Hot Rod 2009-12

www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.
com
HOT ROD DECEMBER 2009 3
HOTROD.COM
FEATURE STORIES
36 BONNEVILLE 09
What happened at the 61st running of the fastest show on wheels.
Plus, we explain how Bonneville racing works and what all those
funky class designation letters mean.
48FORD VS. GM VS. MOPAR
After a 40-year absence, The HOT ROD Magazine Drags returns to
promote late-model muscle.
HOT RODS
>The Poteet & Main Speed Demon on the Salt,
ready for 401 mph. See pg. 36.
COVER STORY
60STREET MACHINES!
The late 70s and early 80s are hip again, especially as they apply
to street machine styling. Here are examples of the era done right.
C
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26WILD 27 BUICK ROD
28CHOPPED RIVIERA
29THE DEPOT HACK
306.1L HEMI KUDA
ON THE COVER
After stylist Hol-
lie Williamson
and makeup
artist Jes-
sica deBen were
done with model
Nikki Gray,
photographer
Robert Kerian
captured her
with the Crusher
Camaro. Inset:
Wes Allison
www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com
C
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TECH

HOTROD.COM
4 DECEMBER 2009 HOT ROD
> The Race Rod nearing the end of a five-day buildup.
See pg. 84.
68RETURN OF THE
CRUSHER CAMARO
Revamping our famous project car from the mid-90s with a
gnarly late-70s/early-80s vibe. Groovy.
78MORE 10
CAMARO BOLT-ONS
Revisiting the HOT ROD Test Car Camaro with ported heads, a big-
ger cam, and long-tube headers.
84 BUILDING

THE RACE ROD
The story of how roughly 20 people attacked a Factory Five Rac-
ing 33 Ford kit and built the entire thing in five days. Really.
92 SELF-TUNING FUEL
INJECTION
We test the new EZ-EFI from FAST.
8 STARTING LINE
Street machine styling hits and misses.
10 HOLESHOT
The in your face story of Bonneville 08.
12 RODDIN AT RANDOM
Could the Firebird return? Heres evidence of maybe.
20 WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Phil Cools roadster and the original HOT ROD Magazine Drags.
104 TEST AND TUNE
Sweet new parts you need to buy to keep the
hot rodding economy going.
110 PIT STOP
A distributor that looks like a magneto.
120 WORLD OF HOT ROD
Cool new retro-styled drag signs and more.
122 COMING NEXT
Hot Rod Drag Week.
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HOTROD@HOTROD.COM
EDITORIAL
Editor-In-Chief David Freiburger
Editor Rob Kinnan
Managing Editor Kristen Prescott
Senior Technical Editor Marlan Davis
Copy Editor Michelle McCarthy
HOTROD.com Editor Glen Wilkinson
ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN
Art Director Edwin Alpanian
Photo Editor Taylor Le
Director of Photography Randy Lorentzen
CONTRIBUTORS
Detroit Editor Bill McGuire
Correspondent Christopher Campbell

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This months cover theme is about the style
of street machines in their heyday, which
was the late 70s and early 80s. Checking
out all the images for this story threw me
into a time machine and transported me
back to when the world didnt seem so
complicated and I spent hours every day
poring through car mags.
It was ironic that Freiburger picked the
time period between 1978 and 1982 to
illustrate the story, since thats exactly the
time frame when I got hooked. I first really
started reading car magazines in 1978in
eighth grade study hall. I remember drool-
ing over some of the very same cars he
pulled photos of and dreaming of one day
building my own. My automotive education
came from those magazines, and my early
styling sensibilities, good and bad, came
from that era.
Looking back at old photos reminds me
where I hit and where I missed on the street
machine fashion front, but through it all I
was convinced that my car was the coolest
in town. Everybody does, dont they? The
American Vector wheels (my Christmas
present for 1982) on an early Camaro look
pretty dated today, but back then they were
totally bitchin. I chose them for two rea-
sons. One, they were the same wheels that
were on the General Lee. Two, I saw a set
on a Camaro in one of the car mags and it
lit my fire. And I get extra bonus points for
Goodyear Eagle GTs (high school gradua-
tion present) with raised white letters.
Also really cool at the time but now a
little iffy were the Trans Am exhaust tips.
You know the ones: chrome with four tips
poking out downward from the quarter-
panels. I got a lot of comments on those. I
probably would today, too, but maybe not
the same type.
Another glaring style error was the high-
back, second-gen Camaro buckets in my
first-gen convertible. I bought them used
and torn from an ad in the paper and even-
tually had them reupholstered when a light
pole tore through the top (dont ask). They
were comfy, but now I feel like the seat-
backs shouldnt be higher than the doors
in a convertible. Offsetting the questionable
seats were my rev-limiting Mallory tach and
the pice de rsistance, the Hurst Lightning
Rods shifter. Talk about a conversation
starter; that thing got me out of three tickets
and provided all kinds of amusement,
jacking with people who were confused
by it. Hurst needs to bring this one back.
