Street Rod Life Fall 2016 by Xceleration Media

DO IT IN THE DIRT HOT ROD DIRT DRAGS

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TOUCH MASTERING A ’39 CHEVY

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Projects, procrastination, deadlines, and delays

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Senior Tech Editor

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Tech Editor

Richard Holdener

Contributors Cindy Bullion Brandon Flannery Roger C. Johnson Barry Kluczyk Tony Thacker Manufacturers Advertising/Subscriptions Ivan Korda Jonathan Ertz For advertising inquiries call 901.260.5910.

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Street Rod Life is published quarterly to promote the growth of street rodding as well as recognize the parts and services from participating manufacturers. The magazine consists of dedicated information from partner companies with the mission of disseminating unfiltered editorial on companies, products and services directly to street rodders and fans. Editorial content and advertisements for each issue can originate from partner companies participating in the magazine. Street Rod Life is a hybrid of content that was originally published at StreetRodLife.com and original content that was created for this quarterly print magazine. Magazine distribution occurs through direct distribution from parent company Xceleration Media, its partner companies, and marquee events throughout the year. Street Rod Life is a property of Xceleration Media. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent from Xceleration Media. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Cover ON THE

DO IT IN THE DIRT

Frank Armendariz’s ’39 Master 85 TOUCH sedan against a vintage backdrop in El Paso. See page 24 for more. WEB

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SRL2016-3

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VOL. 2, NO.

ave you ever heard of a project car build with a deadline that was easily met? By ‘easily’ I mean one where a team of five people didn’t burn themselves out working 20 hour shifts for a month before debuting the rod at the big show. It seems that a project done on time (and on budget) is rarer than finding a deuce coupe in a barn. When people acquire a new project, they seem to think, “Some engine work, interior updates, and a little paint…this thing will be done in six months.” Six years later, it’s either in a pile of parts that haven’t been touched, or they’re almost done…with a couple more years coming. Extended deadlines seem to be the nature of building a street rod of any sort. (And publishing, but that’s another column.) Don’t get me wrong, not every build goes this way, and a large percentage get done within a reasonable time frame. Better yet are those people who drive their projects even when incomplete — just check out our feature on page 46 covering Chris Wood’s ’53 Chevy. There are a lot of variables “This ’40 shouldn’t take long to get going,” I said 20 years ago. that affect the outcome of any build, ranging from budgets to work commitments, family, your skill set, and overall goal. For most of us backyard builders, we know our hot rods take a back seat to household responsibilities and family needs. We can’t plan for everything that crops up, which is why we hear a lot of stories about projects being pushed aside for 10 or even 20 years! I bring all of this up because I’m guilty of missing this project deadline issue. Well, not yet exactly, but it’s approaching. About 20 years ago, I bought the hulk of a ’40 Ford sedan from a friend of a friend, knowing I wouldn’t work on it for quite a few years… but I didn’t grasp just how many that would be. At the time, we made a bet: The goal was to have the car road ready before I turn 50 (which will be in 2018), and my friend pays for a road trip. If the ’40 isn’t ready, I pay for a road trip in one of his cars. Seemed like a sure thing two decades ago. Well, the ’40 was just recently pulled out of storage for the first time, and all I can say is I have a lot of work ahead of me to win the bet. The car doesn’t have to be pretty, it just needs to be reliable enough to make a long weekend road trip. I’ll keep you posted on the progress (if any) over the next few months. The real bad part about this is I have another car that has been apart nearly as long in the garage as well. I could list all of the usual excuses about lacking time, money, talent, and such, but the fact is a number of other cars and trucks have flowed through the shop while these other ones have just been sitting awaiting their turn. It’s more of a lack of focus on my part I’d say. It’s just there are so many cool projects out there, and it’s hard not to pass up a good deal when the time is right. It’s fun to work on one, learn about it, and move to another. In recent years, I’ve experienced working on the top end of an FE, Pontiac timing covers, and different head combinations, fuel injection installs, different suspension upgrades, late model Hemi engine swaps, LS components, identifying six cylinders, and more. I couldn't have done all that with just one project car right? Now however, it’s time to focus. But in this day of multi-tasking and common attention deficit disorders such as eBay, Craigslist, and Bring a Trailer, we’ll see how this focus thing works out. While I was in Columbus for Goodguys, there was a great deal on a fenderless ’34 Ford… SRL

Staff Director of Operations Shawn Brereton

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INSIDE... STREETRODLIFE.COM Vol. 2, No. 3

COVER STORY

MASTER SEDAN A ’39 Chevy Master

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

16 ’56 SUBURBAN 24 MASTER SEDAN 33 PLAYING IN THE DIRT 40 MUSEUM OF SPEED 46 ALMOST FINISHED 52 TOURING IDIDIT 72 DOING DU QUOIN 78 CRUISING WITH GOOLSBY 90 FAMILY HEIRLOOM

01 FIRE IT UP 04 RPM REPORT 06 DIGITAL DETOUR 08 SOCIAL BUZZ 10 ROD SHOT 12 VIDEO PLAYLIST

From work rig to custom rod A ’39 Chevy Master 85

Vintage racing in Colorado Portland’s need for speed

They’re never done so drive it We do ididit’s headquarters

Street machines at ground zero

We chat with Jonathan and Josh A 60-year family project

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Projects and procrastination What’s up in the rodding world Sites to surf, forums to stalk Socializing through apps Reliving the dirty past

Fun videos to check out

THE 14 INPASSENGER SEAT Head to the dyno with an expert

61 CLUB SPOTLIGHT OF 86 LIFER THE MONTH

Celebrating Royal Pontiac

Jack Chisenhall

95 HIT THE ROAD

Where you need to be and when to be there

96 BEHIND THE DOOR Dyno test mules and project engines

Even more features, videos, & event coverage

@StreetRodLife.com

33 PLAYING IN THE DIRT

82 SWAP MEET TRI-POWER

44 DELIVER A DEAD BLOW

46 ALMOST FINISHED

TECH

Parts Store

Vintage racing in Colorado

Specialty hammers from Mittler Bros.

22 CHARGE TIME 30 WE TOLD YOU IT WAS EASY 38 BRAKE FLUID CLEANSE 44 DELIVER A DEAD BLOW 68 SPRING IN YOUR STEP 76 COOLANT CARE 82 SWAP MEET TRI-POWER 88 CORRECTING MPH

Do you have what it takes to stay charged? See how EZ FAST makes EFI

Why you need to change your fluid

Specialty hammers from Mittler Bros. The importance of valve springs

Driven explains cooling systems Vintage 3-pot intake update

How to gear your speedometer

Vintage 3-pot intake update

They’re never done so drive it

Pro-Lite Column ididit.............................................................. 54 Ford EZ-EFI 2.0 Eight-Stack Systems Inglese.......................... 54 Booster/Master Kits for Early Corvette Master Power Brakes..... 55 Y-Block Ford Starter Powermaster Performance....................... 55 Suspension Kits for GM X-Bodies QA1.................................... 56 Hand Healing Soap Uncle Earle’s............................................. 56 Quick Change Tooling Mittler Bros. Machine and Tool............... 56 Aluminum Valve Covers and Air Cleaner FAST.......................... 57 Satin Clear PPG....................................................................... 58 Billet Parking Brake Cover Ringbrothers.................................. 58 Speed Clean Foaming Cleaner Driven Racing Oil..................... 58 Hydramax Hydraulic Clutch System American Powertrain......... 59 New Vintage Stereos Antique Automobile Radio, Inc................. 59 10W-30 Engine Break-In Oil COMP Cams................................ 59 Energizer Rocker Arms Crane Cams......................................... 60 CompRT 12-inch Slim DVC Subwoofer Kicker.......................... 60 GM Truck Rallys Circle Racing Wheels...................................... 60

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NEWS HOT TOPICS INFO

RPM REPORT

Photo courtesy Goodguys/Mike Harrington

Goolsby Customs built the Mustang with modern touches, starting with the Coyote drivetrain, as well as incorporating many subtle design cues while retaining its vintage appeal.

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Photo courtesy Goodguys/Mike Harrington

Customs & Hot Rods of Andice built this stunning ’39 Olds Model 60 convertible. They started with a rare car and proceeded to create a rolling piece of Oldsmobile art.

Goodguys Street Rod & Machine of the Year During the PPG Nationals held in Columbus, Ohio, the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association gathered all of the finalists for the Street Rod of the Year and Street Machine of the Year to determine who would be crowned as the car (or truck) for 2016. To say the competition was stiff is an understatement. You can just imagine the vehicles that were in the running from the top builders and teams in the country. When the dust settled, it

SEMA Custom Car Camp SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer Association, hosted its first Custom Car Camp in late July. The event brought in 20 kids to participate in a week-long camp for 10–13 year old kids who have expressed an interest in the automotive world. The kids got a hands-on experience customizing and racing Traxxas RC cars and learned about basic vehicle mechanics by taking them apart and putting them back together. They also had access to the SEMA Garage’s 3D printer to help them customize their vehicles for performance, aesthetics, and speed. Other events included meeting Sung Kang of the Fast and the Furious, a visit from noted builder Steve Strope of Pure Vision, a field trip to the NHRA Museum, Formula Drifting, and an RC race at the end of the week. Sounds like our kind of camp — where can we sign up? 4

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

was the 1969 Mustang of Tim Spencer that was named Street Machine of the Year, and the 1939 Oldsmobile of Billy and Debbie Thomas as Street Rod of the Year. If these names and cars sound familiar to you, it’s because the Olds won the Ridler Award during the Detroit Autorama earlier this year, and the Mustang was presented with the Mothers Shine award and Ford’s Design award during the 2015 SEMA Show. Congrats to the owners and builders alike.

NEWS HOT TOPICS INFO

RPM REPORT

SRL Editor’s Choice from St. Paul The Street Machine Nationals held in July at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds was bigger than ever this year, which made it even tougher for us to decide on a car to name as the Editor’s Choice. It was mid-day Saturday when we heard a vintage exhaust note with a hint of blower wind. When we turned around, we saw the blower, at about the same level as the chopped top, which was forcing air and fuel into an 8B-A Flathead. We had our pick. It turns out this was the first showing of the ’31 Model A 5-window coupe. The hot rod is owned by Travis and Lorri Whitney of Blaine, Minnesota, and you’ll be seeing a full feature on this car in our next issue.

Art Chrisman passes We lost another legend who was instrumental in the early days of drag racing, Art Chrisman. Art passed on July 12, 2016 at the age of 86. Art was there from the start and pulled off quite a few firsts in racing along with forwarding engineering trends and technology. One of his most recognized achievements was his number 25 dragster which won the Best Engineered Car award at the 1958 Nationals. The car was noted for its long wheelbase and having the cockpit placed far back in the car. He set mph records on the drag strip (first to break 180 mph) as well as at land speed events such as at Bonneville, where he was one of the first five members of the 200 mph club. Art later founded a hot rod shop with his son Mike where they built many noted cars and customs. Godspeed.

Registering a Rod in New Jersey A version of a bill is pending in the New Jersey Assembly (A.B. 118) that would provide specific titling/registration for street rods (defined as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1948) and customs (defined as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and built after 1948). The bill also would allow for kit cars and replica

vehicles to be assigned a title bearing the same model year designation that it resembles. Also, it would allow rods and customs to run blue dots! Check out how you can help this pending legislation and more at semasan.com.

Year moving up on manufacture plates in California In California you can only run a plate from your vehicle’s year of manufacture on 1969 and older vehicles, but that may soon change. A Bill to expand the year to 1980 and older was recently approved by an Appropriations Committee and now moves to the floor for a vote by all members of the Assembly. If it passes, the charge will be $45 for the use of the special plates.

SERIOUS RODDERS KNOW TO FIND NEWS, TECH, AND FEATURES OVER @ StreetRodLife.com STREETRODLIFE.COM

SITES APPS FORUMS TRENDS

DIGITAL DETOUR The internet is all about information, some good, some not so good. We’re here to steer you in the right direction with a few sites and forums containing quality car-guy information. If you have a favorite website that can help your fellow readers out, send it our way!

Websites Permian Basin Petroleum

A must-see museum in Midland, Texas, that has detailed exhibits with fossils, minerals, and everything you want to know about the petroleum industry in the Permian Basin (in Texas and New Mexico). Famous racing legend Jim Hall’s (Chaparral Racing Gallery) personal cars are on display, along with the R&D he did with wings and downforce in racing.

Rest Stop and Car Museum

One of the best rest and food stops on I-40 just East of Tucumcari, New Mexico. The Truck and Travel Center features a free car museum with more than 30 cars displayed at all times, along with vintage memorabilia. Plan a lunch stop there at their Route 66 diner with a beautiful view of the New Mexico landscape.

petroleummuseum.org

Classic Sales

russellsttc.com

Generations of Unser

Buying and selling is in a street rodder’s genes. If it’s time to find another ride (or move another out of the garage), we found Classic Car Liquidators, a fun site to cruise through and check on their inventories and auctions.

The name Unser is legend in motorsports, from Pikes Peak to Indianapolis, and to celebrate the family’s history and imprint on racing, there’s a museum just south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Check out the site, but make plans to see it in person.

classiccarliquidators.com

unserracingmuseum.com

Forums Ham Addiction

Sparks and Steel

One of the original gathering places for those that wrench on their rods, the Hokey Ass Message Board continues to be the one of the best. Simply known as the HAMB, the site is part of the Jalopy Journal and delivers a sprawling work of technical info, project cars, history, and features.

Straight from the administrator’s mouth: “The purpose of this forum is to provide a space for discussion about welding, metal fabrication, and other related topics.” We say, “mission accomplished.”

forum.weldingtipsandtricks. com

Boost Info

Thinking about adding boost in the form of a turbo? This forum has discussions ranging from entry level to hardcore racing with information about setups, EFI, fuel systems, and anything related to boost.

theturboforums.com

jalopyjournal.com/forum/

Street rodding news at your fingertips Street Rod Life has made it as easy as possible for you to receive the information you are looking for in the format you feel most comfortable with. Whether you get your information on a laptop, tablet, or your phone,

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

we’ve got you covered so you can get the latest street rod information straight from the source. Our content is updated daily, so check often with Street Rod Life through any of the social media options on the right.

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Simply put, this is a place for rodders to hang out. Looking for tips or someone with experience on suspension, vintage engines, or parts? How about event coverage and even some classified action? You’ll find it here.

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Draggin’ on the Dirt

If it weren’t for the color in this photo, you might have thought it was taken at one of the old dirt tracks in Colorado Springs (operated by the Cam Winders) or the Boulder Timing Association’s strip. This shot was taken in June during the Hot Rod Dirt Drags held in Monte Vista, Colorado. For more coverage of this fun event, see pages 33–37.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Photo by Todd Ryden

RACING PRODUCTS ENTERTAINMENT

VIDEO PLAYLIST

To watch all the videos below, head to:

StreeRodLife.com/video-playlist 2016 Hot Rod Reunion: Bowling Green, KY

Bowling Green, Kentucky, hosted the 2016 Hot Rod Reunion June 16-18, 2016. These are some of the sights and sounds from this amazing event.

No trophies, only glory: The Race of Gentlemen NSRA 43rd Street Rod Nationals East highlights

The Race of Gentlemen celebrates Americana, hot rods, and racing on the beach of Wildwood, New Jersey. It’s a time warp and every car must pre-date 1934 — even the drivers must dress for the historical period. Gentleman, wax those mustaches and start your engines!

Stoner Car Care had the chance to visit the Street Rod Nationals in York, Pennsylvania, on June 3rd, and here is a little bit of what they saw. The threat of rain, and some passing showers couldn't dampen the Hot Rod spirit!

1977 NSRA Street Rod Nationals St Paul

Go back in time by watching this cine film taken by Ken Sweeney on his American holiday in 1977, mainly filmed at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals.

