You can read all about it in the December 2014 issue of RPM Magazine. Tia Elizabeth photo courtesy RPM Magazine

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d Kirk is the first to admit it. He’s picky. That’s why when he purchased the ’55 Chevy you see here, he just wasn’t satisfied with the modifications that had already been done to the car. A quarter-inch off here and an eighthinch off there might not be a big deal for many, but that list of things that just wasn’t quite right was long—and it was eating him alive. Starting with the chassis, the car had already been backhalved when Kirk purchased it. However, he decided to pull everything out but the frame rails and start from scratch. He took the narrowed Ford 9-inch differential down and equipped it with a 31-spline posi from Auburn Gear. He then installed 3.50 Richmond gears, shortened 31-spline Summers Brothers axles, and suspended it in place via QA1 Proma Star chrome coil overs. This was all then positioned with a pair of custom ladder bars.

BUILT NOT BOUGHT Kirk comes from the old school of street machine construction where you do it yourself or get help from a friend. Although the quality of the build is superb, this is certainly no checkbook build done by a high-dollar shop, but rather a finely crafted personal expression of awesomeness.

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Scott McCauley photo

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BOWTIE GOT BACK The stance on this thing is on point, and the custom ladder bar rear suspension is as clean and as detailed as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever find. The hand-bent stainless lines throughout the build are a work of art in themselves, and it is all topped off with a huge pair of 31x1815 Mickey Thompson Sportsman SRs on 15x15-inch Weld ET Altered wheels. The massive tubs have been treated to a beautiful sculpted interior to match the cockpit.

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Up front, QA1 GM Pro Coil-Over shocks with custom powder coated springs were used along with a pair of Pete & Jakes powder coated drop spindles. A power-assisted Flaming River rack & pinion was installed along with a host of billet parts and pieces from Billet Specialties and Flaming River that were employed to complement the install. Rolling stock to set off the sinister stance and stagger consists of Weld Racing E-T Gasser 15x6s with Mickey Thompson 26x6-15 Sportsman SRs up front and Weld E-T Altered 15x15s with 31x18-15 SR meats out back. The rears have also been outfitted with a custom knockoff kit to enhance the classic drag appeal. Motivating the olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chevy is a 350ci small block that has been treated to a plethora of performance and aesthetic modifications. Inside, the mouse motor runs a 4340 steel Eagle forged crank with Lunati I-Beam rods and BRC forged blower pistons. A Lunati roller cam with Crane solid roller lifters is spun thanks to a Cloyes billet true double roller timing chain. The entire assembly is sealed up via FelPro gaskets and secured with ARP fasteners. Polished aluminum Pontiac small block Chevy D-port angle plug heads have been fitted with Manley severe duty stainless valves, Crane roller rockers,

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and Edelbrock finned aluminum valve covers. A Moroso high volume oil pan and pump work together to keep things lubricated. Induction for the potent small block consists of a BDS EFI system and bug catcher scoop mounted atop a polished Induction Engineering 6-71 supercharger and a powder coated IE blower intake. A Promaster 140-amp alternator, Edelbrock polished aluminum water pump, and Billet Specialties power steering pump have been driven via a Billet Specialties pulley setup. An MSD Pro Billet distributor was partnered with MSD 8.5mm plug wires, an MSD 6A digital control box, and an MSD rev control box with an 8,000 RPM chip to manage ignition duties. Fuel supply is provided by a massive Aeromotive A1000 electric pump plumbed via Â˝-inch stainless tubing and -8AN Earlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Performance hose and fittings. An Aeromotive regulator and twin billet filters keep things steady and clean. A Ron Davis custom radiator fitted with twin electric fans serves to keep everything cool.

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HUFFED MOUSE The 6-71 Induction Engineering blower is topped off by a BDS electronic fuel injection system and a classic bug catcher scoop. Kirk opted to go sans hood so that gorgeous polished induction system and the Billet Specialties accessory drives could be easily seen.

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Backing the blown mill is beefed-up TH350 trans with a manual reverse valve body from TCI. A 2,400 rpm stall converter and a B&M SFI flexplate were added to enhance drivability and durability. Both the engine and the transmission have been fully deburred, smoothed, and painted with charcoal basecoat/clearcoat urethane paint. Stopping duties are managed by a quartet of black anodized 4-piston Wilwood forged dynalite calipers with cross-drilled rotors. A chrome aluminum Jegs dual reservoir master cylinder has been plumbed to the calipers via handformed stainless lines and Teflon stainless braided hoses. A Hurst Roll Control line lock has been added in the event Kirk decides to warm the big MT tires. Virtually everything on the body has been repaired, refinished, or replaced. The factory hood has been removed to make way for the injector hat, and other than the 4-inch stretch to the rear wheel

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CUSTOM WRAPPED PERFECTION The incredible interior features a custom two-tone tan leather and billet theme carried throughout, mixed with a generous helping of custom touches. The Classic Instruments BelEra dash sits behind a Billet Specialties wheel mounted to a polished Flaming River column. The billet shifter and a trio of billet buttons have been housed in a custom fabbed center console, and the entire cockpit is climate controlled thanks to a Vintage Air system. No intrusive cage, massive driver restraints, or other such appointments are necessary and it all adds up to a gorgeous street-friendly cockpit.