I mean it.
Under the hood were good and bad. The
good were the M/T valve covers, braided
lines (high-pressure Teflon stuff but with
hose clamps instead of real fittings), and,
of course, ACCEL wires and that big, yel-
low Super Coil. The bad were the twin
fenderwell-mounted Fram oil filters with
a relocation adapter from Super Shops
(handy tech tip: never use heater hose for
oil flowask me how I know) and stickers
everywhere. Anytime Id get a new part, it
would come with at least one sticker in the
box, and guess where those puppies went.
Yep, anywhere under the hood that theyd
stick. Once there was no more room, they
went on the underside of the trunk lid. My
favorite was the black iron cross that came
with my Schneider cam. On the styling
fence, depending on your opinion, were the
aluminum-coated Blackjack AK5000 head-
ers. Greasy fingerprints dug into that coat-
ing like an anchor, but they never flaked in
the six years I owned them.
With all the cheesy 70s style there
was some definite good, and Freiburgers
remake of the Crusher hit some of them. I
still like my M/T valve covers better than
the gold-anodized Morosos, but those are
still cool and do a better job of screaming
the decade. Satin-finish Center Line Auto
Dragsman those just instantly made
your car a second faster didnt they? And
remember when 15-inch mags were the
thing to have? They still are, sometimes.
I always thought the low-hanging Fram
filter behind the front bumper was dorky,
though. And thank God I never painted a
name on the spoiler.
Will there be a resurgence of this style, or
are we just out of our minds?
Rob Kinnan
EDITORS LETTER
EMAIL ME: HOTROD@HOTROD.com
> I want one again.
SOME CORNERS
YOU JUST DONT CUT.
These days, its tempting to try to save a buck or two. But your inner car guy knows your engine is no place to skimp. Just
look for the big yellow jug and youre always covered. Prestone 50/50 Ready-to-Use Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant
is formulated to protect any make or model car, and mixes with any color antifreeze. Its perfectly pre-mixed, so you just
pop, pour and protect.
ONLY PRESTONE IS PRESTONE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFS LETTER
EMAIL ME: HOTROD@HOTROD.COM
Spending a week at the Bonneville Salt Flats
covering the annual Speed Week for this
issue reminded me of a really good story
that went down last year during my brief
respite from employment at HOT ROD.
You would have only heard this one if you
were following the website I was working
for near its end of days.
The tale starts with me and my racing
partners, Keith and Tonya Turk, deciding
that the former HOT ROD Spl. 80 Camaro,
which youve seen in these pages many
times, would revert to its old So-Al Racing
banner and return to the Salt for Speed
Week 08. It would be the fifth straight year
we had raced as a team, and we had our
eye on records in three different classes. I
freshened the GM ZZ572 crate motor that
had been in the car in 2006 and topped it
with a Vortech supercharger so we could
improve Tonyas AA/Classic Blown Fuel
Altered record from 2007. We did that
handily, as Tonya reset the record at 246.767
mph and in the process achieved her goal
of obtaining an AA license by exceeding
250 mph during her record-qualifying
pass. Perfect.
Next, we reconfigured the car to run in
AA/Classic Gas Coupe. This class was a
first for us, since the car has traditionally
run in Altered, and the change required us
to unblock the headlights and grille and
to remove our wind tunnelproven rear
spoiler. Those omissions created a major
aerodynamic disadvantage. We also unbolt-
ed the supercharger and then put my friend
and business partner Chad Reynolds in the
car as driver. Taking advantage of the first-
ever third track the SCTA had provided in
2008, we got Chad his A license (for times
below 250 mph) in two quick days, and he
also qualified for a record with a 216-mph
run. Interestingly, he spun out on his record
return run but still went faster, backward,
than he had on the qualifying run and set
the record at 218.793 mph. We were ready
to put the blower back on and go for a third
record in yet a different class.
But then the fun began. We soon got
word that another racer in AA/CGCone
who had previously set the record at 209
mphhad protested Chads record. After
a little infighting and reflection on the
rule book, we finally agreed that the pro-
tester was correct: The rules in Gas Coupe
were slightly different than in Altered and
required the top edge of our front air dam
to be mounted about an inch lower than
it was. Rather than require the SCTA to
uphold the protest, we forfeited the record.
Nevertheless, we felt that the infraction
was not a tangible performance advantage
and that the protest was a cheesy way for
the other guy to keep a record. We spotted
some minor infractions on the car belong-
ing to the protester but decided not to retal-
iate with paperwork. Instead, we just told
the dude that his car was a lot like a race
car, only slower. Honestly, we were jerks to
the guy. We now regret that.