Take a look back at the ’88 Street Machine Nats

Go for a trip down memory lane with this video showcasing the 1988 Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals. Pro Street machines in their early glory!

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Northstar ‘48 Hudson

We caught up with Rob Jennings at the Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals to talk about his '48 Hudson built on a 1994 Cadillac DeVille chassis, which happened to be our Gearhead Powerpack winner as well.

The asphalt jungle is a noisy place. Make sure you’re heard. The streets are full of commotion and it’s easy to get run over unless you make some noise. The hard-hitting Thumpr™ Series from COMP Cams® will give your hot rod or street machine an aggressive note that lets them know you mean business. More than all bark and no bite, they were specifically designed to create impressive horsepower gains and broad torque curves while maintaining streetability. From mild to wild, Thumpr™ offers three levels of thump to suit any engine: Thumpr™, Mutha Thumpr™, and the Big Mutha Thumpr™. Though nostalgic-sounding in note, the designs are compatible with the latest in valve train advances, including COMP® Beehive™ Valve Springs, Ultra Pro Magnum™ Roller Rockers, and Magnum Pushrods. EFI-compatible versions are also available. You choose the engine, Thumpr® will make it roar.

Spintron® and dyno tested Available for both carb and EFI Retro-fit hydraulic roller and hydraulic flat tappet versions GM - Ford - Chrysler - even Ford flathead and Buick nailhead

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Choose one of four levels of component-matched kits, including the all-inclusive K-Kit for a complete, trouble-free installation. Complete K-Kits include a camshaft, lifters, springs, timing chain set, valve stem seals, retainers, locks and assembly lube.

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with RICHARD

HOLDENER

Smooth operator Editor’s Note: For this issue, we called upon Richard Holdener to give us some pointers on running your engine on a dyno. Richard probably has more time on an engine dyno than some guys have driving their cars! Taking the time, and expense, to run and tune your new engine before bolting it in your rod can be a great experience — when you’re prepared and working with a skilled team.

hen heading to the engine dyno, be prepared and make sure the dyno guy is a ‘smooth operator’. Maybe Sade didn’t have a guy running an engine on a dyno in mind when she wrote ‘Smooth Operator,’ but that doesn’t make it any less true. When heading to dyno your precious street, race, or marine motor, most enthusiasts and engine builders focus on the engine. Did you tighten all the bolts? Are all the clearances right? Did you remember all the parts? One thing performance enthusiasts often forget is how important the guy pulling the handle is. Steve Brule, the main dyno controller at Westech Performance Group, is the guy we rely on to test our engines, and his senses go on high alert with every engine. Sure, the dyno will spit out numbers and tell you how much power the combination generated, but a lot can happen before tossing around all the high fives that accompany success. A good dyno operator knows not just how to get you the data, but how to do it safely and ensure the motor survives the rigors of extracting every last ounce of power. More than just jet changes and timing curves, it’s those unexpected pitfalls that can ruin a perfectly good (and expensive) motor before you even get started. It’s imperative for the guy pulling the lever to have both eyes and ears on the motor (like a quality engine builder), show attention to detail, and follow a systematic approach to a successful session. This starts even before installation of the engine on the dyno, with a visual inspection of the motor to ensure things like cam and oil-galley plugs are in place, the damper and flywheel are properly matched (for balance), and the plugs are the correct heat range for the intended combination of compression, boost, and/or nitrous. The check list continues after installation on the dyno, prepping for startup, and even after warm up and the initial pulls. Naturally, all sessions are started with safe air/fuel and timing values and max efforts come only after ensuring everything is in working order. How many dyno guys do you know that can put their ear to the throttle handle (connected to the Morse throttle cable) and tell you that a rocker is loose (an exhaust rocker to boot, and even which side it is on!) Heck, Steve even caught a loose rocker on my LS during nothing more than a casual stroll by the dyno cell (we called it a drive-by!). Eyes and ears my friend, eyes and ears. When you head to the dyno with your motor, here are a couple of important questions for your (hopefully smooth) operator that will help you prepare for the session. 14

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

• What exhaust system will be used — stock manifolds, longtube headers, or some other system — and will it include mufflers? • Do you need to supply the headers, gaskets, and exhaust or does the facility (like Westech) have a variety of different dyno headers and mufflers? • If your motor is carbureted, will extra jets, air bleeds, or metering rods be necessary? • Inquire about adjustable fuel pressure on both carbureted and EFI motors, as being able to adjust the air/fuel mixture is a critical part of the tune-up. • Any good dyno shop will have a timing light to verify the timing curve, but you should really bring your own for consistent values. • Make sure your spark plugs, plug wires, and cap and rotor are new (or in good working order). Searching for simple things like distributor hold downs, pipe plugs (for water lines on the intake not used on the dyno), and header gaskets can burn up valuable dyno time that can be put to better use. Make sure you have (or ask about) break-in oil and filter changes during the session, and be prepared to check and re-lash the valves on solid flat-tappet and roller cams after the break-in cycles. Preparation is the key to success, and don’t worry, we always forget something on the first session, but make a lot of it and you’ll be good to go for your second session. SRL

Knowing your engine is ready to run, and having an operator that will check over everything and help you be prepared is key to a useful and worthwhile dyno session. Here we see Westech's Steve Brule (right) helping Justin Jerome prepare his 340c.i. Dodge for a few pulls.

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David Fulcher’s 1956 Chevy Suburban came with quite a pedigree 16

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

TO SEE MORE, SEARCH “ROAD READY” @ StreetRodLife.com

W WORDS: Brandon Flannery PHOTOS: Shawn Brereton

hen David Fulcher’s time with the Navy’s Seabees wound down, he decided he needed an early retirement present. His choice was a pro-touring ’69 Camaro, and he enjoyed it for a long time. Gradually, the ’69 Camaro boom of the last couple of years combined with the newness of his car wearing off, caused his eye began to wander. “Today if you pull up at a car show, there are a lot of ’69 Camaros,” he says. “I had my fun with mine, but I started wanting something different.” He was on the hunt for a ’56 Chevy Nomad when he ran across this chopped ’56 Chevy Suburban on eBay. Since he already owns a ’72 Chevy three-door Suburban, he was intrigued. This one was originally a Kansas City fire truck, and builder Dick Dreiling (from Basehor, Kansas) had treated it to a 10-year build that was completed in 2010. All of a sudden, thoughts of a Nomad were replaced with a custom Suburban.

It took a lot of hours and a lot of talent to chop the top on this Chevy Suburban. Note the crown of the roof was also brought down a couple inches.

The tailgate hinges were hidden, and the taillights are from a ’65 Chevy pickup. To keep the smooth look, the bumper was moved in and cleaned of any mounting hardware.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Modifications to the body are extensive, most notable being the removal of the one-piece side glass in exchange for an angle-chopped top that was lowered 2-inches in the rear and 2.5 in the front. The roof crown was also lowered two inches to sit lower over the drip rails. A pair of 1965 Chevy taillights were frenched in, and the bumpers were smoothed and tucked with no bolts showing. Dick also shaved the handles and emblems and then hid the rear tailgate hinges. The eye-catching side trim deserves a second glance. After shaving and painting the body red, the trim was airbrushed back on, complete with chrome spears and a white Cameo-style cove. The exterior hue continues inside with a vibrant red leather interior featuring a floating surfboard-style headliner console with custom dome lighting. The dash was smoothed and filled with a Dakota Digital gauge insert. The rear seat folds down and has a special cover that turns the trick hauler into a two-seater. David upgraded the metal center console when he bought the Sub, adding cup holders, AC vents, power window switches, and better controls for the Vintage Air system. He also added his signature 10-inch Pioneer subwoofer in a vintage suitcase in the back.

The brilliant red interior welcomes you in with comfy seats, cool air, and a kicking stereo. Dakota Digital gauges keep David informed of the big block status.

The suitcase subwoofer is a fun piece and something of a signature for David. “I usually add one of those to my cars,” he said. “It gets more attention than the vehicle at shows.”

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Isn’t it refreshing to see a 454c.i. big block now and then! It doesn’t even look that big in the vast engine compartment space.

With the body shaved clean, the trim and contrast was airbrushed along the long body with a Cameo influence.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

The truck has been lowered four inches and rides on a Mustang II front end with a Ford 9-inch and billet Ridetech shocks. A set of four-wheel disc brakes are fed with a CPP remote billet reservoir. The rear fender wells were mini-tubbed to help accommodate the 18-inch American Racing Torq Thrusts, while a power rack and pinion helps direct the 17s up front. For power, a mighty big block sits in front of a shaved firewall. It was professionally built with a Weiand intake, custom-painted valve covers, and a Street and Performance front runner system. A Lokar-shifted 700R4 trans keeps the rpm low on long hauls. Fortunately for David, the truck also came with quite a pedigree. While many vehicles of this caliber are reserved for fair-weather cruising or being trailered to events, this rig has racked up more than 26,000 miles and participated in five straight Hot Rod Power Tours. David is the Membership Director of the Memphis Classic Chevy Club, and you’ll see the Sub regularly at events and functions around the region. Since brining the ’burb into his garage less than a year ago, David says it’s been nothing but trouble-free fun. While some people enjoy building cars and selling them off, the ultimate reason they are created is to have fun with them. This one has found an appreciative home and is in good car-guy hands. SRL

Whenever asked if he actually drives his ’56, the answer is a very happy “Yes!” In fact, the ‘burb has more than 26,000 miles already — and counting.

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CHECKING THE WORDS: Todd Ryden PHOTOS: Shawn Brereton

Is your alternator up to the task?

here’s no denying the increasing role of electronic controls in our street rods. More and more voltage-eating components are being implemented for performance (electric fuel pumps, EFI, cooling fans), creature comforts (climate control, power windows, stereos, GPS), and more. Our Director, Shawn Brereton, recently updated his ’55 Chevy to a FAST XFI Sportsman system that tacked on a fuel pump and an ECU to the car’s electronics list. Knowing that an electric fan, ignition, and other components were already taxing the old one-wire alternator, he figured it was time to update to a more powerful unit and decided to call Powermaster Performance. The old unit had served well, but it was a budget-priced one-wire alternator and would have issues keeping up with the new demands. We say the old unit wasn’t exactly keeping up, just by looking at the voltage. The FAST unit has a hand-held monitor that allows you to view important EFI parameters in real time, including battery voltage. With the engine idling and all of the electronics on, the battery voltage would dip below 12 volts! We were curious about the current requirements as well, so we talked with Auto Meter about an amp gauge. They recommended one of their Cobalt gauges that includes an inductive pickup to measure the current of the charge wire. (Apparently these gauges are big in the world of audio performance!) With the gauge installed, we learned our old alternator was fairly inconsistent. First, it had to be “excited” at start up to kick in and start charging. This means revving the engine a bit, in our case about 2,500 rpm, to get it to start charging — a com22

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Choosing an alternator that can keep up with your rod’s electrical demands is an important step in the overall performance of the vehicle. Do you have enough current to support the ignition, an electric fan, the AC blower, and lighting system? What about adding a fuel pump to the equation?

The size of charge wire is imperative to the performance of your alternator and electrical system.

Alternator installation

At an idle, with all of the electronics on, the current draw reached 70 amps!

Before replacing the alternator, we settled the engine down to an idle and turned on the lights and fan to see only 11.5 volts (lower left corner), as viewed from the FAST hand held monitor.

With the Powermaster unit installed, we repeated the test and were happy to see 13.3 volts at idle rpm.

The alternator is a pretty easy bolt-in upgrade, as long as you have the proper brackets. However, there are a couple things you need to consider to do the job right; the charge wire and ground. Nearly as important as the alternator itself, the charge wire needs to be scrutinized in length and gauge. As current requirements and the distance from the battery grow, the gauge of wire also needs to be considered. We updated our charge wire to a 6-gauge, which Powermaster recommended for a battery positioned 4-7 feet away and for a 130 amp alternator. Another often overlooked item to consider is to ground the housing of the alternator to the engine block or cylinder head. With the use of powder coated and anodized brackets, sometimes there’s not an adequate ground. Simply use the same size wire to connect the housing to ground for a trouble-free charge.

mon annoyance with lesser one-wire alternators. Second, it wouldn’t charge very well at idle, which meant having to manually raise the rpm at stoplights. Neither of these are an issue since swapping in the Powermaster Performance alternator. It was charging from the get-go, even when the engine rpm didn’t exceed 1,000 rpm and remained at an idle. After reviewing his electronic needs and plans for his ’55 (ignition, pump, fan, lights, stereo…), Powermaster recommended a 150 amp, one-wire alternator. Since his blown small-block is detailed with polish and shine, he went with their smooth, teardrop housing finished in a show quality polished shine. As expected, the install was straightforward. We also used a new charge wire and added a ground wire from the housing to the engine block. Once installed, we repeated our initial startup test, followed by loading the electronics by turning everything on one at a time. The Powermaster remained steady in its voltage as well as had a much more consistent current output at idle and higher rpm. Speaking of current output at lower rpm, it is important to consider the output of an alternator at lower speeds. Powermaster lists outputs at idle, cruise, and top end to give you a better idea. Shawn’s car, like many street rods, has a deep overdrive in it, so it’s under 2,000 rpm at 70 mph! Plus, idling around at fairgrounds and parking lots means the need for higher current at low rpm. With the new alternator, we’re sure the ’55 will stay charged up from the garage to the next show. SRL Sources: Powermaster Performance, powermasterperformance.com; Auto Meter, autometer.com

STREETRODLIFE.COM

Finishing THE

TOUCH

TO SEE MORE, SEARCH “FINISHING TOUCH” @ StreetRodLife.com

Frank Armendariz put his touch on this Master 85

WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

hen young Frank Armendariz’s grades weren’t up to expectations, his father would roust him out of bed early on the weekend and drag him to work at his auto repair shop. At first, this was a form of punishment, but that soon backfired on the elder Armendariz as Frank began to enjoy working on the cars. Not only did he take to mechanics naturally, he also began to enjoy the hot rodding side of auto repair. Bigger engines, smoother looks, and performance brought Frank into the world of street rodding fun, and he’s been at it for more than 35 years, leaving a wake of 60 or so different project builds. Of these different builds, strangely, there hasn’t been just one model or brand he’s gravitated towards; he’s just built what he likes at the time. This has ranged from a ’39 LaSalle to converting an ’06 Z06 Corvette into a ’67 roadster, a big block-powered ’32 Ford, ’62 Impala SS, and many more. Also, this has included complete frame-off, stripped to nothing projects, to award-winning rods that took several years to complete. After going through the time and commitment of several complete builds, Frank has toned it back a notch and now favors finding a project that may have been started and left in limbo, or one that made it three quarters of the way to completion but was never finished. “I’ve done enough complete builds, it just takes too much time anymore,” Frank says. “I’d rather find one that I can finish the way I want it and start enjoying it sooner than later.” Such is the case with this 1939 Master 85 Chevy. When he came across the car, it was painted and driving, but wasn’t nearly the style or vision he had for the car. “I had a ’39 Coupe years ago, but was really drawn to this sedan for some reason,” Frank adds. It was the right car, the right color, it just didn’t have the execution that Frank wanted. A deal was struck, and once the car was in his La Union, New Mexico, garage, he immediately started to Frankenize the ’39. First, there was the interior, which had nice work and instrumentation updates on the dash, but Frank felt the STREETRODLIFE.COM

With the front bumper cleaned away, the louvers built into the fenders became more prevalent, so Frank kept them body color, along with the grille. Factory fender-mounted turn signals were removed and filled.

The cabin was treated to a much-needed update from a ’90s tweed to a sleeker, more comfortable leather. A pair of bucket seats from a van replaced the bench seat from the previous owner.