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wells, the GM lines are otherwise unaltered. The entire car has been treated to a new-school matte red finish and the engine bay and undercarriage of the highly-detailed ride are a contrasting semi-gloss black. Coupled with the copious amounts of polished aluminum and stainless steel, it is a killer look. As cool as the car is, what really sets it apart from the pack is the street-rodnice tan leather interior. A Classic Instruments BelEra package gauge kit handles data display, while a litany of billet parts and pieces add visual interest to the Vintage Air-cooled cockpit. A total of six full hides of Vicenza leather were employed to luxuriously wrap the seats,

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HAULINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;... Although the blown small block looks and sounds nasty, the BDS EFI setup makes the Chevy a real driver. Kirk has been known to make a grocery run or two in the fat-tired beast.

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NO DETAIL LEFT UNTOUCHED Cars with this kind of build quality are hard to come by, but that fact is even more incredible when you consider that most of what you see was done by Kirk in his modest shop at home. Old school touches like a smoothed and filled firewall donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost a fortune when you do it yourself, but they take time and talent to do right. The end result is incredible...and it requires a lot of time in order to catch all of his custom touches.

headliner, door panels, and trim pieces in the interior and trunk. A Billet Specialties leather-wrapped wheel has been mounted atop a Flaming River polished stainless column. Kirk showed the car this past summer at the 2014 Street Machine Nationals and it is an absolutely fantastic

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example of what modern pro street is all about. From old school nods to tradition like his classic mismatched wheel selection to clear embrace of modern technology like electronic fuel injection, and potential new trends like satin paint throughout, it is a rolling testament to the past, present, and future of the style. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just too bad for him that he pretty much had to do everything twice. But we are sure glad he did, because the second time was the charm.

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otham City, it isn’t, but a quiet street just south of downtown of tiny West Frankfort, Illinois harbors a little known secret. That secret dwells in the garage spaces of retired hot rodder and custom painter George Norovich who has built not one but two wild pro street Chevys. And while Batman and Robin cruised together in the Batmobile, Norovich has his choice of wild rides any day of the week. The first to receive the fat tire treatment was his slime green ’55 150. Norovich acquired the car in a trade even up for a ’74 Vega he owned and had planned to customize. “The previous owner got the ’55 from a salvage yard. The cars were stacked three high, and the ’55 was on top,” he said. That same previous owner had purchased the car from the yard for just $100 and had managed to install a 350 and a pair of bucket seats before deciding he needed more reliable daily transportation. After the trade, Norovich brought the car home but did not commence the build right away. “It sat in my garage for several years before I was able to start on it,” Norovich said. Around 1984 with the first surge of Pro Street Fever in full effect, the West Frankforter began construction. Over the span of the next five years, he finished the car for the first time. IT TAKES TWO Norovich’s ’55 on the left is clearly a classic pro street build, complete with full tweed interior and a blown and dual Holley-equipped small block. Plans for the summer involve a full refresh to bring it up to par with the ’57 wagon that is running a blown and injected big block and a killer Amos Eckleberry interior.

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NOT ALL OLD SCHOOL Although much of the ’55 build is original to the initial construction of the car, Norovich has updated the classic Chevy with a set of Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels, with skinny 15x4s up front and 15x14s out back. They have been shod with Mickey Thompson tires all the way around and add just a hint of new-school flavor to an otherwise traditional ’80s and ’90s pro street ride.

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The previously-installed 350 was yanked and a well-fortified 500-horse 355 was put in its place. Norovich selected an Eagle steel crank with Eagle H-Beam rods, pump-gas-friendly 6.5:1 compression Ross pistons, and a pair of Chevrolet Performance heads for the 4-bolt steel block. A COMP cams bumpstick was chosen and COMP lifters and springs were added with Harland Sharp rockers to complete the valvetrain. Up top, a polished Dyers 6-71 huffer has been spun 11% under to add visual and auditory impact in 2015

addition to increased atmospheric pressure to the chambers. Coupled with the Pete Jackson gear drive and custom exhaust, you won’t find the ’55 sneaking up on anyone, as it is a veritable high-volume symphony of meshing gears and rotors accentuated with a percussive exhaust throb. A pair of 600cfm Holley carbs fuel the fire, while a 250-horse shot of Top Gun nitrous kit provides added punch when needed. Backing the blown mouse is a Muncie M-22 4-speed trans. A RAM clutch and pressure plate

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SAVED FROM THE SCRAP HEAP The â&#x20AC;&#x2122;55 build-up started in earnest back in the 1980s after Norovich traded a Vega for it. The previous owner had rescued the shell from a junk yard, where the car was at the top of a stack of three cars. Norovich handled much of the build himself from the confines of his garage behind his house.

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RETRO STREET Yep...it has factory leafsprings out back and a full tweed interior with Monte Carlo swivel buckets, but given the fact that the car was initially constructed 30 years ago, it is allowed. No, it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run sevens, but it is a cool piece of pro street history that will still draw attention anywhere it goes...especially after Norovich gets the full Eckleberry interior done this spring.

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were installed and a Hurst V-gate shifter lets Norovich choose the gears. Moving rearward, a narrowed Chrysler 8 ¾-inch differential has been fitted with Moser axles and a Strange spool. Fuel economy wasn’t at the top of the list of goals when Norovich installed the tall Richmond 4.88 pro

gears. Aerospace disc brakes have been fitted on all four corners, and a Wilwood master cylinder adds enhanced stopping power, as well. The narrowed rear is hung via relocated leaf springs and relocated factory frame rails. Norovich handled the fab work and moved everything

inboard by 10 inches on each side to make way for the big rear meats. A pair of tubular A-arms up front rounds out the chassis mods. Rolling stock consists of a set of Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels fitted with Mickey Thompson tires. The front 15x4s roll on 16x7.5-15 tires, while the 15x14s out

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DO IT YOURSELFER Out back, in addition to the Norovich chassis work and narrowed Chrysler rearend, the car sports a fabricated rear wing, a smoothed and painted bumper, and more wild paint and graphics treatment—all of which Norovich handled himself in his home-based shop.