What we dont lament is our more
upstanding comeback. Were not the types
who back down from a challenge, so we
started hunting the pits for a replacement
rubber nose for our Camaro. The hunt led
us to the shop of racer Ed Goodrich about
140 miles away. We cannonballed to Idaho,
where Eds family let us strip the bumper
from one of his parts cars and bought us
pizza and beer. We then freight-trained
back to Wendover, Utah, near Bonneville
and ransacked the hardware store for sup-
plies to build a new air dam that was as
legal as it was hideous. Then I got in the car
and smacked the record back to 225.339
mph, which in truth was a lot like a record,
only slower. Even so, the thrash stands next
to our run of five records in a single week
(2007) on our personal gloat list.
But now its 2009, and the latest SCTA
rule book has a lot of new bold text with
our names all over it. A bunch of Camaros
showed up at Speed Week with revised air
dams, rear spoilers, and hoodscoops. Our
savior, Ed Goodrich, ran faster than he ever
had. We made amends with the protester.
And racer Bob Griffith made a moot point
of the whole story, wiping out our hard-
earned AA/Classic Gas Coupe victory with
a new record of 240.778 mph.
But we may know how to fix that.
David Freiburger
> Our Camaro in 2008 with its legal
junkyard-and-hardware-store air dam.
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LETTERS, NEWS & MORE
As we all know by now, the Pontiac division is
dead. Accordingly, GM will not be offering a Fire-
bird based on the latest-generation Camaro. That
stinks, in the opinion of Ken Lingenfelter and the
crew at Lingenfelter Performance Engineering
(LPE), so they are developing their own Poncho-
inspired variation on the new Camaro called the
LTA (Lingenfelter Trans Am, we presume). LPE
plans to display the car at SEMA in Las Vegas,
and if the response is sufficient, production ver-
sions will follow, the company says.
LPEs vision for a 21st century Firebird fea-
tures a 71 Trans Am interior/exterior theme, as
shown in the clay styling prototype pictured
here. Special front and rear fasciae, fender vents,
honeycomb wheels, a new hood with a func-
tional Shaker scoop, and unique interior pieces
perform the transformation. The most interest-
ing part: Power will be provided by a real Pontiac-
based 455ci V-8 using an aftermarket aluminum
block and heads. Will the Firebird be reborn?
Well, the car is named after the mythological bird
that perpetually rises from its own ashes.
BILL MCGUIRE
THE NEW FIREBIRD?
This is a 64-year-old great-grannys first
drag racing car: a Saturn with a stock 98
Chevy truck 350 Vortec engine with a TH350
transmission. The car weighs 3,040 pounds.
Granny Jane Hickerson-Giles runs consistent
eighth-mile times of 8.0 and reaction times
in the 0.01snot bad for her first drag rac-
ing experience. I built the car specifically
for her to race and have a combined total of
about $2,200 in the car. Its name is Junkyard
Dawg since most of its parts were purchased
from junkyards.
Bill Giles (husband of Granny)
Via email
GRANNYS FIRST DRAG CAR
HOTROD.COM
AN AMAZING FIND
AT BONNEVILLE!
>Weve flopped this photo so you
can read the name and number on
the tags. They are actually folded
with the backside facing out.
It was a shocker to us that none of the racers we
spoke to at this years Speed Week at Bonneville,
even those who had been visiting the Salt Flats
for 40-plus years, knew about a small gravesite
thats at the edge of the great dry lake. Its marked
by a white cross, now half sunk into the salt, with
only one word on it: Vanley.
The grave is stacked with airplane shrapnel,
remnants of a training crash that took a pilots life
in 1954. Even 55 years later, the area is littered
with hunks of fuselage from 1 to 6 inches long, as
well as pieces of rubber, electric motors, gauges,
and more. Visitors tend to gather the stuff from
the desert floor and stack it near the cross.
This year, racers Ken and Inez Carlson were
doing just that . . . and Inez found the pilots dog
tags. Perhaps nature has brought the stainless
steel tags to the surface in the past, but fate put
Inez in the right place and time to discover them.
The tags reveal the mans name to have been
Vanley Johnson (its unusual that its not his
surname on the cross). Online research gave us
the date of his crash and that he was from Hardin
County, Kentucky, but little else is known.
Ken is an Army reservist who just returned
from Iraq, and he is going through channels to
see if any surviving family members can be
found so the dog tags may be returned. Failing
that, do any of you have more information on
Vanley Johnson? Email us at HOTROD@hotrod
.com and we will forward it to the search party.
DAVID FREIBURGER
>Heres the seemingly forgotten
grave of a WWII and Korean War
veteran who lost his life near the
Bonneville Salt Flats in 1954.