Factory window and door handles were retained, simply due to their classic deco styling.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

The ’39 model year featured a longer hood than its predecessors, and stainless trim adorned the hood vents, even on the lesser Master 85 series cars.

tweed fabric bench seat and door panels were in need of an update to leather, with a set of buckets from a van he had in his shop. While he was at it, Dynamat was called in to keep things quieter in the cabin, and Vintage Air added the cool required in the southwest. The drivetrain was also in question. The ’39 was already fit with a small-block Chevy and a 400-TH trans, but it lacked the kick Frank wanted and he just so happened to have a fresh SBC on a stand from a previous build, along with a 700R4 leftover trans. The rear end was also swapped out with spare parts, along with

Original taillamps were retained, but updated with bright LEDs.

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Following suit up front, Frank also removed the rear bumper. The license plate was recessed into the lower valence.

The Master was already fit with a small-block Chevy when Frank brought it home, but he had a stronger, smoother-running engine left over from another project, so the engine was also swapped.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

If you travel I-10 or I-25 through New Mexico, there’s a good chance you’ll see Frank and Lori cruising to a show.

I had a ’39 Coupe years ago, but was really drawn to this sedan for some reason. a set of 17-inch Billet Specialties Legacy wheels wrapped in Falken rubber. Part of the allure to the ’39 just had to be the Chevy orange topped with a mocha hue on the roof. The combination was just right, but the sedan lacked some serious shine, so the car received a deep sand and a fresh clear coat. Of course, a few items were fixed along the way, including the doors and a new set of running boards. Frank also removed the bumpers to smooth and simplify the overall stance of the Chevy. It took a bit of work, maybe a little more than he first thought, but the ’39 looks great and cruises with style. Frank and wife Lori have had the old Master on the road making trips to Phoenix and around the area with ease and comfort. The best thing is that it didn’t take three or five years to build — just a little while to personalize. SRL

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TUNING

The eDash from FAST helps make EFI easier

ack at the dawn of converting to electronic fuel injection, it took a truck load of money and a guy with a NASA degree to properly set the tune. Most of it might have been trial and error, and “established tunes” were as guarded as the Coca-Cola recipe. The emergence of tuning software eased the burden for those with a decent laptop and some patience. Today’s systems from FAST take it to the next level with an EZ-EFI 2.0 that learns as you drive — it even has a special handheld touchscreen that eliminates the laptop. To see if these systems are truly as simple as they claim, we wanted to walk through the initial start up steps of an EZ-EFI 2.0, then try out some of the live functions. No laptop is necessary thanks to supplied eDash touch screen which we found very easy to navigate and understand. The live data functions...The Live Data functions were done on an XFI system, which is very similar. The handheld unit mounts on any Garmin-style mount, making it easy to place in view, and it’s a great way to keep tabs on all of the many sensors. SRL

Setup Wizard

Source: FAST, fuelairspark.com

The first Wizard screen sets up the ECU for your application. This can also be used to reset the learning and all user-adjustable settings if you want to start all over.

The first step is to enter the engine’s specs: Number of cylinders, displacement, idle RPM, and rev limit.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

The Setup Wizard allows the system to discover the parameters of the vehicle and populate them into the program.

The Fuel System screen asks to choose either gasoline or E85, and if it’s a return or returnless style.

Enter your ignition type…

... and select your throttle body. The system has provisions for single and dual EZ-EFI 2.0 throttle bodies, Inglese induction systems, factory multiport systems, and an “other” option for those not covered.

TPS Calibration enters the voltage of the Throttle Position Sensor. Wide Open Throttle (WOT) must be checked with the engine not running.

The Fuel System Test makes sure the system pressurizes to (or above) the Target Pressure. Verify all connections and extinguish all flames or possible sources of ignition prior to testing.

The final setup step verifies the timing. In our application, the timing was locked out at 20 degrees. We then used the +/- adjust buttons until our timing light read 20 degrees. Timing control is an optional feature on the EZ-EFI 2.0 system.

After setup

Once the system is setup, the eDash becomes a valuable live data and diagnostics tool. This shot from the XFI home screen is very similar to the EZ-2.0.

Live Data

Clicking the Live Data icon brings up one of three “dashes” for easy viewing, and the Master Dash. The Master Dash allows easy viewing of all sensors and user-accessible values. This can be used to quickly verify all sensors are reading their expected values.

The numbered buttons 1-3 at the bottom of the Live Data pages correspond to three different “dashboards” the user can choose to be default. They arrange data into different layouts. STREETRODLIFE.COM

Diagnostics If the “Error” light is lit on the Live Data screen, the related code can be found here on the “Codes” screen. The codes can be cleared to see if they’ll trip again, or after repairs have been made.

The Tech Support page has several ways to get connected to the information you need.

The diagnostic screen has a sub-menu for assisting in diagnostics.

The Help page explains how the eDash controls work. The System Info panel contains just that — information on the system, as well as the serial number and ECU type. These may be handy if you ever need to talk with the FAST technicians.

Adjustments

The Adjustments screen will have user-friendly adjustments that a particular application offers adjustment in. The number of buttons on this screen will vary and can include everything from system Learning to TCC Lockup, Rev Limiters, and Power Adders. This particular one includes a Nitrous Setup.

The Adaptive Learning screen allows the feature to be enabled or disabled and the user to set the learning gain percent with the keypad. Ideally, Adaptive Learning should be used after the initial setup to help the system learn the car’s sensor information, and after any modifications. It should then be turned off. If it stays on and a problem like an exhaust leak throws off the oxygen sensor, the program will continue to “learn” while it compensates for the malfunction.

The “Startup Screen” panel allows the user to select a desired “dash screen” to display the Live Data information. This can be any one of the three dashes or the Master Dash.

Again, this particular application also included Nitrous Setup, which can be set by the user.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

IN THE

DIRT

Hopped-up jalopies tear up the Colorado terrain all in the name of fun WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

s they say, “Everything old is new again,” and in the case of hot rodding, this has been true since the first Flathead was wrenched between a pair of Model A rails. After all, hot rodding was born of mixing the old with the new (or sometimes even the older) to build something better, quicker, and much cooler. Today, especially in the case of traditional rodding, new old stuff couldn’t be more popular! Younger guys are building rods out of original and traditional speed parts and having a blast going back to a simpler time. Not only are the rods themselves being reborn and celebrated, but there are also events, such as the Hot Rod Dirt Drags, that delve back to these early years. Before gigantic motorsports complexes, a lot of racing took place on air strips or beaches — whether they were paved or dirt! In Colorado during the early ’50s, there were several dirt strips, generally with military aviation roots, that afforded young rodders with a place to show what they could do. The Boulder Timing Association hosted a few

Amy, the official starter and all-round nice girl, gets ready to send two more rods down the dirt.

races on a dirt strip, as did the Pikes Peak Timing Association with a strip east of Colorado Springs. In fact, one of their races was recorded in the February 1953 issue of Hot Rod magazine! A couple years ago, Mike Nicolas, owner of Nick’s Hot Rod Garage, yearned to relive those inventive, less complex days of drag racing. Mind you, this is also the same guy that revived the Hot Rod Hill Climb three years ago in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the running up Leavenworth Mountain in Georgetown, Colorado, so he had a little experience and knew what he was looking for. He found a sight for the Hot Rod Dirt Drags that couldn’t be more ideal — an abandoned airfield in the little town of Monte Vista, Colorado, about 45 minutes

Cal Kennedy, with his son Wayne riding shotgun, ran a ’34 Chevy Roadster with a Wayne-prepped inline-6 on dirt tracks in the ’50s. Decades later, he’s at it again with the same engine they originally ran.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Louis Schwab gets the skinny on the track conditions from flag girl Amy (and Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweetheart).

Both nights were capped off with classic car-guy movies at the drive-in. Friday was Thunder Road and Smokey and the Bandit.

The parking lot of the Best Western Movie Manor inn was filled with rods ready to race.

STREETRODLIFE.COMâ&#x20AC;&#x192;

Sue and Jim Starr were ready to run their chopped sedan powered by a supercharged Flattie.

John Loughlin of Ray’s Hot Rods ran the wheels off the “Brown Boogie” all weekend. If you towed out from New Jersey, you better run a bunch!

If you have a fetish for 4-cylinders, you’d dig the rare Frontnec OHV conversion on the #42 roadster, as well as the blue Model A.

Colorado Deluxe Speed Shop’s Scott McCann launches his ’32 roadster.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Even waiting in the staging lanes at the Dirt Drags is fun.

north of the New Mexico border. What’s better than an abandoned air strip for racing? How about one that backs up to a double drive-in theater connected to a two story motel? Score. With a backdrop of the Movie Manor drive-in and an 1/8-mile dirt track, you couldn’t ask for a better setting to see pre-’61 era hot rods gather to race for nothing but fun and bragging rights. There was also a show that took in ’64 and older cars and trucks, not to mention music, vintage tractors, and of course, movies on the big screen. All that cool stuff aside, the racing is the draw, and the Rocky Mountain scenery takes a back seat to the vintage rods on hand. There were Flatheads of all types, 4-bangers, early superchargers, and everything between. Racers came from across the continent just to run their diggers and rods down the well-prepped dirt track. No lights, no timers, and the Christmas tree was replaced with an energetic Amy jumping up and sending the racers off in a swirl of dust and dirt. Who knew history could be so much fun? If you think this is cool, check out the Hot Rod Hill Climb in Central City, Colorado, coming up in September! SRL hotrodhillclimb.com

There were three entries from Ray’s Hot Rod Shop in New Jersey, including the #216 car running nitro. The crank and rods eventually came to rest on the Colorado dirt.

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STAYING WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

Add brake fluid to your annual maintenance list

hen it comes to annual maintenance on your street rod, changing the oil and filter is probably the first thing that comes to mind. After all, oil becomes contaminated over time and eventually breaks down, which is not good for all those spinning and moving mechanical parts that rely on a thin film of oil to keep things friction free. You also thought about the air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, lube points, and even setting the breaker points before you even considered brake fluid as a maintenance item. That’s right, brake fluid, one of the most important and least thought about fluids in your hot rod. The most important thing to know 38

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

about brake fluid is that it is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture from the air. Even a brake system with tight seals and new lines draws in some moisture over time, and a little moisture in your brake circuit is not a good thing. Having moisture in your brake circuit is not acceptable as it causes corrosion from the inside-out and decreases the effectiveness of the hydraulic force created when you step on the brake pedal. Over time, it will also lower the boiling point of the fluid. If you’re in a stop-and-go situation, the calipers will get extra hot, and if the fluid boils, it will form a vapor. Any gas or vapor in a hydraulic line can be compressed, which

equates to a soft brake pedal, more travel, and less braking action. Similar to engine oils and transmission fluids, there have been a lot of advances in brake fluids during the years. Just stand in any parts store these days and you’ll see a full gamut of different fluids, ranging from a couple bucks up to expensive pints. Which one is right for your application? First, let’s take a look at what’s available.

Connecting the DOTs The US Department of Transportation (DOT) established specifications defining a number of properties to which brake fluid must adhere, without defining the chemical composition. These

One man flush While talking with the techs at Master Power Brakes, we brought up the point that flushing and bleeding the entire brake system is quite an undertaking. They understood and hear that all the time. There is an easier way to change the fluid, though it’s not as thorough as flushing the system. They recommend to use a simple cooking baster to suck all of the brake fluid out of the master cylinder then fill it with fresh fluid. After a few days of driving, repeat the process until the fluid remains its lighter, honey color. Not the ideal flushing technique, however it is still an effective step to getting fresher, clean brake fluid in your system.

This is not what brake fluid should look like! Brake fluid absorbs moisture, which can produce gas and corrosion in your brake circuit.

specs relate to the fluid’s boiling point, its viscosity, and how stable the fluid is at higher temperatures, among other definitions. Currently, you’ll see DOT 3, 4, 5, and 5.1. The most common brake fluid, DOT 3, is primarily made up of glycol ether. DOT 4 is also glycol ether-based but is mixed with borate ester (a dehydrating agent) to increase the boiling point and withstand more performance and racing applications. Meanwhile, DOT 5 fluid is a silicone base and does not absorb water, though it is paint friendly — a plus for street rodders. DOT 3 and 4 are highly corrosive to paints and most any other coating. For higher performance applications and use on autocross and weekend fun, DOT 4 is recommended due to its higher boiling point and inhibitors. DOT 4 can be used in systems already using DOT 3 fluids, though due to its higher moisture absorption properties, it is recommended to change DOT 4 fluids more frequently than DOT 3. As street rodders, we tend to focus on the “Go” more than the “Whoa,” but braking performance and upkeep should be at the top of every rodder’s maintenance list. For street rods driven sparingly through the summer months, it is recommended to flush out the brake system every 1-2 years. However, if you’re rack-

This is DOT 5 brake fluid straight out of a vehicle that was experiencing some serious braking woes. See the separation of water on top? DOT 5 is a synthetic fluid and does not absorb moisture.

ing up the cruise miles and having some fun on some back roads or the autocross track, brake fluid changes should be on your regular schedule of maintenance items for every year. SRL Source: mpbrakes.com

Master Power Brakes recommends a quality DOT 4 fluid, such as the Pentosin Super DOT 4 Synthetic fluid. The fluid is more resistant to moisture and contains the proper rust inhibitors that help protect older vehicles. STREETRODLIFE.COM

A look inside Portland’s fastest museum

WORDS & PHOTOS: Tony Thacker

ortland, Oregon, is every bit the city portrayed on the TV show Portlandia — cool, funky, wacky, and wet. But under that layer of green, there is a vibrant car town with so much going on it’s hard to keep track. There are car collections, some numbering in the hundreds. There are street events like Bradshaw’s “Tranny Show.” Weekly cruises such as “Beaches” that in the summer can attract 1,400 cars at Portland International Raceway (PIR), which is located right in the city. There’s “The One Show” that is perhaps one of the nation’s coolest bike shows, while another motorcycle event called the “Alley Sweeper” sees literally hundreds of bikes ripping through the back alleys of town, driving the residents nuts. Besides PIR and kart tracks, there’s also Woodburn Dragstrip just 30 miles south of town, and right along the route off Interstate 5, there’s a new museum called World of Speed. I had the great fortune to be Executive Director and part of the team that 40

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

TO SEE MORE, SEARCH “WORLD OF SPEED” @ StreetRodLife.com

As the World of Speed was being assembled, nostalgia drag racer Bucky Austin was kind enough to supply many of the dragster parts in the museum’s collection and shown in Bucky’s Speed Shop.

developed the World of Speed (WoS) as an auto-centric entertainment and inspirational experience. Primarily, it’s an exhibition of American race cars displaying not only Portland’s rich motorsports heritage, but also the bigger picture of motorsports overall, such as a collection of Mickey Thompson’s land speed racers. The Thompson race cars are featured in a larger exhibit telling the history of the absolute land speed record, including everything from the French electric car that set the very first record at 39.24 mph in 1898 to the current record holder, Andy Green’s Bloodhound, who is also aiming to break his own record and raise the bar to 1,000 mph.

While Bucky’s represents the ’60s, the garage area recalls an earlier time when racers were building belly tanks and radically chopped coupes to race at the dry lakes. The display includes an original P-38 tank and a Cad-powered ’34 Coupe.

Triumph Motorcycles sponsored this all-carbon fiber, twin-engine motorcycle in an attempt to go 400 mph. Sadly, the deteriorating condition of the Bonneville Salt Flats has precluded any really highspeed runs. To date, the best run has been about 240 mph.

Back in the day, Portland Speedway also had a drive-in theater, so it was decided to recreate it more-or-less full size as the center piece of an event space that can accommodate up to 800 guests.

The World of Speed folks have always been big fans of legendary drag racer Jungle Jim Lieberman, and the permanent collection boasts two original restored Jungle Funny Cars.

Mickey Thompson’s Challenger II land speed car sports four blown Pontiacs and is the centerpiece of the Castrol-sporsored ZERO to 1,000 mph exhibit, which also features several other M/T cars. In 1960, Challenger went 406 mph. STREETRODLIFE.COM

World of Speed is much more than a collection of cars, and several exhibits explore other mid-century phenomenon. One such exhibit, the Wall of Sound, looks at the connection between cars and music and traces the history from Jackie Brenson and Ike Turner’s “Rocket 88” of 1951 to the ’80s hits of ZZ Top.