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back have been shod with 31x18.5-15 Sportsman meats. Paint and body for the ride were also handled by Norovich. The once-scrap heaped ’55 sheetmetal was lovingly prepped and

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restored before a wild “Look At Me Green” basecoat was partnered with DuPont Hot Hues Amazing Grape, Candy Orange, Candy Blue, and silver graphics. Body mods are reserved but effective, including shaved door handles and fuel filler, aerated and smoothed factory hood, smoothed firewall, smoothed and painted

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bumpers, and a fabricated rear wing. Moving inside, the era-perfect tweed interior was handled by Steve Chapman. A pair of swivel buckets add a custom touch, while a full set of Stewart Warner gauges help monitor the vitals. A Grant steering wheel and Auto Meter tach round out the details. Norovich is currently

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updating the car over the winter and plans to have a full new custom interior done in time for the summer show season. As if a wild ’55 weren’t enough, in 1998, Norovich decided it might be cool to build another pro street tri-five, but this time for his wife Dian “to haul the groceries in.” It is safe to say that the 1957 wagon you see here is one

WAGONS HO! You might say that the ’57 wagon is a natural evolution of Norovich’s previous build, as it features upgrades in almost every respect. With a BBC with an 8-71 supercharger and fuel injection powering the beast, an incredible leather-wrapped interior, and multi-hued tribal graphics all around, it is an outstanding example of the present state of the pro street game. Norovich plans to switch to electronic fuel injection in the near future, and if not for a water pump failure at the 2014 Street Machine Nationals, he likely would have landed a prestigious Legends’ Choice Top Ten award.

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of the wildest grocery getters you’ll ever lay eyes on. “I put the word out that I was looking for a two-door ’57 wagon. I got a call from a guy who lives in a nearby town and had one for sale,” he said. “We negotiated and I got the wagon for $900.” The car sat in a friend’s pole barn for two years before Norovich was able to bring it home and commence the build. “I worked on it off and on for about three years, but for the next seven I took on paying jobs and had to put the wagon on the back burner,” Norovich said. However, after retiring in 2007, he was able to devote more time to the car and—spurred on by the return of the Street Machine Nationals to DuQuoin in 2013—he finished the car in time for the 2014 show. The 210 wagon features a 750-horsepower 505ci big block running an Eagle 4.25inch steel stroker crank, Eagle 6.385 H-beam rods, and Ross 7.0:1 blower pistons. A mostly COMP Cams valvetrain was selected, including cam, lifters, pushrods, and valve springs along with Harland Sharp roller rockers. The cast Chevy heads mate with a BDS blower intake, where the big 10% under-driven 8-71 huffer sits. Fuel delivery is handled by a well-detailed Enderle Big-nUgly injection system, while MSD parts handle ignition duties. Coated Hooker Headers pipe expelled gases rearward

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IT’S WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS The ACE Upholstery interior is gorgeous, with sculpted door panels and copious amounts of beige leather with suede accents. The orange Norovichbuilt dual funny car cages really pop, as does the purple Auto Meter-filled instrument cluster.

and a pair of fabricated sheetmetal valve covers add some bling. The big block is backed by a TCI TH350 transmission. A Coan 4,100rpm stall converter helps with streetability, and out back a narrowed Art Morrison Ford 9-inch helps put the power to the pavement. It has been fitted with 4.56 Richmond pro gears, a Strange spool, and Moser axles. Like the ’55, the wagon has been fitted with Aerospace disc brakes on all four corners, a Wilwood

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master cylinder, and Mickey Thompson tires. However, unlike the ’55, Norovich selected Weld AlumaStar 788 wheels with 15x3.5s fitted with 26x7.5s up front and 15x15s shod with 33x19.515s in back. The large expanse of classic GM sheetmetal was

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prepped and painted by Norovich, and the Skittles Tangerine basecoat has been treated to the familiar Axalta Hot Hues “Amazing Grape” and “Look At Me Green” colors. The classic two-tone scheme was tricked out with a tribal break up top and silver pinstripes below and a Scott Sullivanstyle airbrushed trunk emblem out back. Again, body mods are simple but effective, with smoothed and painted trim and bumpers, shaved fuel filler door, and shaved handles most notable. A one-piece rear gate and a channeled frame are less obvious but still incredibly cool. Chassis mods on the car are significantly different from the ’55, with an Art Morrison 4-link rear frame and QA1 shocks in back, tubular control arms and rack and pinion steering up front, and a full twin funny car cage inside. The interior of the car is also a marked departure from Norovich’s other ride, where a luxurious Amos Eckleberry interior adds a tan leather-trimmed touch of class. The custom smoothed and painted dash has been filled with a host of Auto Meter instrumentation, and a billet steering wheel has been wrapped

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THANKS DEAR George and Dian pose next to their two pro street creations.

in matching beige leather. A Hurst pistol grip shifter manages the gear selection chores, and a pair of custom 5-way quick-release restraints help keep occupants secured during high speed trips to McCordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market in town. Although most of what you see is his handiwork, Norovich is quick to give credit where credit is due for both of his builds. In addition to Eckleberryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior work, friends Greg Murphy, Kenny Sloan, and Kenny Wintz also helped on the project. So yeah, pro street tri-fives are cool. And in case you have ever considered what could be cooler than a classic pro street Chevy, you might want to ask George Norovich, who is likely to give you a simple answer. Two.