THE HOT ROD
I was reading the Apr. 09 issue of HOT ROD about
barn finds and survivor hot rods and would like to
tell a tale of a surviving homebuilt hot rod in my
own family. My grandfather, Steve Caroleo, owned
a small shop in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, back in
the 50s, where he worked on cars and sold weld-
ers. He built a car for his first-born son, my uncle
Don. When I say built a car, I mean home-built the
car by creating his own frame and using parts
from many different cars to build a sleek two-
seater, a true one-of-a-kind hot rod. My father and
I still refer to this car as The Hot Rod.
The build began back in 1953 with a Dodge
front suspension, a Ford transverse-sprung
rearend, and a Corvette windshield that was
sectioned in the middle. All the body panels, grille,
and bumpers were hand-fabricated around the
homebuilt chassis and welded together by my
grandfather. Custom louvers were worked into
the one-off hood to reduce engine compartment
heat. The fabbed bumpers, grille, and many of
the suspension parts were sent out for chrome
plating. A custom dash and
interior with red and white
upholstery are complemented
by Studebaker gauges. Power
for The Hot Rod comes from a
48 Mercury flathead that was
rebuilt with a hot cam, two
carburetors, and a custom,
must-see air intake system
that mounts a filter on each
side of the body to receive
fresh air.
The bodywork and car
were finished in 1955 with a fire-engine-red paint
job at the same time my uncle was ready for col-
lege. He felt The Hot Rod was too nice for driving
around at college and left it in my grandfathers
garage where it still resides today. I spent a lot of
childhood years in the mid-70s with my grandfa-
ther, who took the time to teach me the fractions
of an inch, the different types of tools, and how
to use them. He even taught me how to weld.
Little did I know back then that
my grandfather was prepping a third-generation
hot rodderme. My grandfather is now 94 years
old. He still gets around pretty good but is quickly
losing his eyes and can no longer drive The Hot
Rod, but I have pictures from one of the last times
he did drive it.
Dave Caroleo
Via email
e-engine-redpaint LittledidI knowbackthenthat

RODDIN AT RANDOM
Your Oct. 09 issue has a picture of the Munster
Koach in the Where It All Began section. The
location was at fuel check at the Indy Nation-
als in 1966. The people from left to right are
Dale Schafer, Dr. Dean Hill, and Roland Schmidt
(on the headset). We all worked for the NHRA.
The man drawing fuel was R.V. Parker. I do not
remember who the two with the car were.
It was staged to promote the TV show. R.V.
Parker owned Lassiter Mountain Dragstrip in
Birmingham, Alabama,
Dr. Dean Hill started
the fuel testing for the
NHRA, and Roland
Schmidt was the
manager of a drag-
strip. I managed the
dragstrip at Albu-
querque, New Mex-
ico. The hat hanging
in the background
was one of the offi-
cial hats that was
given to workers.
I still have mine
and the shirt, too.
The station wagon
was Northwest
Division Director
Terrell Poagues
NHRA car. He ran
fuel check and
the scales at the
national events.
I started working for the NHRA with Dean Hill
at Pomona, California, in 1964. We were given
sack lunches and a carton of milk at noon at
the races. After lunch, Wally Parks would walk
down to the timeslips, fuel check, and scales,
and ask us how the lunches were.
Dale Schafer
Albuquerque, NM
Cool. Thanks for IDing those guys, Dale.
MYSTERY SOLVED
I want to thank you on behalf of my family for
having the HOT ROD Power Tour. The event was
used as a male bonding experience for my son,
Emmet, nephew, Nic, father, Walter, and myself.
My fathers health has been failing recently and
I wanted to give the old hot rodder an adventure
like none he has ever had. Also, I wanted his
grandsons to share this with him and come
away with memories for a lifetime. That mission
was accomplished. I chose to take my wifes
67 Olds Cutlass wagon and was able to rebuild
everything under it but ran out of time on the
bodywork, but that didnt affect our excitement.
The four of us will never forget the week we
spent together traveling through nine states
from West Virginia and back in an old rusty
wagon. We all became closer and have memo-
ries that no one can ever take away from us.
Plus, with the elusive Long Haul status still left
hanging out there for us [Ed note: Transmission
problems kept them from the starting point in
Madison, Wisconsin], I am sure we will be back.
Jeromy Rose
Richwood, WV
MORE POWER
TOUR MEMORIES
NOT FOR SALE
This was found in the rolling hills of North Caro-
lina. It was pulled from a building that was falling
in and being torn down. The car had been parked
in it for about 20 years, and you guessed itits
not for sale at any price.
Joseph Spurlin
Via email
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RODDIN AT RANDOM
Check out these photos taken in 1955 in Lafay-
ette, Louisiana. The flagman is my uncle, Jay
Dugas.