When he worked at the Cars of Stars and Planes of Fame Museum, Buena Park, California, Von Dutch used this personalized Econoline van as his maintenance truck. It features some Dutchy quirks, including a window in the front for his dog to look out.

Perhaps the most engaging aspect of this very interactive museum are the three simulators developed in conjunction with Keith Maher of SimToWin. com. The simulators feature three real race cars: Johnny Benson’s 1998 NASCAR Ford Taurus, Adrian Fernan-

dez’s 1995 Lola Indy Car, and a genuine 1962 Lotus simulator that Maher updated with modern computer technology. The museum has hosted simulator racing events, as well as a Cars and Coffee cruise every Saturday morning – whether it’s raining or not!

The initial core of the World of Speed permanent collection was a group of American muscle cars that include a Shelby Mustang GT350, a rare Hemi ‘Cuda, and a Dodge Daytona.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

World of Speed is a cool destination with lots to see and do for the whole family. However, it’s primary purpose is to educate, and it has a very strong program that offers a wide variety of camps, classes, and workshops. Make plans. SRL worldofspeed.org

SEARCH “WORLD OF SPEED” @ StreetRodLife.com

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THE ART OF THE

DEAD BLOW

Mittler Bros offer metal working hammers to make you a pro

etal work is an art, just like painting in oils, photography, or creating a sculpture. To become a professional, it takes years of dedication to the craft in one’s chosen field. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved and try to do some things yourself ! When it comes to working with metal, one of the most important tools is the hammer. We all love a good hammer, a staple of any tool box or workbench peg board, but when it comes to forming 44

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

metal, you’re going to need a little more specialized model. One of the most recommended hammers is the dead blow. A dead blow hammer is designed to produce minimal rebound, which reduces damage to the working area. Also, it will spread the force of the strike out over an extended time to lessen the shock of the strike, which is better in many instances. Inside the head of a dead blow hammer is a sturdy canister filled with shot

WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

or a heavy sand material. As the hammer comes down, the shot material is behind the head of the hammer, and when it strikes, the inertia of the shot material continues down to help produce less rebound while imparting a hearty impact on the material. The strike is powerful, yet much more even and not as “sharp” as a traditional hammer, preventing damage to the working area. We tried out a couple of dead blow hammers from Mittler Bros and under-

We filled our Mittler 12-inch round shot bag with about 50 pounds of #9 bird shot. Be sure not to pack the bag too full, as you want the shot to be able to move to displace the force during strikes.

We simply wanted to make a smooth dome in a soon-to-be kick panel for added clearance. We started with several firm blows from the smaller end of a 2.3-pound bossing mallet. These will be smoothed out a little bit with larger soft face dead blow, then finished with the English wheel.

stood immediately how the term dead blow came into play. The hit is forceful, and it’s odd not to have much of any rebound. The sheet metal we worked with was basic training in the case of metal work, but using the right tools certainly makes a huge difference, even to a novice. Before you can start forming metal, there is another tool that is absolutely necessary — a shot bag. Having a “pillow” of shot or sand to absorb much of the hammer’s blow through the metal

helps to absorb the hit and spread the force without causing a sharp crease or damage to the material. We filled the Mittler bag with the recommended shot material, sourced from the local sporting goods store, and went to work. Dead blow hammers aren’t just for metal forming. They’re also useful in removing or working with suspension components, during lower end engine work, and even woodworking. Mittler’s mallets are welded internally then molded as one piece with a ure-

thane material that leaves no marks, won’t spark, or pick up chips or contamination. It’s tough stuff and built to be beat on. Working with metal panels to finesse, form, and trim, or even to create a new piece from scratch can be an intimidating concept, but with the proper tools, patience, and practice, you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve. Hammers, and now the dead blow mallet, continue to be one of our favorite tools. SRL Source: Mittler Bros. Machine and Tool, mittlerbros.com

STREETRODLIFE.COM

WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

TO SEE MORE, SEARCH “ALMOST FINISHED” @ StreetRodLife.com

Almost

FINISHED Street Rods are all a work in progress — just ask Chris Wood

here is an old adage that hot rods are never truly finished. Our projects are constantly being refined mechanically or modified with accessories and components to improve their appearance. Even high-dollar dream rods receive updates and changes over time. Then, there are rods that haven’t even reached the point of being termed as ‘finished’. These are rolling works in progress that are close enough to enjoy and cruise, but still have some major items to tie up…but why wait when you can get behind the wheel and cruise? A perfect example is Chris Wood’s ’53 Chevy. We came across the low-slung custom parked in a gathering of pro street machines during the Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals. The low-profile white walls, dropped stance, and rounded, smooth sheet metal was quite a contrast to the Camaros, Mustangs, polish, and excessive chrome parked near by. STREETRODLIFE.COM

The 5-inch chopped top makes all the difference, along with shaved door handles and custom trim work.

After dealing with a slipping supercharger belt, the 6.0L is being tuned to deliver at least 500 hp to the Nittos out back.

Frenched headlights, along with a filled and molded valence panel, clean up the original Chevy sheet metal. A custom-made grille will be finished soon.

A carpenter by trade, Chris has been enjoying sweating the details in the trunk.

48â&#x20AC;&#x192;

STREET ROD LIFEâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; Vol. 2, No. 3

The color, stance, and the supercharged LS engine drew us in to where we didn’t even notice the missing grille, which is being crafted by hand as you read this. In talking with Chris and looking over the Chevy, we just had to share

it with you — even in its unfinished glory. The kicker here is Chris bought the car from a guy that got burned out on the build, so it was an unfinished project to start with! The previous owner had the chop work done on the top and already had the Gen III small-block under the hood. It was even painted the right color, but the car needed attention to details, big and small. Eighteen months ago, Chris went to work. He started in the rear and worked his way forward (hence the missing grille). He rebuilt the rear end, reinforced the shock mounts, and upgraded the entire air suspension system to RideTech. There was a driveline vibration he battled with, new U-joints, and a driveshaft balance, but it ended up being bigger. The floor was cut to raise the trans two inches to achieve proper driveline angles, which also affected the steering rack and cooling system. It was a load of work Chris didn’t expect, but it had to be done, and now the ’53 is smooth on the road and vibration free. With a Magnuson pumping air into a 6.0L engine, the driveline better be right. That 6.0L is basically all stock and was pulled from an early 2000s Tahoe before being topped with the super-

It’s In The Details... The extra effort that goes into making each and every ARP fastener is evident in the final product. There are those companies whose primary concern is having the lowest price. Obviously, this means compromising material quality and taking shortcuts in manufacturing. ARP, on the other hand, stakes its reputation on quality; using only the best materials, employing extra manufacturing steps to perfect each fastener, and having relentless quality control. Moreover, ARP fasteners are

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manufactured entirely in our own ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100 registered facilities in Southern California. Look for the “ARP” stamped on each fastener as your assurance of quality. Check out our new 10-32 stainless steel 12-point bolts. They’re great for adding a finishing touch to your rod or custom. They, and over 250 other new products, are in the 2015 catalog available online or by request.

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The interior looks good as is, but Chris plans to redo it over the winter. Dash chrome has already been replated, and a set of Digital Dakota instruments relay the engine parameters.

charger. There aren’t many customs that pack this kind of punch, and after some more tuning and tweaking, the realistic goal is to have 500 hp at the wheels. With a 4L60E trans, this rod will cruise right along. Show and go in one big blue package. Another thing ‘done’ on the car was the paint and body, but not up to what Chris envisioned, so they set about shaving, filling, and aligning the Chevy sheet metal. One nice feature that really adds to the body is the custom moldings, made by McMillan Rod & Custom, which caused Chris some anxiety when installing (drilling new holes and forming the metal to fit the body contours perfectly). But, the polished metal really compliments the paint and panels. The Spies Hacker Atomic Blue hue was laid down by Mike Bach at Bach Auto Body. The interior is next on the list for a re50

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

vision, primarily the seats and door panels. The dash is already fitted with Digital Dakota gauges, as well as new chrome trim and a Vintage Air system. He’s also thinking of updating the 18-inch wheels though the Nitto tread, with white wall trim, will be retained.

Even with the car not entirely up to his vision, Chris and his pals are out enjoying the Chevy. Let this serve as a lesson to those of you with unfinished projects sitting in the garage. It’s never going to be truly 100 percent done, so pull it out and start having fun. SRL

245/40ZR-18 Nitto tread in the rear with 225/45-18s in the front were treated to white wall trim by Diamondhead.

•

• •

HOW

DOES IT A tour through ididit’s headquarters WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

oday’s street rodding industry has been built by hobbyists turned manufacturers. Think about some of your favorite companies; those you turn to for wiring harnesses, moldings, wiper motors, glass, and more. They were all started by a rodder looking for a better way. One of those companies, for example, was formed when a former Navy machinist was asked by a fellow rodder to whittle him up a billet aluminum steering column. Ken Callison, a long time street rod enthusiast, was up to the challenge and crafted a complete billet steering column. That was 1983. Word travels like a supercharged Hemi in the hot rod world, and Ken was soon being asked about building more columns for rodding cohorts and 52

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

friends of friends. He and his son Scott were building more components and columns, and in 1986, ididit became an official company. In 1987, Ken’s wife, Jane, came on board as manager, and the company began to prosper quickly. Fast forward 30 years, and the ididit brand is continuing to push forward with innovative, high-quality steering components. They just released a lightweight aluminum column for muscle cars and have a really cool ’40 Ford column in the works that we got to see during our tour (spoiler alert)! Jane and Ken have recently retired and are enjoying their time; they’re still involved with rodding and cars. The new owners have been involved within the motorsports industry for years and are continuing on with products de-

signed and made in the USA with components from their rod-shop looking facility in Tecumseh, Michigan. We recently stopped in for a tour and were very impressed with the spick-and-span 32,000 square-feet facility. A number of CNC machines are running 24/7, and the staff are dedicated to their craft. It was good to see so many pieces and components that make up a complete column being machined on site. If you ever find yourself in southern Michigan, put ididit on your list of places to stop through. In fact, they’re having a car show and open house on Saturday, October 1! They’ll be happy to show you the place and help with any steering recommendations. SRL Source: ididit, ididit.com

This is a six-axis CNC laser cutting machine that cuts the column tubes to length, along with any mounting holes and accessory features. The finished cut is smooth and perfect when it pops out.

Columns are assembled in groups and go through a number of tests and checks during the process. Here are several awaiting a finishing touch before packaging.

Chrome columns and brushed assemblies await final assembly. The quality of the chrome plating is impressive.

In-process columns, early Novas in this case, are organized in special racks as they move down the production line.

Walk into the ididit facility and you’re greeted to a speed-shop-like show room of their components and accessories. You can tell the company is made up of street rodders. STREETRODLIFE.COM

TOOLS ACCESSORIES STUFF

PARTS STORE

Sponsored by

At Street Rod Life, we’re always on the look-out for new parts that will make your rod a little quicker, smoother, or simply cooler. This installment of Parts Store brings you a variety of great new products to hit the market. If you would like more information, follow the website or give them a call — be sure to tell them Street Rod Life sent you!

Lightweight turning ididit, Pro-Lite Column Performance enthusiasts and racers are always looking for a way to shed pounds, and ididit now offers big savings with their new Pro-Lite steering column. The new Pro-Lite column, developed with collaboration from Detroit Speed, is based around an aluminum housing that comes in under 6 pounds — half the weight of a standard ididit column! Even with this substantial weight savings, the column is still packed with the features you expect from ididit.

The column is fit with 4-way flashers and self-cancelling turn signals with all of the wiring already in place to connect to your original harness. For safety, the column was designed to collapse up to 5 inches. For great looks, the unit is coated with a durable matte black finish. The Pro-Lite is available for ’67-’75 Camaros, ’65-’66 Mustangs, and ’62-’67 Novas, with more to soon be added. ididit.com 517.424.0577

Stack innovation Inglese, Ford EZ-EFI 2.0 Eight-Stack Systems They may look like classic Weber induction, but these technically advanced systems deliver increased performance, easier cold starts, and drivability for your street rod, muscle car, or restored classic. With the included fuel injectors, each system is capable of supporting up to 475 hp. But with a simple injector swap, it can support up to 1,000 horses. Inglese/FAST EFI systems also allow a much broader camshaft selection than a carbureted Weber setup. inglese.com 866.450.8089

Even more new products

@StreetRodLife.com 54

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Sponsored by

Boost for stopping Master Power Brakes, Booster/Master Kits for Early Corvette Research and development never stop when it comes to hot rods, and Master Power Brakes recently re-engineered their Booster Master Conversion Kit for ’53-’62 Corvettes with new brackets and a dual booster. A 7-inch dual diaphragm booster replaces the original single design, providing an improved pedal feel, especially on Corvettes running the factory drums or a disc/drum set up. To improve the installation of the booster and dual reservoir master cylinder, new la-

ser cut brackets are black E-coated for an improved overall look and installation to the firewall. Two master cylinders are available: a 1-inch or 1 1 1/8-inch bore in black or chrome. The entire unit is assembled, including the pivot and pushrod to ease installation on your Vette. The kit includes a new vacuum line, manifold fitting, bleeder kit, and hardware to attach to the factory pedal. stopwithmpbrakes.com 888.249.9332

Performance starters for classic engines Powermaster Performance, Y-Block Ford Starter We love to see vintage engines under the hood of street rods and now Powermaster is making it easier to get your classic engine fired up with a new starter for Y-Block Fords. The PowerMax Plus starter fits 1953-1962 Y-Blocks and produces 25 percent more cranking speed, coupled with 170 lb-ft of torque. This combination of power and speed provides quicker starts and fewer kickbacks. The starter will fit with most exhaust configurations, thanks to a billet machined mounting block that offers three different mounting positions. A blue-printed 12-volt solenoid is used to activate the starter motor, which is fit with 3.7:1 gear reduction set for plenty of torque, to reliably crank over Y-Blocks pumping up to 14:1 compression. powermasterperformance.com 630.957.4019 STREETRODLIFE.COM

TOOLS ACCESSORIES STUFF

PARTS STORE Exciting x-body suspension QA1, Suspension Kits for GM X-Bodies The uni-body based GM X-body cars were designed entirely to be an economical form of transportation. They were never meant to handle and zip around corners, nor for straight line blasts. Today however, they're a favorite of muscle car enthusiasts that want to make them an all-round better driving vehicle. This is where the suspension and shock experts at QA1 come in. QA1 recently announced three different levels of suspension kits for the X-body, including a drag racing kit as well as a handling system. Each package offers easy, bolt-in installation with terrific results for your performance needs. One of the things we really like about the system is that you can build your car in stages using their parts list as a road map to get to the level of performance you desire without breaking your savings all at once. Plus, you know there won’t be a compatibility issue. If you want to make your ’68-’74 Nova, Ventura, Omega, or even Apollo handle for the strip or autocross, check out the new systems from QA1. qa1.net 952-985-5675

Quick changes Mittler Bros. Machine and Tool, Quick Change Tooling Mittler Bros. makes working with metal fun with their inclusive line of tooling for professionals and the hobbyist. We’ve used their Punch & Flare kits with great success (which means anyone can do it!), and now, they’re even making it easier with their quick-change Adapter Kit. The idea behind the Adapter Kit is to reduce the time it takes to change the size of Punch & Flare or Bead rolling dies when using them in a bench press. All you’ll need is the Lower Bolt Adapter Kit (#2200-QC1) and the Knurl Washer/Bolt Kit (#2200-QC2) to set up your press for quick changes. Once these parts are installed, it’s as simple as screwing one die out and another one in on your press. This makes stepping the punch diameters down in a pattern much easier, saving time and improving consistency of your metal work. mittlerbros.com 800.467.2464

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Nice soap for dirty hands Uncle Earl’s, Hand Healing Soap Let’s face it, most hot rodders have hands that are rough, scabbed, and dry to the touch. Not a pretty picture, or healthy for their skin. Fortunately, you have someone watching out for you — Uncle Earl. Uncle Earl’s developed an all-natural soap strong enough for mechanics to wash away grime and grease without using any harsh abrasives. Also, they add ingredients such as coconut oil to deliver a powerful cleansing formula to help hydrate your hands for smoother, healthier skin. The soaps also will help remove stubborn stains from clothing and can help give a close, smooth shave! Liquids, bars, and a foam are available in a manly lemon, orange, or lavender scent. uncle-earls.com 877.862.8855

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Get dressed up FAST, Aluminum Valve Covers and Air Cleaner The FAST staff knows that not only do you want your engine components to work together, you want them to look cohesive, too. That’s why FAST Die Cast Aluminum Valve Covers and the similarly die cast FAST Air Cleaner are designed both to perform and to create a matching package with each other and the FAST EZ-EFI 2.0 throttle body. Branded with the FAST logo, these black-wrinkle, pow-

der-coated components are the perfect choice when it comes to engine styling. The valve covers are manufactured in the USA and offered for small-block Chevy, big-block Chevy, and small-block Ford applications. The air cleaner works with both generations of the FAST EZ-EFI throttle body and Holley-style carburetors. fuelairspark.com 877.334.8355

Get More Power From Your Vehicle NEWS. TECHNOLOGY. PRODUCTS. • Engine & Driveline Tech • “How-To” & Installations • Technology Explained • New Product Reviews • Performance Testing

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TOOLS ACCESSORIES STUFF

PARTS STORE

Clearly satin PPG, VC5250 Ditzler Satin Clear Clear is key in the painting process, and PPG Automotive Refinish understands its importance. A quality clear will effectively level transitions on graphic overlays, bury flakes, and deliver a show-quality finish. PPG also understands not everyone is looking for a high-gloss finish these days, which is why one of the recent innovations is a new VC5250 Ditzler Satin Clear.