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f there’s a theme to this issue, it would seem to be that owners of ’55-’57 Chevys are a loyal bunch. Once they get their hands on one, they tend to hang on tightly. Such is the case with Glen Ellyn, Illinois resident Glenn Panfil and his ’56 150 two-door wagon. “I’ve owned this car since the age of 17. In 1980, I first heard about it when some friends were talking about a ‘Nomad’ that a guy we knew had sitting next to his garage,” Panfil recalled. “The next morning I knocked on his door and the rest is history. He gave me the car for free under the condition that I gave him back the ’55 Chevy fiberglass nose and turbo 400 trans that was in it. After my older brother Jay welded up a tow bar, we went back and dragged the car home,” he added. Although not quite a full-blown basket case, the car wasn’t far from it. It had a nearly-terminal case of oxidative cancer (AKA: rust) and was covered in random graffiti (including “Disco Sucks!”). The young and then-inexperienced Panfil tried his hand at numerous repairs and modifications and by the late-’80s had managed to back-half the car and install

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;After sitting on the backburner for years while I was busy raising a family, drag racing, and building a house, I finally made up my mind to finish it.â&#x20AC;? -Glenn Panfil

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a cage; however, he was never able to really finish the project. With other pressures of life more compelling, the car was mothballed and left untouched for years. Itching to return to the project nearly a decade later, Panfil contacted Art Morrison Enterprises and ordered up a precursor to the company’s nowfamous Tri-Chevy chassis some time in the late ’90s. Along with brother Darrel, the Panfils cut every panel from the car from firewall to tailgate, fabricated the chassis and new body mounts, remounted the body, and began fabricating new sheetmetal floors, firewall,

and various other tinwork. However, work on the project was still slow and unsteady until 2012. “After sitting on the backburner for years while I was busy raising a family, drag racing, and building a house, I finally made up my mind to finish it,” Panfil said. Wife Cindy and daughters Stephanie, Jenn, and Alyssa were supportive. Brother Darrel—who had assisted in the ’90s as Panfil Brothers Racing had competed in NHRA and IHRA Top Dragster competition—was on board, too. The time was right. Completing the longtime-coming chassis was

the first order of business. A narrowed Ford 9-inch differential with shortened Strange axles, a Detroit Locker, and 3.89 gears was installed via a ladder bar setup. Coilover shocks were installed front and rear and a complete dropped Mustang II suspension was grafted in place up front. The completed chassis rides just four inches off the pavement without airbags and— according to Panfil—“rides like a Cadillac.” With the car’s chassis and suspension sorted out, Panfil turned his attention to the classic Chevy’s powertrain. A 1970 454 LS-7 engine provided an

IN THE WEEDS Panfil handled all the chassis and suspension modifications himself using raw components from Art Morrison Enterprises. The end result is a nice tuck and a hammered stance that helps the wagon look bad...in a good way.

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excellent starting point. After being bored 0.60-over, the 468ci Rat was fitted with a forged crank, 8.0:1 forged blower pistons, and a Competition Cams hydraulic roller cam. Induction is handled by an 8-71 Dyers huffer with twin Holley 750cfm double pumper carbs topped with a shotgun scoop. The combo is good for just north of 500 horsepower. Backing the big block is a built GM TH400 trans with a 3,500 RPM stall converter. All the power is planted to the pavement through a set of Weld AlumaStars wrapped in Mickey Thompson Sportsman tires, with 15x6s riding on 26x7.50-15s up front and steamroller 15x16s

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RAT INFESTED The 468 big block sports a polished 8-71 Dyers supercharger and a pair of 750 cfm Holley carbs. The setup produces around 500 horsepower.

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SEATING FOR FOUR The classic black interior features aftermarket gauges, a B&M shifter, Grant GT steering wheel, and a quartet of Cobra racing buckets.

on 29x18-15s in the back. Wilwood discs on all four corners fulfill stopping demands, with polished Dynalite 4-piston calipers doing the binding. Next up on the list was paint and body, and the Panfils again opted to keep the labor in house. A slippery coat of House of Kolors Tangelo Pearl was applied, but not before a host of body mods were carried out. The heavily massaged factory sheetmetal was treated to a frenched antenna, a custom-molded hood opening with a smoothed hood underside, tucked and sectioned bumpers, and a customformed firewall. Moving inside, the wagon has been finished out with a full interior including Cobra bucket seats front and rear and a full-length

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center console. Door panels, tubs, and other interior pieces have been wrapped in black vinyl for a classic street machine look. A B&M MegaShifter commands the gear changes, while a classic dash, gauge pod trio, and Auto Meter tach work together to display all the car’s current information. Safety equipment from Dietz including harnesses, a fire extinguisher, and a power disconnect help protect driver and occupants, while a full Custom Auto Sound six-speaker stereo with 200-watts of Kicker power blasts the tunes. A Grant 14-inch carbon fiber steering wheel provides a hint of new-school look in an otherwise classic interior. At long last, Panfil rolled the completed car out of the garage for the first time on wife Cindy’s birthday, July 21st 2013—a mere 33 years after first acquiring it. Although the build obviously took longer than anticipated, Panfil wouldn’t exchange a quicker timeline |

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d has ered an s other t n e s a it w merou the ered nu er events h n t r i a w g n letio at oth to comp of knowing he awards t time. e tria r pleasu car from the since th for Panfil his e y h k for Luc built t p any day. f room this o t s i t d o u l e r d s c groun five ha back, because r quick to o Panfil is te family and cargo in G needs itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;f s a i d s e a u A m o l i l e his im BAD W ome the cop rel as w and r a D h r e g ies it ody, aulin broth of troph Dave, C ong h s. friends r their help al st amounts ywhere it goe r o e f e B v n e n r wo Shaw earns . The ca the way the first time of Show

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here are some people who become gearheads, but it really can’t be explained why. They become attracted to some aspect of an automobile and that fuels their passion to start in the hobby. Some guys get into cars after reading a book or seeing a movie. Then there are those guys, like a lot of us, who had dads who steered us into the hobby. This is the story of one of those guys. Tony Davidson was born and bred to be a car guy. Before Tony’s birth, his dad Donny found the ’55 Chevy you see here in 1969 for a measly $150 on the side of an Arkansas highway. He then drove it back to their home in Memphis with intentions of fixing it up. He slapped a paintjob on it, put on a set of Cragars, and had Andy’s Auto

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SHOEBOX FULL OF MEMORIES This cool street machine has been in the Davidson family for decades, starting when Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad Donny purchased the car for just $150 back in 1969.