George Dugas II
Norman, OK
RANDOM COOL
PHOTOS
RANDOMCOOL
RODDIN AT RANDOM
IT WAS
BEAUTIFUL
I read Kinnans column about cruising (Starting
Line, Oct. 09) a couple of days after cruising Van
Nuys Boulevard. I feel like one of the lucky ones
who can actually relive some of the memories
of my youth. I grew up in Omaha during the
80s, and cruising was still a huge thing there.
Our strip was West Dodge Road, the main east/
west thoroughfare in Omaha. Dodge Road was
at least six lanes wide with a nice, big island in
the middle, and on the weekends in the summer
the strip was packed to the rafters with cruisers.
I must have run hundreds of gallons of gas out
of my hot rod cruising that street in high school
and spent many hours just hanging in one of
the many lots that lined the street, watching the
moving car show go by while bench racing with
friends. Ive even fallen asleep right there on the
hood of my car more than once.
My family moved to California in 1988, and
I heard the cruisers were banned from West
Dodge Road soon after due to escalating prob-
lems that included violence. Last week I just
stood there on Van Nuys watching the crowds
of hot rods, muscle cars, low riders, and classics
cruise by, soaking in the sights, the sounds,
and the smells. For a couple of hours, those
cruisers outnumbered the normal cars, and it
was beautiful. I truly felt as though I were right
back on West Dodge as a high school kid. I was in
gearhead heaven.
Ill be back to Van Nuys as much as I can,
as long as we have the privilege of reliving our
youth there.
Scott Liggett
Via email
WHATS
WRONG WITH
YOU PEOPLE?
I just wanted to say thanks on behalf of the
entire South Carolina Muscle Car Society
(SCMCS) for your editors letter Return of the
Cruise, in the Oct. 09 issue of HOT ROD. You
really hit the nail on the head with what we
believe is the biggest downfall of the hot rod/
muscle car scene at present. We started as an
excuse to get our muscle cars on the road in for-
mation but later turned in to a paradigm of driver
versus collector. There are other classic car clubs
in the area, but their unifying trait is a lawn chair
in the trunk next to the spare, for there is no
driving at their cruises. Its sad, but a bunch of
them are jumping ship for the chance of riding
in formation with the 35-some-odd cruisers of
the SCMCS. To the stingy collectors with the buy
sheet in the window, I ask: What the hell is wrong
with you people? Why would you buy anything
with a Six-Pack if youre only gonna use two?
Why put an Elephant under the hood if you aint
gonna take it to the circus? Seriously, whats the
point of owning so much classic torque if you
dont know the butterflies it gives you when you
drop the hammer? Its time for you overpaid
trailer queen owners to wake up and smell the
Quadrajets. Get your damned car out of the
trailer and on the road. You may not realize it, but
deep down its the reason you bought it.
Brett Cadman
President, South Carolina Muscle Car Society
www.scmcs.weebly.com
Well said, Brett.
IT NEVER FAILS
I went to a local cruise-in and a guy pulled in with
a 67 Peterbuilt semitruck. I always liked street
rods made from old pickup cabs, but they were
always too small for my 6-foot 6-inch frame.
While looking over the Peterbuilt, it occurred
to me that this cab would make a great street
rod with plenty of room. My mind was going a
hundred miles an hour. Then I picked up the Oct.
09 issue of HOT ROD and there it was in all its
glory on page 28Gizmoness, a street rod
CREDIT WHERE CREDITS DUE
Roddin at Random in the Oct. 09 issue opened with the dramatic photos of the crash of Ted
Harbits Chicken Hawk Studebaker, but we neglected to provide a photo credit. Thanks to James
Keesling for the outstanding photosand sorry we left your name off of them the first time.
made from a 56 Peterbuilt semitruck cab. It
never failsevery time I come up with an idea,
someone else gets it done. Good for you, James
Crosby, on a great job.
Paul Brewer
Portage, IN
PIOUS DRIVERS
In reading your Oct. 09 Starting Line article,
another swipe was taken at the Prius crowd. It is
because of these people that the worlds oil sup-
ply may extend a few more years. It is not our
God-given right to burn as much fuel as we can
afford because its a finite resource. The days of
running 100-plus-octane for 40 cents a gallon
in muscle cars are over. My buddy grew up at
the drags watching his dads AA/FA and drives
a Prius. Is he a dork? I recycle at home so I can
buy race gas on Sunday. When the stuffs gone,
its gone. Imagine the world without V-8s. I know
you have space to fill like 24/7 cable, but taking
potshots wont attract readers.