The Satin Clear is part of their Vibrance Collection of custom paint finishes. The kit includes a quart of Satin Clear and half a pint of the corresponding hardener. The result is a silky smooth lowgloss finish that opens the door to all sorts of designs and possibilities for designers and painters. ppgrefinish.com 800.647.6050

Clean up quick Driven Racing Oil, Speed Clean Foaming Cleaner

Dressed up parking lever Ringbrothers, Billet Parking Brake Cover There’s nothing sexy about a parking brake lever, that is until Ringbrothers gets involved. The custom building brothers now offer a universal billet handle cover that dresses up your brake handle with cool looks and smooth function. The cover is machined from 6061T6 aluminum and available in a natural or anodized black finish. Installation hardware and fasteners are included. It’ll work with Lokar levers and most other designs as well. ringbrothers.com 608.588.7399

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

This powerful multi-surface cleaner is a mechanic’s best friend. Speed Clean wipes away tire rubber, bugs, dirt, and grime without harming paint, metal, or plastic. Foaming action lifts residue and cleans away greasy films. It is excellent for cleaning cars, tools, and fabric. Simply spray on, let soak, and then wipe off. drivenracingoil.com 866.611.1820

Even more new products

@StreetRodLife.com

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Dump the (mechanical) clutch American Powertrain, Hydramax Hydraulic Clutch System Whether you are installing a traditional 4-Speed or a modern 5- or 6-Speed, getting the clutch and linkage set up is always a hassle. Especially on custom applications or getting around headers. American Powertrain can help you by stripping away all the clunky mechanical linkage to install a hydraulic clutch system with their new Hydramax. The Hydramax hydraulic clutch systems are designed to install easily in nearly any muscle car, street rod or custom. The patent-pending adjustable master cylinder bracket allows you to mimic the original clutch rod angle, resulting in a modern clutch action and feel. You even get to retain the original clutch pedal. Hydramax systems are available for most vintage 4-speeds, along with modern trans such as Tremec, T5, Richmond, the T56, and Magnum 6-speed. Each kit is supplied with a nickel-plated mount, master cylinder and concentric internal slave cylinder lines, fittings, and pedal mounting hardware. americanpowertrain.com 931.646.4836

Mating ritual COMP Cams, 10W-30 Engine Break-In Oil

Deceiving looks and sounds Antique Automobile Radio Inc., New Vintage Stereos Your eyes may love the looks of your stock radio, but your ears are craving for good sounding tunes. Antique Automobile Radio has a solution that both will enjoy. This radio may look like a stock unit for a ’49–’50 Ford, but it’s also fit with Bluetooth for hands-free driving and playing your favorite music from your phone! Antique Automobile Radio offers more than 100 different radios for cars and trucks ranging from 1947–1977. Each unit is built to the original size and specs, but is filled with modern technology to deliver the best sound with the convenience of wireless technology. Every radio features AM/FM waves and are Bluetooth 3.0 EDR compliant. They even have a built-in microphone for hands-free operation. radiosforoldcars.com 800.933.4926

This oil is designed to extend the durability of internal engine components, including camshafts, valvetrain components, and all moving parts in your new or rebuilt engine. The unique formula does so by using a special blend of extreme pressure additives no longer available in “offthe-shelf” oils. COMP Engine Break-In Oil provides added protection during the breakin process and is compatible with any petroleum, synthetic, or blended motor oil. compcams.com 800.999.0853

STREETRODLIFE.COM

TOOLS ACCESSORIES STUFF

PARTS STORE Hey Mr. Bassman Kicker, CompRT 12-inch Slim DVC Subwoofer

Rockers that keep going Crane Cams, Energizer Rocker Arms The Energizer provides the benefits of a lightweight, roller-tipped aluminum rocker arm at an affordable price. These rockers are manufactured from aerospace-quality, die-formed aluminum castings and CNC-machined to precise ratio-accurate specifications. Like Crane’s more expensive roller rocker arms, they have heavy-duty, precision-ground steel needle bearings and a heat-treated steel roller tip. They also include adjustable locking nuts. Perfect for street applications, Crane’s Energizer rocker arms have been used by Detroit automakers for special engine programs. They are designed for use with valvetrain packages that require valve springs with up to 450 lbs (open) pressure. cranecams.com 866.388.5120

Bass tones are so much more important than rattling the rearview mirror and waking up neighbors. It’s about filling in, leading the song, and feeling the kick drum, bassist, or even a cello. Actually, it’s amazing what a difference a solid bass makes in the overall delivery of your music. Kicker is one company that understands the importance of the bass, and they also know a street rod has limited space for audio systems. That is why they developed the CompRT 12-Inch Slim DVC Subwoofer. The sub is under 4 inches in depth, so it fits easily under the dash or behind a seat, and thanks to Kicker’s SoloKon™ technology, the bass signal is distortion free and strong! To support the CompRT Subwoofer, Kicker also offers a compact PXA500.1 amp that measures only 8 inches while delivering 500 watts. The unit fits easily under a seat, kick panel, or the dash to help drive the all-important bass note. kicker.com 405.624.8510

Get truckin’ Circle Racing Wheels, GM Truck Rallys Don’t let the name Circle Racing Wheels fool you, as they do much more than race wheels. They started by specializing in dirt and asphalt racing wheels, including winged sprint cars through super speedways, and now bring that experience and technology into an extended line of custom billet wheels for rods, muscle cars, and trucks. Credit the team with excellent timing as C10 pickups have never been hotter! They recently released a billet aluminum GM truck wheel based on the ’71–’87 rally style. This new rim is available in 5- and 6-lug versions and is pictured with a powder coated silver center area with a polished outer to mimic a factory beauty ring. Look stock, but go big — how trick is that? The wheels are available in 18- and 20-inch diameters and can be made in a number of custom back spacings and finishes. circleracing.com 559.251.1127

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Royal Pontiac Club of America

ounded in 1994 to celebrate the performance heritage of Pontiac and Ace Wilson’s legendary Royal Pontiac dealership, the Royal Pontiac Club of America (RPCoA) has been championing Detroit’s muscle car heritage for more than 20 years. Royal Pontiac, based in the Detroit-area suburb of Royal Oak, was founded by the Wilson family, which had made its fortune in the dairy business. Patriarch Asa Wilson Sr. bought the dealership in the 1950s, reportedly to get his young, street-racing son, Asa Jr. — known as Ace — off the streets and into a respectable line of work. Ace Wilson took the helm, and his love for drag racing coalesced when an ad exec named Jim Wangers came knocking, looking for a dealer that would push Pontiac’s drive into the fledgling world of factory high performance. The dealership would become a hotspot of high performance throughout the ’60s, riding the surging muscle car wave until it crested and broke in the early ’70s. Royal Pontiac-tuned Ponchos, including the dealership’s Bobcat packages, were sold across the country. The Bobcat became its own brand, complete with an illustrated, racing suit-wearing mascot named Philo. Royal Pontiac was sold and changed names decades ago, and its property was used as a dealership until only a few years ago. The original glass-fronted showroom in downtown Royal Oak has been torn down, but its legacy remains. “Myself and several old-time Woodward street racers that owned Pontiacs felt that parking lot shows weren’t for us,” says RPCoA president Dr. Eric Schiffer. “With the encouragement of Jim Wangers, we formed the Royal Pontiac club to celebrate Ace Wilson’s Royal Racing Team.” There are about 40 more like-minded enthusiasts in the club, which meets regularly with outings that include track days at the drag strip and a gathering for the enormous Woodward Dream Cruise — the venue at the edge of Royal Oak on which many a Royal Pontiac’s performance upgrades were tested. In fact, Dr. Schiffer’s vehicle collection includes Jim Wanger’s former Royal Pontiac-tuned Firebird street race car, which was dubbed Blackbird. Club members have included Ace Wilson Sr., Malcom “Mac” McKellar, Pontiac’s chief engineer during the muscle car years, Jack “Doc” Watson, of Hurst/Olds fame, and Herb Adams, the special project engineer on the original Trans Am group. The club also produces a great quarterly online newsletter that’s usually packed with historical information, including reprints from vintage magazines that highlighted Royal Pontiac cars and Pontiac’s production muscle cars, as well as other stories that trace the history of Detroit’s high-performance history. RPCoA is always open to new members, and a vintage Pontiac is not a prerequisite — a passion for high-performance is. And at only $25 per year, membership is a great value for the insight and camaraderie it offers. SRL

royalpontiac.org

RPCoA President Dr. Eric Schiffer driving the Blackbird — a former Jim Wangers street race car built at Royal Pontiac.

1963 Royal Pontiac-tuned race car.

1962 Royal Pontiac Catalina (with a Grand Prix grille) racing at Indy.

Ace Wilson’s Royal Pontiac, in Royal Oak, Michigan, circa 1962.

The Royal Pontiac Club has a strong presence at the Woodward Dream Cruise every August. STREETRODLIFE.COM

GIANT

SLEEPING

The sedate looks of a restored Nova, with 1,200+ turbocharged horses on tap

WORDS: Barry Kluczyk PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

used to have a race car that I occasionally drove on the street,” explains fabricator and car builder Jimmy Hallowell. “But what I really wanted was a thoroughly fast street car that I could take to the drag strip.” That was the mantra that drove the 44-year-old Hallowell to build this ’63 Nova SS. Not only did it have to be a cruise night friendly street car, it had to be as plain-looking as buttered toast and as unassuming as a soccer mom in a beige minivan. “I wanted 99 percent of the people to walk right by this car and not have any clue what was going on underneath, but deliver devastating performance,” he says. “That was my intention from the very beginning of the project.” The project was a long time coming, starting about eight years ago, which was two years after Hallowell found the car in Kentucky and trailered it home to Troy, Illinois. He admits it wasn’t the quickest of car builds, but working on cars for customers and raising four children doesn’t leave you a lot of time in the day for your own projects. Nevertheless, Jimmy had a plan and vowed to see it through. All along, his vision included cramming a pair of turbos under the hood, but the foundation of the car needed attention first. The unibody was bolted to a rotisserie and the cut-off wheel came out to slice out the cancer-stricken sheet metal from the floors, trunk, and rear quarters. New metal was welded to the old smoothed and perfected. Jimmy also fabbed a round-tube replacement for the original front subframe incorporating Fox body Mustang struts and spindles along with a Flaming River manual rack. The custom suspension also allotted the extra room for plumbing the hand fabricated intercooled twin-turbo setup.

TO SEE MORE, SEARCH “SLEEPING GIANT” @ StreetRodLife.com

Striving for an understated appearance, the Nova was sprayed a vintage Sierra Fawn and topped with an Ermine White roof. There are no visible body modifications, and all the panels are steel.

Old-school small-block power meets the 21st century via a FAST EFI system that controls the force-fed air/fuel mixture driven by a pair of BorgWarner S-475 75mm turbos. There’s an MSD ignition system and boost controller involved too, along with a Precision Turbo 46mm wastegate. Fuel is delivered via 160-lb. injectors into a Victor Jr. intake manifold, through a 90mm throttle body.

I wanted 99 percent of the people to walk right by this car and not have any clue what was going on underneath, but deliver devastating performance. That was my intention from the very beginning of the project. The two 75mm turbos cram air into a Precision Engine-built 370c.i. small block using a Bill Mitchell Products Motown block as a foundation. The engine was of course fitted with the requisite forged rotating parts and low-compression pistons to support about 15 pounds of boost to create an estimated 1,200+ horsepower when fully lit. This obscene power is channeled to the rear axle through a unique, racing-spec JEFFco three-speed manual transmission. This trans features a separate shifter for each gear and can be shifted like a conventional manual trans including downshifting. The rearend is a built 9-inch featuring a Moser center section and a 3.42 ringand-pinion. A set of 40-spline Strange axles spin through a not-so-street-friendly spool which positively locks both rear axles making cornering a little uncom64

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

A set of Calvert Racing’s split mono-leaf springs and Smith Racecraft Assassin traction bars help locate the rear suspension. The springs were moved inboard, while the rear inner fenders were widened a couple of inches to make room for wider rubber.

Apart from the discreet Racepak IQ3 instrument panel/data logger and shift handles from the JEFFco three-speed manual transmission, the cabin looks 1963-fresh, including the original AM radio. The SS came with bucket seats, but Jimmy wanted a bench to give the car a more grandpa aesthetic.

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fortable. Now with a handful of miles on the car, Jimmy admits it that he’ll likely change it to a locker. “The car drives really great on the street with the JEFFco trans and it shifts really well, but going around a corner is kind of a pain,” he says. “You’ve got to keep feathering the clutch to ease it around the corner, all while the tires are chirping. A spool is great for the drag strip, but not so good on the street with a manual transmission like this.” To support the voltage demands of the car, Jimmy went with a 16-volt electrical system. This is an important piece of the performance puzzle when you have a Weldon fuel pump supplying 160-lb. injectors, FAST XFi, electric cooling fans and an MSD Programmable 7 ignition. He admits there were some expected consequences of the conversion, including melted taillights. A change to LED lamps cured that. We caught up with Jimmy and his sleeper Nova during the Street Machine Nationals, in DuQuoin, Illinois, where it had only racked up less than 100 miles since its completion. Despite the admitted “grandfather’s car” aesthetic, the Smith Racecraft traction bars peeking out behind the widened steel rear wheels and JEFFco shift levers provide a clue to what’s lurking beneath.

The car wears original 6-cylinder badges, because a V8 wasn’t offered on the Nova SS in 1963. Most of the trim is original and was painstakingly restored by owner Jimmy Hallowell, and the car rolls on 5-inch steelies in front and 8-inchers out back.