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GREEN WITH ENVY Tony likes his ’55 so much, he had some ink done. He also just happened to be sporting a green t-shirt during our shoot. What can we say, the man knows what he likes!

Upholstery do the interior. He pulled the 235 out and chromed everything. All the brackets, the valve covers— everything! During those early years, Tony’s mom didn’t drive, so a neighbor who also worked with her used the ’55 to shuttle them back and forth to work. Tony’s dad, who worked at Firestone for 48 years, had bought a new ’69 383 Roadrunner, so there was no way they were going to be driving that. As time went on, the ’55 eventually became an extra car and Donny used it to street race back in the ’70s. He ended up installing a 283 Corvette

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(ENGINE) BAY WATCH The warmed-over 388 small block has been treated to a host of performance and aesthetic upgrades. The fabricated sheetmetal valve covers, polished Holley intake, and B&M single-4 MegaScoop add some visual sizzle to the sano doghouse.

engine complete with a 2x4 intake setup out of a wrecked ’60 Corvette. According to Tony, that car was the fastest thing on the streets of Frayser back in the day. Incidentally, Tony actually managed to track down that old 2x4 setup twenty-something years later and runs it in another ’55 he owns. The man that Donny had sold it to had never even used it. It was still in the same bag that Donny had given it to him in. That dual-quad setup was sold because as Tony approached driving age, his father started to remove the go-fast goodies knowing full well what his son would do when he got the car. Tony knew he was getting the car as soon he got his driver’s license and looked forward to that day so much so that he actually remembers the day like it was yesterday. “I turned 16 and started driving on a Wednesday. I remember that because the day I turned 16 I went and got my license. But what I remember most vividly is that Friday night. I went to dad’s drag

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racing spot…and I blew the motor up! I had to call my dad to come get me. I was already out past curfew, and when dad got there the first thing he did was pull the dipstick and it looked like milk! He hooked up the car, towed it home, put it in the garage, went in and went to bed, and never said a word,” said Davidson. He just knew when his dad got home from work on Saturday that he was going to get it. Tony opened the garage before Donny got home and said “there was so much ‘milk’ coming out of the tailpipes that it was pooled up against the garage door.” When Tony’s dad got home, he showered then told Tony “come on, we’re going to Arkansas.” He never said anything to Tony about blowing up the motor, but when they got to Arkansas they picked up a complete ’66 327 that came out of his grandad’s Massey-Ferguson combine. That engine saw a ton of mileage with Tony throughout high school and is actually still running today in a ’67 Nova that he owns. The ’55 was actually totaled in high school when two guys in a station wagon came across a parking lot and T-boned it. Tony would not part with the car and vowed to get it back together. Within a year, he made good on his promise by straightening the frame, getting a donor fender and quarter panel, and repainting the car.

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YOU BLEW IT, TONY... Davidson’s car is full of memories, and this canister in his shop contains the remnants of a good one. Although it makes for a good story now, we’re pretty sure he wasn’t too happy to have to tell his dad he grenaded the engine in the ’55 drag racing it the first weekend after he got his driver’s license back in high school!

FAT THAT FITS The ’55 sports a set of classic Weld Racing RodLite wheels shod with Mickey Thompson tires. A pair of mini-tubs and relocated leafs accomodate the 15x12 wheels and 29x12.5-15 tires nicely, and the narrowed 10-bolt is suspended under a non-altered frame.

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CLEAN THROUGHOUT It may not be a six-figure shop build, but Davidsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tri-five is a super-clean cruiser that is a rolling load of family memories. The Davidsons plan to pass the Chevy down to their sons Logan and Tanner when the time comes.

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Tony made yearly pilgrimages with his friends to the Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals back in the heyday of pro street and always wanted to tub the car. In 2005, he completely restored the classic Chevy to the way he and his father had always envisioned and it will probably always stay that way. Donny had a medical scare that year and Tony was determined that his father would see the car built to their vision should something happen—so he tore the car down completely in one weekend by himself

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and had the body waiting for the painter on Monday morning. He had the car completely back together in less than three months. The interior was done by Ernie Drake, who has since passed away. David Page of Page Brothers Performance narrowed the 10-bolt rearend ten inches, relocated the springs in the pocketed frame, and did the mini-tub so they could fit the biggest tire possible without altering the factory frame rails. A 388 stroker was installed recently after his previous 383 met an untimely demise (coincidentally, Tony still has the parts from both of his detonated engines, and it is impressive to see the level of destruction of which he is capable). The 388 has RHS 2015

aluminum heads, a 540 lift roller COMP Cam, and Eagle crank and rods. A Holley Contender polished intake with a 750 doublepumper finish off the top side of the engine. Autometer gauges are the only thing in the dash (he doesn’t see a need for a stereo). A Turbo 350 with a 3500-stall TCI converter transfers power to the rearend. Drop spindles help with the stance, while Weld RodLite wheels cover a stock-style disk brake setup with 15x5 front wheels and 15x10 rear. 29x12.5 Mickey Thompsons more than adequately fill out the rear wheel wells. The only thing that Tony has changed since the original restoration

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was installing a pair of smoothie bumpers. He plans to make a flip-down license plate holder in the near future (to help stay legal and all). Amazingly, all of the stainless is original on the car except the side spears. Tony obviously views this car as a member of the family—so much so that he had a tattoo made of the car on his arm. He plans to keep the car until he can’t drive anymore then pass it to the next generation. He and his wife Karen have two boys—Logan and Tanner—who are sure to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers. Tony and Logan just recently completed a 1969 C10 truck for Logan, now it is Tanner’s turn!