Dan Ayala
Vallecito, CA
Yes, your buddy is a dork.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
By David Freiburger
HOTROD.COM
THE ROD OF THE 80s
If you flip to page 60, youll see us reveling in the glories of the street machines of the late 70s and early 80s. Thing is, many of those blown
and overtired fantasies also lived in the street rod realm and not just on the muscle cars of the time. Case in point is this: one of the signature
cars of the late 70s. It was even selected as one of the 75 most influential 32 Fords on the 75th anniversary of the Deuce. Its Phil Cools road-
ster, the 1978 winner of the Americas Most Beautiful Roadster award and the star of the July 78 issue of HOT ROD. For many readers, the
screaming orange 32 set the image of a 70s hot rod with a 6-71-blown, 427ci big-block Chevy, a four-speed, and those gigantor Goodyear
slicks. This photo is an outtake from Gray Baskervilles coverage of the Grand National Roadster Show in the May 78 issue, though that
story never used the events given name. Back then, it was just the Oakland Roadster Show. And back then, Phil Cools ride ruled.
By David Freiburger
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
We could make an argument
that its more environmentally
correct to rebuild an old car
rather than buy a new one
and we intend to prove that
with our Crusher Camaro.
Thats what we wrote when
we first introduced this
67 Camaro in the Feb. 94
issue. Thats prophetic con-
sidering todays events, but
government-encouraged car
crushing was a problem in the
90s, too. Back then it was not
a handout program but a scam
wherein California oil compa-
nies could destroy old cars in
exchange for smog credits that
gave them permission to pol-
lute more from their refineries.
Our retaliation was glorious,
so bear with us as we relive it
once more. In late 1993, HOT
ROD staffers Kinnan and
Freiburger went to a Chevron
crusher-car collection day,
bought a 67 Camaro from the
second owner for $700, then
had it smogged at a Chevron
station to prove that it was not
a polluter. It passed by a wide
margin, and
the six-cylin-
der and Pow-
erglide got 26
mpg, proving
the program
bogus.
Through-
out 1995,
Kinnan led
the project
to revamp
the car with
a smog-
friendly,
420hp, 406ci
engine that
was even
tested at EPA
labs. The
black-and-
white photo
shows the car
in the process of restoration,
and the color reveals what it
looked like when it was fin-
ished the first time. It traveled
on the first Power Tour and
then was very nearly given
away in a corporate subscrip-
tion-drive sweepstakes. A law-
yer somewhere stopped
that, fearing the com-
panys giving away a
modified car.
The Crusher sat until
2003, when then-editor
Ro McGonegal had the
car reworked with an all-
aluminum 632. That engine
vanished in 2004, and the
car sat untouched until 2007,
when we installed an HT383
crate engine.
This month, on page 68, the
Crusher is reborn yet again.
This time, it has nothing to do
with saving the Earth.
THE CRUSHER CAMARO
ByDavidFreiburger
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
THE HOT ROD DRAGS
This months issue includes
coverage of the HOT ROD
Magazine Drags, which is
probably the first use of that
name in 40 years. Today, the
revamped HRM Drags is a
late-model shootout held in
conjunction with the NMCA.
From 1964 through 1969, the
HRM Championship Drags
was an official NHRA points
meet held on the then-new
dragstrip at Riverside Inter-
national Raceway and said to
carry the richest prize pack-
age in drag racing. The first
event awarded items such as
a new Mustang and a pair of
new 426 Hemis, and the total
prize package was said to be
worth $37,000. Here, weve
presented two outtakes from
the original HRM Drags:
an artsy backlit shot of the
Super Nova from 1967 and a
glimpse of the iconic starting
line banner from the final
event in 1969. Coincidentally,
we were clearing out our
hovel and found the original
water transfer from the 1964
race. Have you ever seen an
original one on a car that
raced that year?
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Welcome to the Hot Rods section of the mag, where all the
car features live. Know of a great ride that should be here?
Got killer photos of cars in action along with details about them?
Tip us off: email HOTROD@hotrod.com or mail to HOT ROD Hot Rods,
6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048.
HOT RODS
> No, Bob didnt crinkle-coat the interior, so stop asking him. Its ABS
plastic with the bumpy side up. The Mexican blankets are fitted to
Jeep Cherokee seats. The steering wheel is from the original 27 Buick.
Bob Spilos
27 Buick Hot Rod
By Henry Platts
Photography: Wes Allison
T
his one all started when Bob Spilos
purchased a 27 Buick Opera coupe
as a 75 percentcompleted restora-
tion. He was hoping to flip the car
for a buck or two, but it ended up in
his possession for three years because no one
wanted it, so he cut it up and made this wild
hot rod. Bob built the entire car in a year,
with only the radiator being outsourced. A
64 Buick Electra donor car gave up its 425
nailhead, TH400 transmission (with a
switch-pitch converter), and gauge cluster.
Bob chopped the top 8 inches and filled it
with a mid-80s van top turned backward,
channeled the body 8 inches over the 8-inch-
thick frame, and Zd the frame 18 inches in
the rear. To get the car to sit even lower, a
7-inch dropped Ford front axle with tradi-
tional 40 Ford spindles makes up the front-
end. Those dimensions sound crazy for a
reason; with a 130-inch wheelbase and at 7
feet wide in the rear, the car is huge. After the
bodywork was complete, Bob hosed it with
SEM Hot Rod Black.