“I was thrilled with the attention it generated,” says Jimmy. “It was exactly the kind of reaction I was looking for from people who knew what they were looking at. It’s a legit, thousand-plus-horsepower street car that looks stock and drives like a dream.” Like any freshly completed street/ strip car, there are few tuning and chassis bugs to work out before the Nova is

FOR PICS OF THE BUILD, SEARCH “SLEEPING GIANT” @ StreetRodLife.com

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

ready for a complete drag strip assault. “We’ll get the kinks worked out and put it on the chassis dyno,” says Halowell. “From there, it’s straight to the track.” With its intentionally sedate appearance, this subtle Chevy II is bound to surprise more than a few on the street and the strip. That’s just how Jimmy Hallowell wanted it — even if it did take him eight years to make it a reality! SRL

After eight years, Jimmy and his wife June Hallowell are ready to cruise and race the Nova.

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S prings IN SESSION How to choose the right valve springs for your street engine

WORDS & PHOTOS: Jeff Smith

ere’s the scenario. A friend recommended a bitchin’ cam that you just finished bolting in. Not a huge cam by any means, just a smooth, power-making lobe lift design that will add a bit of power to your small-block Chevy. The install was straightforward, and you didn’t even have to change the lifters or springs. On start up, it idles great with a powerful tone, but the engine just seems to lay down around 5,000 rpm and doesn’t pull like it should. Assuming everything else is in tune, it could easily be those overlooked valve springs. It defies conventional wisdom, but some of the toughest cams to control are short duration street versions with mild lift numbers. The problems can start as low as 3,500 to 4,000 rpm, and you won’t even know it! It sounds implausible, but it’s true. The valve spring is anything but an attractive performance part. Unlike romantic pieces like pistons, camshafts, cylinder heads, and carburetors, valve springs rate right down there on the sexy scale with valve cover studs. But the truth is there’s power and durability hidden in the proper selection of a good valve spring. 68

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Conventional valve springs (left) maintain a constant diameter top to bottom. A beehive spring (middle) is tapered at the top to produce a smaller and lighter retainer. The most recently developed springs are conical springs (right), tapered from the bottom to the top. This creates a variable rate as well as a spring less sensitive to frequency issues.

Choosing the right spring can be a complicated process, but we’ll help clear up some of that confusion with suggestions based on the engine family, the style of cam you’re running, and even budget limitations. Let’s start with the style of cam selected. The categories can be divided up into flat tappet and roller styles. Generally, roller cams require slightly stiffer valve spring loads compared to flat tappet cams. Within each style, we also have whether the lifters are mechanical or hydraulic. Mechanical lifter cams generally will be a bit more aggressive and may require stronger springs, but with the flat tappet versions, spring loads must remain within a certain range to prevent excessive wear. You’ve probably noticed roller cams can create greater lift for the same duration. This is due to the roller’s ability to generate faster ramp speeds compared to a flat tappet lifter. This increased lifter speed also places much greater control demands on the valve spring. This means that as the lift increases for a given duration figure, the rocker will accelerate the valve faster, requiring increased spring load. Rocker arm ratio also plays a big part in the amount of load required to control the valve. This is because a higher rocker ratio (1.7:1 vs. 1.5:1, for example) accelerates the valve open and closed at a much faster rate, which generates greater force. The valve spring’s job is to make sure the valve accurately follows the cam lobe’s commands. But as rpm increases, inertial forces directly affect spring performance. Perhaps one of the biggest factors affecting valve performance is weight. If you want to give any valve spring a fighting chance to control the valve, you can help it by reducing the weight it has to control — especially on the valve side of the rocker arm. Weight on the lifter and pushrod side isn’t nearly as critical as it is on the valve side. The reason for this is directly related to the rocker ratio. The rocker arm multiplies the rate of acceleration created by the cam lobe, multiplying the forces at the same time. The classic solution for controlling valves in a performance engine has always been to increase the spring load. In many cases — especially when upgrading OE valvetrains — this is a good decision. But a little spring pressure can go a long way, especially if it is accompanied by a decrease in weight or mass. One of the first ways to accomplish this in the past has been to go to a lightweight retainer. This is always a good idea, but sophistication in spring design has recently created even better solutions in the form of both beehive and conical spring designs. The innovation behind both the conical and the beehive spring is as simple as it is elegant. As the valve travels through its

Production LS engines use a beehive spring and very small retainer, making even stock-type spring loads capable of controlling a heavy steel valve accompanied by a stock 1.7:1 rocker ratio.

8 grams

9 grams

13 grams

28 grams

Reducing the weight of the retainer is a great way to help valve springs exercise control over the valve. A simple upgrade to a beehive or conical spring is an excellent way to accomplish this. In this photo, the tool steel LS retainer on the far left weighs only 8 grams, while the larger diameter steel retainer for a dual spring on the far right weighs 28 grams — 3.5 times as much. Lighter and stronger is always better.

Regardless which spring you choose, be sure to accurately measure the installed height. This is the height of the spring with the valve closed. The easy way to measure installed height is with a height mic like this one. This photo shows just a touch over 1.900-inch. Compare this height with the actual spring spec to establish the seat load.

lift cycle, the top of the spring and the retainer move the greatest distance. Tapering the top of the spring to a smaller diameter accomplishes several things. First and most importantly, it reduces the mass of the spring and the retainer. This reduced mass means it requires less spring force or load to control this portion of the spring. That leaves more spring force available to control the valve. The beehive and its latest evolutionary design, called the conical spring, also offer another important advantage. Any coil spring will vibrate at what is called its natural frequency once acted upon. A spring with a constant diameter and equal spacing between the active coils will vibrate at a given frequency that is activated like a wave traveling through the length of the spring once the valve hits the seat. This frequency (seen as a wave or distortion in the spring) travels up and down the length of the spring at a given rpm where it is most excited, and can radically reduce the spring’s ability to control the valve. This is called spring surge. However, a coil spring designed with a taper adds a variable into this — producing a number of natural frequencies that are less harsh. This creates a much more stable valve spring over a wide rpm range. All of these details are important, because if the springs experience a surge at some point in the rpm curve, they will suffer load degradation and lose their ability to control the valve. A beehive or conical-style spring is less susceptible to this type of damage because the varying diameter helps to minimize the negative effects of natural frequency. To make sure you have the right springs and valvetrain components, you need to consider your application. A typical street rod small block with a hydraulic roller cam will require a little bit more spring than a flat tappet cam of the same duration. STREETRODLIFE.COM

Any modern spring can benefit from an ovate wire. The highest point of stress concentration on any spring occurs on the inside diameter of the wire. The shape of ovate spring wire distributes this load, making it much less susceptible to breakage or failure. This is an illustration from Lunati, but the benefits are the same for any ovate wire.

If the spring load is an unknown, you can have a machine shop measure both the installed height (valve closed) and open loads. This is the best way to evaluate the condition of your springs. Even with the world’s best cam and heads, if the springs are dead, the engine won’t make power.

This graph reveals what happens to power when the valve spring loses control over the valves. In this case, we tried a 1.6:1 rocker ratio only to discover the springs could not control the higher acceleration rate created by the added rocker ratio. If the engine is continued to run in this fashion, the power would continue to suffer and the onset of power loss would occur at lower engine speeds. None of those are good things.

Engine Small Block Big Block

Flat Tappet Seat Load Open Load 105-125 270-290 115-130 280-300

Hydraulic Roller Seat Load Open Load 110-145 285-310 130-145 350-370

We assembled this chart from several sources, including data from Crane Cams, as starting points for a typical street engine based on the variables of engine and cam type. It’s critical to note that this is just a starting point. It would be best to talk with your cam designer for more specific information. Open flat tappet loads should never exceed 330 pounds to ensure good wear characteristics.

This Lunati valvetrain worked really well on a small block using a set of 1.6:1 roller rockers. Some more aggressive cam lobes may not work well with higher rate rockers because of spring dynamic issues. That’s why it’s best to talk with the manufacturer before making radical changes to the valvetrain.

We mentioned short duration cams as often being difficult to control. This is absolutely true, especially if the cam is combined with a more aggressive rocker ratio. As an example, we performed a test at Westech Performance Group on a mild 355c.i. small-block Chevy where we added a set of 1.6:1 rockers to a hydraulic roller cam with 220-degrees at 0.050 inch. The chart illustrates what happens when the valve acceleration rate is too fast for the springs to control. At 4,900 rpm and above, you can see how the torque curve (TQ1) loses power rather abruptly. The second test shows the improvement in power when we returned to the 1.5:1 rocker arms. The difference in power was 10-12 hp. 70

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Another solution would have been to change valve springs to try and solve the loss of control. Essentially what happened in that test was the valve spring was no longer capable of controlling the valve. This is called valve float, but the effect that causes the power loss is not the common assumption that the lifter launches off the nose of the lobe. It’s better to think of valve float as loss of control which occurs when the valve closes, contacts the seat, and then bounces due to high-speed inertial forces. At high rpm, a weak seat pressure cannot always prevent the valve from bouncing. When this occurs, the valve opens while pressure is building in the cylinder. This pressure is lost back into the intake manifold, and power drops precipitously. It should be obvious valve springs are a very important piece of the valvetrain and overall performance your engine produces. Your engine won’t look any sexier — in fact it won’t look one bit different. But, it sure will run better and make more power. And there’s always something sexy about a strong running engine. SRL Sources: COMP Cams, compcams.com; Crane Cams, cranecams.com; Lunati, lunatipower.com

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EVENT COVERAGE

STREET MACHINE NATIONALS DU QUOIN, ILLINOIS

WORDS & PHOTOS: Todd Ryden

he heat was on at the Du Quoin Street Machine Nationals during the last weekend of June. Not only was the mercury bumping the limiter, but the historic fairgrounds were teaming with wild pro street machines, rods, and muscle cars as everyone celebrated the fourth running of the Nats since its revival. Back in the thick of the late ’80s and early ’90s, fat tires and narrowed rear ends were coupled to overkilled blower motors and chrome as street machining hit its stride. During those years, the Street Machine Nationals took over towns like Du Quion and Springfield, and even Indy, with crazy action at the fairgrounds as well as late into the nights on the streets, parking lots, and hotels. It didn’t take long for towns to turn away any thought of hosting a Street Machine Nationals, like Holliday Inn banning the Who. Well, time heals most wounds, and in 2013, Du Quoin welcomed back the return of street machines and their fans. Today’s shows are a celebration of those wild street machine builds, along with plenty of rods, customs, and muscle machines. The three-day event has something for everyone with more than 2,500 cars canvassing the sprawling fairgrounds. You could kick back and let the show roll by as owners take to the paths for a cruise throughout the day. There was even a record-setting pro street parade on Saturday! The show also hosts a burnout competition, and there was a demolition derby for Friday night fun (no show cars in that contest!). Du Quoin welcomes the cars and enthusiasts, and the rodders love the history of Du Quoin. It’s a win-win combination. streetmachinenationals.net

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

What is it about an orange pickup? This ’55 Ford belongs to Dale and Pat Stearns from Carbondale, Illinois.

Molly Fischer of Waterloo, Iowa took home the Gearheads4Life Editor’s Choice Award in her 1979 Trans Am.

Editor’s Choice Our Editor’s Choice Award went to this chopped and channeled ’28 Model A sedan owned by Vince Heuer of Granite, Illinois. The car is a perfect blend of traditional street rod with the metallic gray/black paint, the dropped stance, and white walls with overkill street machine power! We’re talking more than 900 hp from a small-block topped with a 10:71 huffer! But this is no trailer queen, as Vince is planning to run the car, hence the Jerry Bickel 4-link and the Gearvendors overdrive unit. At under 2,400 pounds, this rod is going to fly!

It’s taken Darryl Mullens more than 40 years to get his ’63 Nova to this condition, and details reflect his commitment to the Chevy.

Tech editor Jeff Smith awarded Vince Heuer with the Street Rod Life Editor’s Choice plaque made my Fastlane Metalworx.

Things were heating up during the burnout contest Sunday — both at the tires and under the hood!

There’s something you don’t see every day at any car show. STREETRODLIFE.COM

Gearhead Powerpack Giveaway The winner of our Gearhead Powerpack Giveaway went to Rob and Lori Jennings of Marion, Illinois, for their ’48 Hudson. Actually, only the skin is Hudson made, underneath the beast is a complete (and lengthened) ’94 Cadillac chassis with a front wheel drive Northstar V8, Caddy brakes, and dash. Talk about a gearhead, Rob figures he’s had more than 250 different cars and is absolutely loving cruising this Hudson — and constantly gets smiles and thumbs up from passersby. The couple won gift certificates from COMP Cams, FAST, TCI, RHS, and Zex, as well as a case of Driven Hot Rod Oil.

Roger Grizzle made the trek from Ft. Worth, Texas, with his ’65 F100. The trick truck sports a blown and injected 565c.i. big-block. The interior features leather and snakeskin details, along with a roll cage with a tilt bed outback.

Jason and Megan Holmes have an LT1 under the long hood of their ’47 Super Sedanette Buick. Custom touches abound throughout the body and interior, including a dash from Ford pickup.

How cool is it to see Matt and Debbie Hay’s twin blown, pro street ’88 Thunderbird that raised the bar for the class back in the late ’80s. Even cooler to have your Revell model autographed by them at the show!

Chris Gosch of Bunker Hill, Illinois, was selected by the editor of Power & Performance News as their Gearhead Powerpack winner for his ’66 Buick Skylark. The staff at Gearheads4Life.com chose Pete Pfister of St. Charles for his fine ’69 SS Chevelle.

Rob Bay, from Collinsville, Illinois, was chilling by the lake with his custom ’53 Chevy Club Coupe.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

NEWS HOT TOPICS INFO

RPM REPORT You just have to love the wide open side windows of a ’61 Olds Dynamic 88. That’s a lot of glass!

Mike Bell’s 5-window ’32 was rumbling around the grounds throughout the weekend.

SEARCH “DU QUOIN STREET MACHINE NATIONALS” @ StreetRodLife.com STREETRODLIFE.COM

HEAT

WORDS: Cindy Bullion

STAY OUT OF THE

Driven’s coolant additive balances fluid for a healthy system

ummer: The season for leisurely cruising, be it across town to a local show or down the highway to a national event. It’s definitely not the time for a roadside rest due to an overheating engine — those August temps can be brutal. But, a cooling system fluid change now just might save you some suffering when taking your rod out on the road. It’s likely you already keep a watch on the fluid level in your cooling system during the hot summer months (if not, go outside now and look). What’s unlikely is knowing exactly what’s in that fluid. Sure, there’s water and, if you follow manufacturer recommendations, some coolant. A 50/50 mix of the two is the general standard, though the common practice of topping off your system with water dilutes that concen76

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

tration. It’s near impossible to know exactly what is cycling through your system, particularly when it comes to the water part. So, how do you ensure your fluid is allowing the cooling system to operate at its best? We talked with Lake Speed Jr., Certified Lubrication Specialist for Driven Racing Oil, about the importance of maintaining a balance in your cooling system fluid, and the science behind it all. Due to its molecular structure, water is the best liquid for absorbing heat and transferring it, in this case from your car’s engine to the radiator for cooling before it’s returned through the system. However, water is also acidic — meaning highly corrosive — and contains minerals that can leave system-clogging deposits.

Speed says coolant and anti-freeze were created to help combat water’s natural effects on cooling systems, but most were developed with the assumption people would mix the products with distilled water, rather than from the tap or well. The problem is some organic compounds are not “boiled out” during distillation, and remember, keeping a perfect 50/50 mix of water to coolant at all times is unrealistic. “We said, ‘let’s assume we have really bad water and make something to address that,’ ” Speed says about the development of Driven Racing Oil’s Coolant System Protector (CSP). The development team had two goals for the coolant additive: keep the system clean and improve efficiency. “If the water jackets on the heads get

full of corrosion from negligence or Stop Leak, it’s like having clogged arteries,” Speed says. “There’s less flow, less cooling.” He explains even aluminum water pumps can corrode as other types of metal particles may find their way into coolant and can conduct electricity, causing corrosion in addition to the kind that occurs due to water alone. CSP helps to counteract the effects of this bimetallic corrosion and lubricates water pumps. On the improving efficiency front, Speed says CSP’s development came down to surface tension, or the property that allows a liquid to resist external force. Just think about an overfilled drinking glass with water heaping at top. “We can’t help the specific heat of water, it’s already too good, so we have to change the surface tension,” he says.