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t is bound to change. How can it not, really? Because for anyone willing to listen to Louis Jackson’s tales of poorcommunicating shops, parts breakage after parts breakage, and downright rotten luck, you just have to expect that his fortunes are due to drift to the better. It all started when the St. Charles, Missouri business owner decided to sell his 42-foot triple engine boat and get into the pro street game. Jackson’s first car as a teen had been a ’55 Chevy, and he decided long ago that one day he’d own another. This time, however, it would be blown, tubbed, and far from an average street machine. After an extensive search, in 2001 he found a finished car with a backhalf and a 502ci crate engine at a consignment broker’s lot in

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LOOKING GOOD It has been far from easy, but Louis Jackson’s ’55 Chevy looks good whether on the strip or cruising on the street. After a busted up junk chassis job, two different shops, more engine rebuilds than he cares to recall, and a host of other headaches, Jackson has had his share of difficulties along the way. However, he has stayed the course and the end result is an incredibly well built machine that attracts attention anywhere he drives it.

Minnesota. He agreed to terms with the shop over the phone and struck a deal. The ’55 was his. And so ends the part of the feature where things went according to plan. After getting the car home, Jackson promptly broke the rear suspension. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the backhalf had not been installed very well. At the same time, he discovered a good deal on a used B&M blower system, so he decided to tear the car down completely and rebuild it just the way he wanted it. Jackson selected a chassis shop and discussed a full rebuild including

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WIPE YOUR MOUTH... You’re droolin’. It’s not a good look, bro. But who could blame you...staring at this MegaBlown rat-motored goodness?

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paint. After over a year of poor communication, lack of progress, and mounting frustrations, he decided it was time to make a change. “At a chance meeting with show car specialist Roger Ferris, I told him about my problems with the build. Soon after, we agreed to move the car to his shop,” Jackson recalled. Ferris handled not only the chassis revision but also the paint and body. The engine, on the other hand, was a completely different story. The 502 that came in the car was rebuilt and the B&M MegaBlower was installed along with a pair of sidewaysmounted 750cfm Holley carbs and a Hilborn-style dual quad scoop. The combo was good for 790hp and 670ftlbs of torque on the dyno, but after less than 20 miles in the car, it began losing oil pressure. After pulling the engine back out, it was determined that bearing clearance issues were part of the trouble. After the original engine builder failed to stand behind his work, Jackson took his wounded bullet elsewhere. The 502 was punched out to 540ci and rebuilt. It was pieced back together just in time for a DuPont paint calendar photo shoot when the newly rebuilt rat dropped a valve. “It went to the shoot broken and we had to use an ATV to pull it into the studio,” Jackson recalled. Undeterred, he decided to take the dropped valve as an opportunity to upgrade the factory cast iron GM heads to Dart aluminum units. “On Christmas eve 2006, I took my dad for his first ride in the car, and while spinning the tires and shifting into second gear at 6,800 rpm, the engine went BANG!” Jackson said. A broken wrist pin took out two rods. Virtually nothing save for the new heads was salvageable out of the already-thricerebuilt engine.

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Jackson then pieced together a new 540ci engine, beginning with a Dart block, Scat crank and rods, and JE pistons. A billet solid roller cam was specâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d out and partnered with Isky lifters. The B&M MegaBlown big block held together for seven years before the well-used supercharger started making some unsavory noise. Unfortunately for Jackson, the faulty huffer portended even more trouble. The rotors in the blower

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were shot and had sent aluminum shavings into the engine. To make matters worse, the B&M blower was long-since discontinued, making replacement impossible. A new Blower Shop 8-71 billet supercharger was required and an entire freshening of the top end of the motor was in order. The engine has also been updated with a full MSD ignition, 4-inch exhaust and Flowmaster mufflers. The clean-looking side-dump exhaust adds cool good looks and killer exhaust tone. Backing the potent engine is a Turbo 400 with reverse valve body, a Neil Chance converter, and a Gear Vendors overdrive unit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the nine years in which the car has |

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HOOSIER DADDY? The huge 15x15 rear Weld Magnum wheels have been fitted with 31x18.5-15 Hoosier street slicks, adequately filling the stretched rear wheel openings. The car rides on a ladder bar suspension with Strange double-adjustable shocks and sports a fortified and narrowed Ford 9-inch rearend.

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been ‘finished,’ I’ve also managed to break the transmission, go through four converters, broke the Gear Vendors, and had to change the rear gears once,” Jackson said. In the midst of this sea of destruction and hard luck, Jackson has still managed to pull together a remarkable piece of pro street machinery. The 2015

initial subpar backhalf that was in the car upon initial purchase has long since been replaced with a full square tube chassis and an 8-point cage. A narrowed Ford 9-inch differential with a Detroit Locker, 31-spline axles, and 3.50 gears rides out back on a ladder bar setup with Strange double-adjustable shocks.