> Buick lovers, dig the triple Rochester 2G carbs sitting
high on a Bob-built custom intake.
> The massive amounts of chop and drop make the stance low and evil. Those Aero wheels
and wide Mickey Thompson Sportsman I rubber up front make a cool statement.
Improving a Factory Custom Car
By Henry Platts
Photography: Wes Allison
SINISTER
HOT RODS
T
he 65 Buick Riviera has long been considered a factory cus-
tom, thus leaving little room for a hot rodders or customiz-
ers touch. But Michael Haug of Custom Fabrication by
Michael in Hebron, Illinois, has proven that with lots of
ingenuity and a mix of factory and aftermarket parts, there is
indeed room for improvement. Wisely, Michael started with a com-
plete, rust-free, running California car as the basis for his creation. A
donor car was also located to supply the 425-inch nailhead, power
windows, and other nickel-and-dime parts. The engine and its dual-
quad intake sat too high for the stock hood so Michael formed a
functional cowl-induction hood from two Riviera front fenders. The
daunting task of a 3-inch top chop was also performed, creating a
host of unforeseen problems. The windshield alone took eight hours
to cut, and extensive pie cuts were required to retain the factory rear
window. The vent windows were also eliminated, and power win-
dows were installed, necessitating hidden modifications. To get the
car even lower, airbags were installed, and the one-piece exhaust sys-
tem is run through the chassis along with all the lines for the airbags.
All that work created one mean-looking Riv.
TOP TO BOTTOM: > The donor car provided the 425ci nailhead. The
motor has a little more cam but remains essentially stock save for a
little porting and polishing. Dual 550 Holleys on the Offy intake give
the nailhead all it can handle, and the finned Moon valve covers and air
cleaner give it a classic feel.
> Michael worked hard to make the 65 console work with all the 09
upgrades.
> Michael agonized over tucking everything tightly under the car so
nothing hung down. The 20-inch Eagle rims also fit very well. The billet
grille could almost be stock.
Check out the antique boat-style instruments, copper electrical
conduit, and turnbuckles bracing the steering column. The electrical
panel resides in what appears to be a Model T timer box.
> Three teapot SU carbs are bolted to a Jaguar
Mk X manifold. The velocity stacks are cut-down
brass goblets from India.
>Todd fashioned the exhaust system and engine dress to evoke
vintage aircraft and marine gear.
Dare To Be Differentiated
By Bill McGuire
Photography: Bill McGuire
N
ow this one stands apart from the herd. Before there
were station wagons, there were depot hacks. Wooden
bodied and based on passenger-car and light truck
chassis, they were designed to haul luggage and light
freight to and from rail stations. Todd Fees (Livonia,
Michigan) scratch-built rod is his personal homage to the 22 Ford
Depot Hack, employing his own delightfully twisted vision.
The woody bodywork was crafted in white oak by Todd and his
stepdad, while the powertrain was lifted from a Jaguar XJ6. Decid-
ing that the twin-cam six and cast-aluminum fan were too pretty to
hide behind a grille shell, Todd stashed the radiator under the bed
aft of the rear axle, where it cools just fine, he reports. The rest of the
package pretty much thwarts concise description, though we can
see elements of Steampunk art, retro sci-fi, British sports cars, and
antique marine stuff. Todd went his own sweet way with his rod
and it works.
>
KUDA K
W
I
T
H

A
> Heres Keislers latest
company calling card, a
71 Cuda built to beat on.
HOT RODS
A Rolling Road Show of Manufacturers
Cooperative EffortThats How Shafi Keisler
Describes His Latest Muscle Car Project.
By Rob Kinnan
Photography: Wes Allison and Keisler Engineering
OUR ORIGINAL SHAKER HOOD HAD INNER ROT
THAT MADE IT SOUND LIKE A MARACA WHEN WE
MOVED IT. SHAFI KEISLER
A
large part of aftermarket manufac-
turers marketing agendas is
attending events such as the HOT
ROD Power Tour, select races,
and car shows to put a face to their
company for the masses. Often, they will
bring along a vehicle that shows their parts in
use to give potential customers a better idea
of how they work. The 71 Cuda you see here
is the latest project from Keisler Engineering,
makers of transmission swap kits, primarily,
and the project began as a search for a hood.
Company owner Shafi Keisler was restor-
ing a 71 Cuda 383 car back in 1994 and
needed a Shaker hood. He found one in the
classifieds and went to get it, but the seller
threw a curveball into the deal. He knew how
badly Shafi needed the hood, so he would
only sell it if Shafi also bought the fender gills
and grille, plus a 71 Barracuda parts car.
Shafi bit and hauled the hulk and parts home.