Tests show Coolant System Protector from Driven Racing Oil prevented corrosion to aluminum (top) and cast iron (bottom) better than other coolant additives on the market.

If the water jackets on the heads get full of corrosion from negligence or Stop Leak, it’s like having clogged arteries. There’s less flow, less cooling. Just as water will create a convex shape atop that drinking glass, it will also create the opposite convex shape when settling into the bottom of a valley. Speed says in a cooling system, that can mean water is not reaching and pulling heat from all the small crevices. Add increased surface roughness due to previous corrosion and you have even less surface contact in those areas and, thus, less cooling effect. One concept behind coolant additives like CSP is getting fluid to make maximum contact for maximum heat transfer, which means changing water’s resistance so it can find its way into microscopic valleys. The process known as “surface wetting” is made more difficult when hard water is involved. “More ions in hard water tend to disrupt all of the above,” Speed says. “It especially makes the surface tension greater.” He offers a bath time scenario to explain. When bathing in soft water, or water with minimal presence of minerals, the soap being used will create more suds and

Corrosion in a cooling system, like seen on this water pump, can occur due to the naturally acidic level of and minerals found in non-distilled water, as well as due to different metals that can infiltrate the system and conduct electricity.

easily rinse off. The chemicals in the soap do not have to compete with as many minerals in order to lessen the surface tension of water so it doesn’t just bead up on the skin. In hard water, some of those same chemicals bind to minerals, resulting in fewer suds and the need for more rinsing to avoid deposits — think soap scum. In your cooling system, deposits are a devil that can hinder fluid flow and promote corrosion. Speed says by neutralizing minerals and cleaning away exist-

ing deposits, CSP improves the “surface wetting” ability of your coolant system fluid, regardless of the water and coolant used. So, when topping off your coolant system fluid before that summer cruise, Speed recommends pouring in some CSP too. It may keep your car rolling down the road and your eyes enjoying the scenery, rather than watching that temperature gauge. SRL Source: Driven Racing Oil, drivenracingoil.com

STREETRODLIFE.COM

with Jonathan

Goolsby & Josh Henning

Like a good long burnout patch that lasts all summer, Goolsby Customs has made its mark on the hot rod world with a long line of custom builds. Jonathan Goolsby had a good job as the lead painter at a Chevrolet dealership but was also building and painting cars in his garage. One repair/project was for his soon-to-be partner, Josh Henning; they found they shared common visions, styles, and goals when it came to hot rods. In 2005, Goolsby Customs was formed, and it’s been full throttle ever since. In just over 10 years, the Hueytown, Alabama-based team has produced a line of custom-built muscle machines and street rods that have influenced the styles you see in many other vehicles. In

fact, Goolsby has their own line of accessories and works close with manufacturers, such as Lokar with many of their custom components. They were named the Goodguys Trendsetter of the Year in 2013, as well as received the Muscle Machine of the Year award for a ’69 Camaro project. Last year, they debuted a modern take on a ‘68 Mustang that took the Ford Design and Mothers Shine awards at the 2015 SEMA Show. Most recently, the same Mustang scored Goodguys’ Street Machine of the Year honors. We were able to corner Jonathan and Josh for a quick cruise about starting their own company, finding good help, and the state of hot rodding.

Let’s start with the basics: Jonathan and Josh, who does what in the shop?

Jonathan: I do all of the painting, wet sanding, and buffing, along with the day-to-day business in the body shop, and work alongside the guys doing all the bodywork. Josh handles the day-to-day operations of the fab shop, scheduling of all the builds and progress, along with vendor and customer relations. We work together on the concepts and design of our projects. Also, my wife Vonda, keeps the whole shop running smooth and on track.

How’d you guys meet? Jonathan: Back in around 1998, Josh needed a car painted due to a collision, and someone recommended me. He was impressed with the repair and not to long after that, there was another accident — with the same car! This time it was a little more extensive, so he decided it was a good time to do a complete rebuild and turn his Honda Civic into a show car. Yes, a Civic! So, throughout that process, we began a friendship and working relationship designing/building what we could. And, the rest is history.

What got you into cars? Jonathan: I grew up around racing and spent a lot of time at the circle track, and eventually racing myself. That pretty much embedded the smell of race gas and exhaust fumes in my brain from a young age. Of course, the race cars had to look cool as well as go fast, so the customizing was there from the beginning. There were many a race car that had 78

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Josh Henning (left) and Jonathan Goolsby of Goolsby Customs in Hueytown, Alabama. A mutual passion of designing, modifying, and building cars led them from a friendship to building one of the top custom build shops in the industry.

to have the custom paint job, lettering, numbers, whatever....to win the best looking race car award...just to wreck it an hour later. Josh: For as long as I can remember, I was always fascinated with cars and trucks. I spent most of my childhood drawing cars then reading all of the magazines. I couldn’t get enough of what I was seeing! Anything custom or different from the factory; a custom wheel, a custom paint job, it didn’t matter… it was electric. I don’t know if it was the potential freedom of the possibilities or the rebellious nature, but I liked that I could build it however I wanted.

What were your first cars? Jonathan: A brown ’76 Toyota Celica with plaid brown interior. A real lady killer.

Josh: A ’76 Ford F100 long bed with two-tone brown, glass packs, and a rebel flag headliner. A real lady killer also.

What about your first hot rod – and do you have anything right now? Jonathan: A ’60 Starliner that I painted purple/champagne, and I have an ’82 Camaro right now. Josh: A ’59 Galaxie that was green/ silver, and I currently have an ’86 C10.

Jonathan, 10 years ago you had a secure job at a dealership. What gave you the final push to take a chance and start your own shop? Jonathan: It had gotten to the point that the side business and growing following had begun to make it difficult to do both. My wife, Vonda, and I felt

Traditional rods, mild customs, and muscle cars are all in the works at Goolsby.

it was time to take the plunge and see if we could do it on our own, or spend the rest of our lives wondering if we could have. Luckily, there was a great friend and customer that I had painted some hot rods for that was instrumental in getting us into a building and giving us that kickstart — Jonathan.

Any builders out there that were an influence on your work or style? Josh: I’m sure we have been influenced by the same builders as anyone our age, sometimes it’s pure admiration and self-loathing combined. Troy Trepanier, Bobby Alloway, Alan Johnson were huge influences on both style and level of quality, both in the beginning and continue to be. Jonathan: More recently the Roadster Shop, Greening Auto, BBT Fab, Detroit Speed, and Miranda Built have been great inspiration, and have turned into some great friends. It really makes you happy for this industry as a whole because of the quality and ideas that everyone keeps pumping out.

What are some of the hot trends or features in the realm of hot rod builds? Josh: I think that the “hot rod” world or whatever else you want to call it has STREETRODLIFE.COM

The 1969 Mustang, owned by Tim Spencer, was debuted at the SEMA Show in 2015. Their execution of blending of modern cues with classic Mustang flavor was highlighted with Ford’s Design award and the Mothers Shine award. The Mustang recently won the Goodguys Street Machine of the Year.

always been just like every other thing in this world, cyclical. It’s human nature to never be satisfied and continue to look for the next shiny object, so for that reason, hot roddding is ever evolving. Like the tide of the ocean, it rolls in, then it rolls out. When it’s rolling in, everyone is pushing the limits of new designs, modern shapes, technology, and alternative finishes....until that becomes common place or too mainstream. That’s where the tide rolls out, everything goes back and things turn retro or vintage. Then, we all try to find the balance between fresh ideas and designs in a more mature, refined, and familiar build style. Colors, wheel choices, and plating finishes come back. The styles of 15-20 years ago are hip again, but we all still will put our spin on them. I think we are in place where all the major builders are doing more looking back than looking forward. It will be exciting to see what comes next.

You sponsor the Goodguys Young Guys show parking area at Goodguys events, a special parking area for anyone 25 and younger. What made you sponsor that area? Josh: Without a doubt, the number one 80

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

This ’70 Chevelle, built for Ryan Kochen, also qualified as a contender for Street Machine of the Year during the Goodguys PPG Nationals. It also picked up a Builder's Choice award at the show.

problem that our industry as a whole faces is the emerging and current work force. A lot of influence has been put on the education, or to get kids interested in cars in general. We agree that all of those aspects need to be addressed, but sometimes you just find the right kid

who is already interested in cars, but needs to learn that there are career possibilities in our industry. Sometimes all it takes is a personal connection, or that one award to give someone the validation that is needed. We feel that if a kid is coming to a

Goodguys event, they are already interested in cars as a hobby, but do they know they could make a living at it? All they have to do is have the passion; everything else can be taught. For Goodguys to want to recognize those 25 and younger, and remembering how we felt going to shows at that age, we think it’s the perfect fit for us to sponsor.

So you want to support younger enthusiasts and builders – what’s the median age in your shop? Jonathan: The crew in our shop ranges from 22 to 41 years old.

Do you prefer to bring in an enthusiastic kid that is ready to work hard and learn, or someone that has been working on hot rods for years?

The team at Goolsby can have fun together but get serious when it comes to building hot rods.

Jonathan: I don’t care. Honestly all they have to do is have the passion to create, design, build, look back, and say ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ If they have that, everything else will work out. As long as anyone, no matter their age, has the passion and is humble enough to truly listen, then they have a future in our industry. SRL

Jonathan’s first real hot rod — a custom ’60 Starliner.

goolsbycustoms.com

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CUT LOOSE with

Three

DEUCES

Rebuilding a trio of Rochester two barrels for six-barrel fun

WORDS & PHOTOS: Jeff Smith

eturn with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when multiple carbs were the righteous path to horsepower and when three deuces meant more than even a Silver Bullet!” If that sounds like a lead-in to an episode of The Lone Ranger Meets Don Garlits, perhaps we’ve gone a bit too far. The point is nostalgia induction systems are all the rage (again) for those looking to tie into the ’60s hot rodding theme. We’re all over that and decided one day, our life would not be complete without a Rochester 3x2 setup. That’s when our investigation led us to the Edelbrock catalog, where we discovered a recast version of their original six-barrel small-block Chevy intake. All we needed was three carburetors and a few other assorted pieces. This is when what can only be described as divine intervention occurred. I called a buddy, Bill Irwin, who I knew had a pristine Rochester 2GC. Days later, he was prowling a Midwest swap meet when he discovered three Rochester carbs fitted with air cleaners, homemade linkage, and fuel lines specifically for a smallblock Chevy. The real providence was the seller only wanted $250. He immediately purchased it, and soon I had my Rochester Three Musketeers ready for rebuild. A quick call to JET Performance revealed carb shop manager Johnnie Valdez knows quite a bit about these little 390 cfm fuel mixers. We made a trip down the 405 Freeway to JET’s Huntington Beach, California, headquarters and followed the revitalization of all three carbs. 82

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Here’s our fully rebuilt Rochester carbs complete and sitting on our 283. In a follow-up story, we will reveal our fully-dressed engine with its vintage Edelbrock valve covers, chrome pulleys, and large Corvette-style rams horn exhaust manifolds.

Rochester built three variations — the 2G, 2GC, and 2GV. Most enthusiasts lean toward the 2GC that uses the divorced choke. Our carburetors were of the smaller bore (1 1/2-inch throttle bore variety) as used on low-performance small-block Chevys like the 283 or 307. The higher-flow carbs were more often found on larger engines like the bigger cube Pontiacs.

Valdez started by running the numbers on the carbs to confirm what we were working with. He then fully disassembled them and laid out all the pieces to start the rehab.

The inboard carb looked a little nasty from water damage, but a short time immersed in carb cleaner and then in JET’s tumbler quickly brought it back into shape.

After Valdez stripped the throttle shafts, technician Jake Gonzalez bead blasted the assemblies and made sure each cast iron base was flat with a session on the sanding disc. Valdez also clear-coated them so they wouldn’t rust.

Because the base is cast iron, the two-barrels don’t use bushings and don’t wear like the Q-jet. Valdez reassembled the throttle blades and then ensured placement with a light check. This photo shows very little light around the throttle blades. Too much light could prevent setting the proper idle speed.

A common 2GC problem is that this throttle stop (arrow) becomes bent and allows the blades to open past vertical. Valdez adjusted all three to ensure each throttle only opens 90 degrees.

After cleaning all the parts, Valdez moved to modify the center carb’s idle circuit. This photo shows where he enlarged the idle feed tube on the cluster from its stock diameter of 0.051-inch to 0.056-inch. This puts more fuel into the idle circuit to accommodate a slightly more aggressive camshaft. STREETRODLIFE.COM

Still working with the booster, Valdez increased the size of the accelerator pump discharge outlets (arrows). Stock is 0.020-inch, and Valdez prefers 0.026-inch to deliver more fuel.

The main jets are located in the bottom of the float bowl. Note the small brass valve in the center. This is the power enrichment valve. It is actuated by a long, spring-loaded pin located in the carb lid. This works just like a typical Holley carb power valve.

Our carbs originally used leather accelerator pump cups, which are not serviceable. Valdez substituted cups used on a Quadrajet, which fit the bill nicely. The accelerator pump operation is confirmed by filling the pump cavity with WD-40 and operating the plunger to ensure the pump squirts properly before installing the lid.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

A final modification is to these small holes (arrows) on top of the booster cluster. These are the high-speed air bleeds. Stock, they measure 0.025inch, and Valdez prefers to increase the diameter to 0.028-inch. This increases the air mixed with the fuel from the main jets, which trims the top-end air-fuel ratio from going excessively rich.

For the outboard two carburetors, Valdez removed the long, spring-loaded power valve pin from the carb lid and then plugged the vacuum port into this passage with a lead shot ball. This prevents an internal vacuum leak when the power valve pin is eliminated.

Our 3x2 setup was intended for a mild 0.060-over 283 displacing 292c.i., with a mild cam duration of 220-degrees at 0.050. We weren’t looking for big power, more for image. The carbs’ previous owner had already plugged the idle mixture ports on the outboard carburetors, so this was one step we didn’t have to make. Valdez says just the center carb can feed a mild 350, so there’s no need for the additional fuel. These Rochesters are pretty simple, so if you have some carburetor experience, adding a JET rebuild kit would be easy. One feature they offer if you choose to send your carb to them is complete blasting, cleaning, and recoloring, which is something difficult for a backyard rebuilder to perform. Plus, if you need jets, JET has a wide selection of Rochester 2GC jets ranging from 43 to 67. (Keep in mind these jets should not be interchanged with Q-jet metering jets, as their entry angle and flow characteristics are not the same.) JET has decades of experience with these carburetors, both for the street and for rules-specific track racing, so they know their stuff. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, they can dial you in to a very street-friendly 3x2 setup. In an upcoming story, we’ll show you how good this package looks on our small-block, complete with air cleaners, linkage, old-school valve covers, and a couple of other fun tricks. SRL Source: Jet Performance Products, jetchip.com

The idle mixture screws on the two end carbs were blocked off with small lead plugs. With the carbs reassembled, we bolted them on and set up the linkage. With a little swap meet luck and help from JET's carb experts, our home built tri-power is ready to roll!'