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Up front, Ferris and crew installed a Mustang II suspension with Afco coil overs. A power rack and pinion unit was added to handle steering chores. A matched set of Wilwood discs provide the stopping power and are assisted with a GM Hydroboost unit. The car rolls on a set of Weld Magnum 2.0 wheels all

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around with the massive 15x15 rears fit with equally ginormous 31x18.515 Hoosier street slicks. Paint and body work was adeptly handled by Ferris. A few subtle body mods accentuate the build, but the copious amounts of pristine factory trim are worth noticing. Ferris shaved the gas tank door, filled the cowl panel, welded the custom rocker extensions with exhaust exits, and modified the cowl induction hood before laying down the glass-smooth DuPont basecoat. The custom-mixed orange was tricked up with a heavy dose of gold pearl, and a subtle set of ghost flames was added before being sealed for posterity with gallons upon gallons of DuPont clear. The interior of the car is luxurious and well-executed, with copious amounts of beige leather adeptly wrapping the custom Recaro buckets, full rear bench, various panels, and custom trunk. A pair of

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cam-lock 5-point harnesses provide additional safety along with the body color custom cage, and the custom center console houses a Hurst Quarter Stick and billet controls for the AC and power windows. A full custom stereo system adds tunes whenever the blown big block isn’t music enough, and a restified factory steering wheel is used to transfer directional input to the front wheels. “It may be a show car, but I beat on it really hard on the street and I get people who tell me they wouldn’t even drive it on the street because it’s too nice,” Jackson said. “The car wouldn’t be what it is today without the help of a number of people, including Roger Ferris, Scott McQuaid, Matt McQuaid, Jerry Neuhaus, and many others,” he added. The car won a prestigious Editor’s Choice award at the 2013 Street Machine Nationals in DuQuoin, and in sum has “…won more awards than I can count,” Jackson said. So after 14 years of agony and grief, one might think the time for Jackson’s luck to change is long overdue. It certainly is. However, he’s still working hard to get the car ready for the summer of 2015. “The current motor is out again for some more changes and tuning on the engine dyno,” he said. With a little luck, you might see the car this summer at a show or a cruise—just as long as your luck is better than Louis Jackson’s!

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ROLLINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Project aPocalypSe Horse is finally on all fours as chassis fabrication winds down and body work begins

TOBY

ast issue we brought you up to speed on our wild new Pro Street 2.0 build, Project aPocalypSe Horse. The guys at Virginia Rod Company (VRC) have been busy fabricating, and we have been busy trying to find parts in order to get this sucker off to Strange Motion Customs by next month. VRC got the chassis rolling in time to display it at the Virginia Hot Rod & Custom Car show in Hampton Roads, Virginia last month. The RideTech suspension with wireless Bluetooth control via the RidePro app was a big hit with the show goers. We used one of the carbon fiber Nitrous Oxide Systems tanks to serve as the air bottle, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a host of other cool features to share with you later on as the build continues to progress.

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BROOKS

RAD CHASSIS

We basically had to go back to square one with the front suspension, as our previous idea of air struts proved to simply not be workable. Donald Williams and Bobby Starcher at VRC put their heads together, and with some help from Rodney Mason at RideTech, they came up with a cool looking and great performing solution. A Mustang II upper and lower control arm set from S&W Race Cars was fabbed in place to secure a Wilwood spindle and billet hub. Then a RideTech ShockWave was mounted up to provide up to 4.5 inches of adjustable ride height. A Summit Racing Equipment chrome Pinto rack and pinion was mounted in place to handle steering duties in place of a bulky power unit we had

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selected previously. With tires this narrow on the front and space under the hood at an absolute premium, we opted to scrap our plans for hydraulic power steering. We are considering an electric assist system, but have not made definitive plans just yet.

HOOVES ON THE GROUND The guys at VRC got the chassis rolling then proceeded to mount the body. The tucked wheels Billet Specialties double beadlocked Street Lites with Goodyear slick out back look awesome, and the 17s mounted with Moroso front runners fill the factory wheel openings nicely, too.

With the heavy lifting done on the chassis, we turned our attention up front to the sheet metal, where the nose of the car needed some freshening up. The chassis of the car had been built with a 5-inch stretch to better accommodate the twin ProChargers,

so we knew some custom work would be required. However, after looking at the 2013-2014 Mustangs, we decided that the new nose and Boss-style HID headlights were just too cool. It was time for a conversion to swap on the updated and stretched nose.

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First Jerry Gary, Jr. put us in touch with Aubrey Wilson at LKQ Norfolk. LKQ deals in replacement parts of all sorts, and Aubrey got us four 20052009 Mustang front fenders as well as a V6 style rear bumper (no exhaust provisions like our GT bumper). |

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RIDIN’ ON RIDETECH The Mustang II front suspension setup is tried and true for a reason. We ordered a pair of Wilwood spindles and hubs from Summit Racing to complete the corners, but as usual, solving one problem creates others. Our Baer Brakes front calipers were designed specifically for the 2006 Mustang front spindles we had planned to use, and they don’t fit the Wilwood spindles. Now we’ll have to create some custom brackets in order to get them mounted up properly.

That got us what we needed for the stretch, but we still needed a bunch of parts to finish the swap. We found one headlight, a pair of used 2014 Shelby fenders, and a 2014 Shelby hood on eBay. We managed to find another damaged hood not far from VRC and our friend Tony Adkins went and picked it up. After some more shopping, we tracked down an OEM 2014 bumper cover, upper and lower grilles, driving light kit, a T-Rex billet grille insert, and ROUSH lower splitter thanks to the wonders of the interwebs.

Bobby got to work, promptly knocking out the stretch mock-up/ tack-up in a day. Blending the two dissimilar wheel opening contours proved to be a bit of a challenge, but nothing the VRC guys couldn’t handle. Bobby used about one inch a piece of those pristine Shelby fenders, and before long the new nose started to take shape. Surprisingly, the Weinle Motorsports sheet metal tunnel ram just barely peeks out of the factory Shelby hood. We will rely on none other than Problem Child Kustoms

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SIX TO MAKE TWO Donald Williams from VRC mocks up one of the four LKQ fenders it took to make the stretch happen. Once the VRC guys added five inches behind the front wheels, they took our eBay-found 2014 Shelby fenders to graft on the new nose. So yeah...this thing has parts of six fenders on it!

design stud Brian Stupski to come up with a cool trick to finish this area off. More on that later. Our plan at this point is to wrap up the exhaust and other major fabrication work at VRC between now and the Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals, display the

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car under construction at the Nats, then deliver it to Tim Strange of Strange Motion Customs the week after the show. Then, Tim will slick the body to perfection and spray it with Axalta Hot Hues “Fuschia Kiss” paint. Bob Maynard and Danny Taylor

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will then tag team on the graphics before Tim slathers it with a flawless coat of milesdeep Axalta urethane clear coat. In other developments, our Zada Tech digital dash and auxiliary gauge panels are progressing nicely, and we managed to get our Budnik one-off wheels with custom MacFab beadlocks mounted to the massive 33x22-15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR rear tires. It is fun to see ideas start to turn into reality, and we’ve had several such things come together since last issue. We are working on a number of other

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

757.596.7275 OFFICIAL FABRICATION SHOP OF PROJECT

IT’S STARTIN’ TO COME TOGETHER, PEPPER... The Zada Tech gauge setup will consist of a 12.5-inch highdef main dash and another 7-inch panel mounted near the DVD nav unit in the dash. The MacFab beadlocks look awesome after getting some love from Budnik wheels to match the finish of our one-off wheels, and the pink anodized old-school cup washers are the perfect finishing touch. The finished combo was a little too much for our shop hand to manage by himself.

issues at the moment, as well. Thanks to our friends at Mezeire Enterprises, we will be running a supplemental electric water pump to boost flow through a custom Saldana Enterprises aluminum radiator. As we went to press, Bobby was attempting to figure out the maximum size we could use along with a Vintage Air condenser, B&M transmission cooler, and SPAL brushless electric fans. To make things even more complicated, we were also attempting to squeeze the air www.facebook.com/tubbedmagazine

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intakes in up front, too. Initially our plan was to run dual radiators Matt & Debbie Hay style, but we just don’t have the room. Maybe next time we’ll stretch the nose an extra foot or so :) The last big hurdle at VRC will be fabricating the custom Borla stainless exhaust system with true zoomie headers and super cool Borla collector mufflers. The Miller SpeedSport zoomie slide valves will afford us the earsplitting opportunity to run the double2015

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HOODED NASTINESS We were shocked to see just how little our sheet metal intake poked through the 2014 Shelby hood. Initially our plan was to leave the hood open with the intake poking through, however, with it so low, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to come up with something else to give it a finished look.

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blown 529 Boss Nine Ford open headered, and with a simple push of the slide valves we can run the spent gases through a complete mufflered and rocker-tucked exhaust. Pretty cool, huh? We also got some new parts in that required custom fabrication. First up, we got an incredible fabbed aluminum oil pan from Dan Olson Racing Products. The fit and finish was impeccable, and the piece will not only provide added ground clearance but will also match our

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all-aluminum block and heads perfectly. We also got a custom aluminum driveshaft from Dynotech Engineering. Initially our plan was to go with a carbon fiber unit; however, with the Gear Vendors unit, the shaft length was a scant 27 inches. With such a short shaft required, the carbon model would have actually been three pounds

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STREEEEETCHED... The extra five inches of front end is coming in handy, but even with it, space is proving to be at a premium under the hood.

MORE WORK TO BE DONE Out back we have much to sort. The rear bumper cover will need to be notched to clear the S&W Race Cars single wheelie bar, then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to fabricate mounts for the dual DJ Safety drag chutes and the Mark DePriest-fabbed pro stock spoiler. It should look pretty cool when its all done.

heavier, more than double the cost, and would require more than three additional weeks lead time. We opted to stick with the aluminum shaft instead. 128

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We also ordered up a huge array of Racepak hardware, including a VS500 SD data logger with Bluetooth connectivity, all sensors, plug-and-play integration

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with our FAST XFI 2.0 EFI controller, and a complete Smartwire system. This will ensure that our ride has stateof-the-art electronics and should not only

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WORTH THE EFFORT The added time and expense associated with the front end swap has been significant; however, it is one of our favorite parts of the build so far. We shopped online for complete front clips (inset above), but the cost was more than we initially paid for the whole car. Instead, we opted to piece the updated clip together using only the parts we needed. In all, going this route saved more than $2,500 over the cost of the complete front clip.

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decrease the time it takes to wire the car dramatically but also reduce weight. Be on the lookout for a full tech piece on that soon after paint is complete. On a bit of a sad note, we have seen the writing on the wall and have scrapped any plans of having the car done in time for SEMA 2015. At this point, we are going to forge ahead with fabrication at VRC, paint and body at Strange Motion, then bring the car back to our shop for wiring, plumbing, and final assembly before settling on an interior shop to finish the build. Although we are still actively shopping, we have a few different potential shops in mind. 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 fat-tired cars proudly roam fairgrounds, streets, and strips again. And just like before, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

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