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Jack Chisenhall Jack Chisenhall is a hardcore, lifelong car-guy. Not only did he found the air conditioning specialty company Vintage Air, but he has also helped advance our industry, hobby, and many enthusiasts along the way, which is exactly why we named Jack our Street Rod Lifer! Jack’s story began in Ft. Worth, Texas, and like many other young guys, he was drawn to cars through the pages of Hot Rod magazine. He already showed mechanical aptitude at a young age and at just 13, he bought his first car, a ’36 Chevy, for $20. Six months later, he decided the ’36 was just too new for him, so he flipped it and started looking for the next one. The next one came quickly in the form of a Model A sedan that he dug out of a nearby wrecking yard in the early ’60s. Unlike the first car, he wrenched on this ’30 quite a bit, installing a Merc Flathead, followed up a few years later with a more powerful Pontiac drivetrain with a 4-speed, along with a Corvette IRS. He held on to the Ford throughout the decade until he went into the Air Force. Jack came from a military family. His father was a Master Sargent in the Air Force, and the family moved several times, including a stint in Germany, before settling back in Texas in the San Antonio area. After high school, Jack attended Southwest Texas State College and graduated with a degree in Industrial Design, followed by a few years in the Air Force, where he reached the rank of First Lieutenant. During college, he found time to rent a small shop and took care of a lot of fab work, headers, and engine swaps. This kept him involved in hot rodding with a string of a number of rods and car builds. Living in the humidity and heat of southern Texas led to a focus on keeping cool in your car — and to Jack, that meant hot rods. In 1976, Jack showed up at the Street Rod Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with three new products designed specifically for hot rods: a vertical condenser for ’32-’39 Fords, mounting brackets to mount a compressor on a small-block Chevy, and an evaporator assembly. The rest, as they say, is history. Over the years, Jack continued his hot rodding ways. He ran a ’53 Studebaker at Bonneville to the tune of 241 mph, with the air conditioning on the whole time. This car was later driven on the Hot Rod Power Tour from LA to Detroit, and his ’39 Ford sedan has also rolled the odometer over on 26 years of road tours, with 50 to 75 other enthusiasts! Between starting a business and raising a family of five along with his wife Tammy, Jack still finds time to hot rod and be involved with the hobby. He was instrumental in forming the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (originally SRMA), a hot rod industry-focused committee within SEMA, where he served as the first Chairman. He has supported youth programs such as the 29-Below group with NSRA for years to help get young people involved in hot rodding. He also received the Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award. Today, he continues to tinker on hot rods and hosts a varied collection including everything from the Texas Longhorn top fuel dragster raced from ’64-’65 to midget race cars and a few rods. He and one of his sons built a ’36 coupe you’ve likely seen running on road courses around the country. Jack’s a true street rodder and innovator; we’re lucky to have him in our hobby. SRL

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

Original Tom Medley artwork.

Jack being congratulated by Wally Parks with Ak Miller.

Jack with Tom Medley.

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ACCURATE

SPEEDING How to correct your speedometer

WORDS: Todd Ryden PHOTOS: Todd Ryden and Brandon Flannery

s street rodders, there is no such thing as having standard equipment. Gear ratio, tire size, cubic inches, and transmission types all vary wildly in our projects. After all, this is what hot rodding is about: building with what you have and what you know. This is all well and good unless you expect your speedometer to read correctly. Your speedometer, at least the old cable-driven mechanical versions relies on accurate gear ratios to spin at the correct speed for an accurate mph value. But, when you change one variable, such as the tire height, that gear ratio is out the window and you have a mph value that’s inaccurate. The good news is you can easily (depending on the manufacturer) rectify the ratio by replacing the speedometer gears inside the transmission. TCI is one manufacturer that offers a full line of the gears used in GM, Ford, and Chrysler transmissions. There are two gears: a drive gear and a driven gear. On a Ford or Chrysler Torqueflite, the drive gear teeth are machined into the output shaft. A Torqueflite will have 13 teeth, while a Ford C3-C6 and early AOD may have six to nine teeth. The drive gear of a GM 350/400 or 700-R4 is also accessible through the tailshaft, while the 200-4R is a separate gear accessible through the governor assembly located inside the oil pan. In most applications, you can change the driven gear easily to get the speed value corrected. To correct the speedome88

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

On a GM 200-4R, the driven gear is easy to remove as part of the speedometer drive assembly. TCI offers six different driven gears ranging from 26 to 31 teeth and identified by different colors. (They also offer four different drive gears, 10 to 13 teeth.) On our application, we simply swapped to a 29-tooth (green) to correct the mph value.

The GPS-50-2 Interface from Dakota Digital will drive most aftermarket electronic speedometers as well as a host of other modern details, such as a compass, cruise control, and automatic clock calibration — with automatic calibration!

GPS = No More Gears

Thanks to the speedometer calculator on TCI’s website, we learned that another application using a 700-R4 trans required a 44-tooth (dark gray) driven gear. However, this larger gear also needed a larger housing assembly, which TCI also offers.

As with many mechanical components on vehicles, speedometer gears have been replaced with electronics. First was the use of electronic speedometers, which took the bulky cable out of the equation, and now it’s Global Positioning System-based speedometers. We spoke to the specialists at Dakota Digital to get the skinny on the use of GPS speedometers, and they explained a few things to consider with GPS technology. First, of course, is the time it takes for the system to initialize (like your satellite radio or navigation system). Today’s technology has reduced the pause, but it is something to consider. Additionally, they pointed out that heavy tree cover, long tunnels, large steel buildings, and other obstructions can affect the reception of GPS data. Most manufacturers have built-in predictive software to compensate for these spaceage challenges. You’ll also need to consider the mounting of the base unit/antenna so it can receive as much feedback from the eyes in the sky as possible, to extract the most resolution and, therefore, accuracy as possible. No bulky cables, very little wiring, and a speedo that’s always accurate. The future is now. Source: Dakota Digital, dakotadigital.com

For Chrysler Torqueflite applications, the driven gear easily installs into the tailhousing. What is unique is that the gear is installed onto a concentric, off-set assembly that must be aligned with the proper tooth count and position. We used a black (29-tooth) gear and will install the assembly in the 26-31 position.

ter reading, a little math is involved. Don’t worry about sitting down and counting on your toes and fingers, though, as TCI has all of the formulas you’ll need on their website! You just need to plug in a few specs about your vehicle: tire diameter, axle ratio, and the number of teeth on the drive gear. # drive teeth ×

axle ratio

× tire revolution per mile

1001 = # driven teeth required

TCI’s website will assist you with determining the tire diameter and revs per mile so you can easily plug in the numbers. Once you hit enter, the driven gear number is calculated! With just a few details and a little time on a creeper under your rod, you’ll have it cruising in harmony with the speedometer. SRL Source: TCI, tciauto.com

STREETRODLIFE.COM

THE MAKING OF A

FAMILY

TreasurE

A son finishes what his father started more than 60 years ago WORDS & PHOTOS: Roger C. Johnson

he Model A Fords of the early ’30s are very likely the most significant cult cars ever produced. By the end of World War II when returning soldiers began looking for peace-time thrills, these cars were rediscovered and literally became the backbone of a hobby, an industry, and a way of life for thousands. Their simplicity, style, and blank-canvas potential has kept the flame burning for more than 80 years and counting. In 1955, Ken Owen bought a completely original 1930 Model A Ford for $125. It was a solid, nice running car with less than 30,000 miles under its belt. He 90

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

was only 18 years old, and his intent was to build the hot rod of his dreams. A few years later, Ken started to disassemble the car in the garage to begin the transformation to hot rod status. But before long, all of his plans for a hot rod came to a screeching halt as events like careers, parenthood, and all those other surprises of life took precedence. During this slight delay, Ken’s young son, Tom, spent a lot of time playing in the old Ford’s shell, which lead to him sharing his own vision of building a hot rod. The torch was lit. Decades passed, and one Sunday in the spring of 2008, Ken called his son to tell him to come over and pick up his car. Next

to Ken, Tom was the only life-long car guy in the family and had worked in the industry for years. He was the ideal caretaker for his Pop’s hot-rod-to-be, even though he wasn’t about to simply take care of it. Tom’s plan called for a resurrection of this coupe in a way his dad might have done it back in the late ’50s. Another goal was to have it up and running as quickly as possible, so his Dad could start “digging it” again. This time frame meant calling in family friend and expert builder Butch Payne to do the build. As it happened, even though the build was going on just a few miles from Ken’s own house in Michigan, he only saw the car once during the process. And even

The coupe’s original inline 4-banger was replaced with a 1953 Mercury Flathead, a common engine swap for savvy hot roddders back in the day. This classic combination still looks exciting, especially when topped with Edelbrock heads and a trio of carbs.

This true automotive heirloom has been in the Owen family for 60 years and counting.

then, it was just a view of the bare metal body sitting on the floor of the shop. He had no idea how good his car was going to look in the not too distant future. The original steel body was all there and still in nice condition but due for some massaging in order to bring it to the level Tom had targeted. The roof was given a 3-inch chop for added character, and a ’32 hood was customized, along with a deuce grille and shell. The rumble seat was methodically turned into a conventional trunk. A new frame was constructed by Brookville. Their system of laser cutting and TIG welding produces a modern day platform for all other parts joining the

project, new or old. The chassis is even designed in such a way to eliminate those old gaps between the body and frame rails that were common to Henry’s original piece. The ’53 Mercury flathead seemed to be the ideal choice for power. It represents the last year of production for the famous Ford V8 engines. Besides, the inner-company crossbreeding adds a little more hipness to the equation. The block was ported and freshened with a 3 1/16inch bore, combined with the 4-inch Mercury crankshaft to the tune of 276c.i. Its classic camshaft was only described as a “full-race” profile and orchestrates the intake and exhaust requirements with noticeable greed and authority. A polished Offenhauser intake manifold hosts twin Holley 94 two-barrel carbs, and a set of Edelbrock heads round out the package. As a centerpiece to the hot rod, the Merc is detailed to the hilt, and the inyour-face headers cast the final tweak

Red steel wheels are ’50s style all the way and fit this car to an ‘A.’ Original mechanical brakes are used throughout, but out back, they’re attached to a Ford 9-inch rear end.

to the nose of all those overly-sensitive guardians of today’s social mores. When the car was finished, Tom and his wife drove the hot rod to his parents’ house for the official presentation. Naturally, it knocked Ken’s socks off when he STREETRODLIFE.COM

Even though hot rods by nature rely on simplicity as a design feature, the attention to detail put forth in this build is also intricate and precise. The black suede exterior and lush red interior complement each other perfectly.

Living space is crafted from a beautiful and comfortable red leather.

Note the third pedal — one modern addition was the use of a Borg Warner T5 five speed, which opens a wider range of expression for the Merc power plant.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

saw it for the first time. It must have been a thrill for Tom to watch his father process 60 years of memories with this car all in just a few moments. “My first thought was that I was so glad I didn’t sell the car to others who wanted it, even though I lost interest in restoring it. My decision to give you the car was right, and I was so glad to see how happy you were with the beautiful work making it a first class custom show car,” Ken told his son. “The car will live on forever in you, mother, and my memories, even without the rumble seat,” he continued. “Charley Youngren, the guy who I bought it from and who purchased it new from Wood Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan, would probably even approve of the modification.” Ken has cruised around in his teenage dream car several times since its completion, but he’s never driven it as a hot rod, even though Tom has offered many times. Maybe it’s for the better. After all, both men have lived all their lives with this car, making it a dream they both shared. Dad drove it home for the first time in original condition, and his son drove it to the very same house as a finished hot rod 60 years later. Two dreams that came full circle with one car. SRL

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Celebrating The Rodding Lifestyle • Car Builds & Profiles • Event Coverage • Interviews & Tours

• “How-To” Tech • Product Reviews

* And Much More

Todd Ryden Editor

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With a decent-sized wiring project coming up, I bought a good crimper. That worked so well I knew my little plier-style wire strippers needed upgrading, and this thing is worth every penny. It’s heavy, durable, and everything can be replaced. It stripped the thickest wire and thinnest 20 gauge like butter. I got precise lengths each time because the jaws held the wire in place. The one-handed operation was easy and quick. It’s one of those tools you buy and then wonder why you don’t already have one. Brandon Flannery is a globe-trottin’ automotive photojournalist, content developer, and certified shop rat now living in Hernando, Mississippi, with a herd of projects and a daily-driven ’73 Satellite Sebring known as The Blue Goose.

SCHEDULES EVENTS PLACES

HIT THE ROAD The end of summer is closing in, but it seems like there are more great events to attend than ever! Vintage races, cruises, and shows are happening every weekend — it’s a great time to be a rodder. If you’d like to recommend an event to our readers, let us know about it. Drop us a line at: tryden@xcelerationmedia.com

Hot Rod Hill Climb This will be the 4th running of the Hill Climb since it’s rebirth to celebrate similar runs that took place 60 years ago. The event takes place at a new location, Central City, and is open to early ’50s and older, era-correct styled hot rods. Sept 16–18 Central City, Colorado

hotrodhillclimb.com

Somernites Cruise The monthly series continues in the historic town of Somerset, Kentucky, where more than 1,000 rods take over the downtown area on the fourth Saturday of each month.

somernitescruise.com Aug 27 Feature Corral: Mustangs Sept 24 Holley Power Fest (we’ll be there!) Oct 22 Feature Area: Tri-Five Chevys

Brake-Fest The braking experts at Master Power Brakes are hosting a one-day show at their facility in Mooresville, North Carolina. The event is open to all years, makes, and models, with all proceeds going to local charities. Oct 1 Mooresville, North Carolina

brakefest.com

Woodward Dream Cruise The official date is Saturday, August 20, but there will be hordes of cruisers all week long leading up to the official day. Motor up and down the historic muscle car testing grounds.

woodwarddreamcruise.com

Aug 20 Detroit, Michigan

Street Machine Nationals This is the final event of the four SMN summer series shows, so make it out and get your blower, chrome, and tubbed fix before the long winter months set in.

streetmachinenationals.net

Sept 24–25 Springfield, Missouri

Frog Follies

The Race of Gentleman

Thousands of street rods, and this time we mean ’48 and older vehicles only, roll into the Vanderburgh 4-H Center for three days of rodding fun.

Join in with the automotive/industrial history loving TROG crew for their first west coast event. Non stop racing action (depending on the tide) along with vintage choppers and a show area for pre ’52 cars and trucks.

Aug 26–28 Evansville, Indiana

frogfollies.org

Shades of the Past Shades has also been going strong for over three decades, with no signs of slowing down. Open to ’72 and older vehicles, the show takes place at Dollywood’s Splash Country, so bring the whole family.

shadesofthepast.com Sept 9–11 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge Rod Run

rodrun-pigeonforge.com Sept 15–17 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Head over to StreetRodLife.com and check out the Events tab for coverage, pics, and more.

theraceofgentleman.com Oct 15–16 Pismo Beach, California

Delta River Cruisin’

memphisstreetrods.com/ delta-river-cruisin-2016/

Sept 23–25 Tunica, Mississippi

Cruisin’ the Coast 20th Anniversary Cruise the Mississippi Gulf Coast with over 7,500 other rodders to celebrate the 20th running of this outstanding event. Drive into a number of beach towns, each with a special parking area and mini-festival for cruisers. Oct 2–9 Mississippi Gulf Coast

cruisinthecoast.com

STREETRODLIFE.COM

BEHIND

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Richard likes testing with turbos and blowers and there is always a need for tubing and couplers.

As you can see, Richard Holdener is a hardcore tech guy (see his column about engine dynos on page 14). With experience behind the wheel of road racing Mustangs or setting records at Bonneville (with a record of 225 mph in a 2.0L turbo Civic), it’s clear that he enjoys technology, tinkering, and tuning for the best performance combination. With more than 25 years of conducting and reporting on back-to-back dyno comparisons, Richard has pretty much seen it all. You can see many of his dyno exploits on our Xceleration Media You Tube channel and in many magazine articles and books. This is just a glimpse into his “garage” ... er, storage room.

This is an LS3 block fit with a 4.8L crank to make a short stroke, big bore Gen III – they ran it up to 8,000 rpm with a hydraulic roller cam! Cool combination.

A carbureted 4.8L.

After a successful nitrous test, this LS2 is in line to get freshened up for more testing.

STREET ROD LIFE Vol. 2, No. 3

This Nissan RB25 inline 6-cylinder (never offered in the States) will soon be going through a battery of dyno tests.

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