It turns out the initially unwanted parts car
was unique: It had Hemi Orange paint,
bucket seats with orange houndstooth uphol-
stery, air conditioning, tint, power steering,
and power brakes. It also had a frozen 440.
Taking inventory of his spare parts, Shafi fig-
ured he could fix it up and sell it to recoup his
overspending for the hood. After six months
of thrashing, the car was done and he
unloaded it for six grand, only to (wait for it .
. . ) regret that decision years later. In 2001, he
tracked down the guy he sold it to and
bought it back. Then it sat for four years until
after Keislers Maximum Overdrive 65 Cor-
vette had fulfilled its duty as the company
showpiece. And so began work on the Maxi-
mum Overdrive Kuda.
Keisler Engineering had shown prototypes
of its new A-41 automatic transmission for a
few years, and MOK was the perfect vehicle
to show it in action. Doubling the excite-
ment, that was the same year (2005) Mopar
came out with the 6.1L Hemi for the SRT8
versions of the Magnum, Charger, and 300C.
Keisler bought one of the engines for the 71
but then quickly learned that there was no
aftermarket support in the way of controllers,
and Mopars German owners were not about
to help. The car had already been stripped
and body and interior work was under way,
but Shafi really wanted that 6.1 in it, so the
project was mothballed for a few years until
the aftermarket caught up.
It did, and by February 2008 the project
was back in full swing, with John and Pat
Macioce of Empire Mopars in New Windsor,
New York, taking charge. They didnt
approve of the previous bodywork, so nearly
the entire rear half of the cars sheetmetal was
replaced with new parts from Auto Metal
Direct (AMD). AMD also provided a new
Shaker hood when the original was found to
be rusty. After welding seams, adding SV
Motorsports subframe connectors, and prep-
ping the body, Empire laid down the House
of Kolor Tangelo Pearlescent Orange paint to
the top and bottom of the car.
By this time, FAST had come out with a
controller for the 16-plug Hemi, so that part
of the project could finally be realized. Mylon
Keasler of Keasler Racing (Marysville, Ten-
nessee) went through the engine and reas-
sembled it with Ferrea valves and titanium
retainers and ported the heads. The stock
intake was not about to adapt to the Shaker
hood, so instead an XV Motorsports single-
plane intake and a FAST low-profile throttle
body take care of the induction. The dyno
showed 498 hp and 465 lb-ft, which is
>The highlight of the car, from
Keislers perspective, is the new, trick
A-41 automatic transmission and
adapter bellhousing.
KUDA WITH A K
> TTI headers were used on the 6.1L Hemi.
>It took a few years to make it work, but the 6.1L Hemi looks at home in the 71.
>This dual-mode toggle switch controls
two calibrations for the transmission:
cruise mode for easy shifts at light throttle
and high-performance mode with higher
shift points and line pressure for tire-
barking shifts at full-throttle. Both calibra-
tions are progressive, meaning the more
youre on the gas, the higher the shift
points, the firmer the shift, and the higher
the speed for converter lockup.
>The wheels are Factory Reproductions Viper
style, 20x9s in the front and 20x10s in the
rear, with Nitto INVO 255/35R20s front and
Toyo Proxes 295/30R20 rear.
> The Pistol Grip Shifter came from Restora-
tions by Rick. With it in OD, shifting control is
done via the paddle shifter.
>>
EMPIRE WORKED DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TIME
TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME DUE TO MY
MISTAKES OF YEARS PAST. SHAFI KEISLER
KUDA WITH A K
respectable, but the real focus of this project
is the transmission.
Keislers A-41 automatic is based on a
reworked Hydramatic 4L65E, which uses a
removable bellhousing. Keisler cast bellhous-
ings to mate the trans to big and small
Mopars, Gen II and III Mopar Hemis, and all
versions of the small- and big-block Chevy,
including Vortec and LS styles (BOP applica-
tions are pending). The trick part of this
trans is it features engine braking and paddle
shifting, which Shafi loves to show off.
Shafi wanted the car to play the Pro Tour-
ing part and do everything well, so XV
Motorsports got the nod to supply the sus-
pension parts. XVs lower-cost Level 1 system
has higher-rate torsion bars, lower-rate rear
leaf springs, a big 1
1
8-inch front sway bar, and
monotube shocks. A Firm Feel rear sway bar,
1-inch-lowered rear spring mounts, and
heavy-duty strut and tie rods were also used,
while the K-member and control arms are
stock. The brakes are XVs kit with 13-inch
front rotors and 12-inchers in the back with
PBR calipers.
Shafi wasnt a real fan of the quality of Bar-
racuda and Challenger interiors, particularly
the weak electrical systems, so he set out to
modernize it without losing the original feel.
Redline Gaugeworks redid the dash with an
SRT8-ish look that used Auto Meter gauges
with Redline-printed silver faces. Its all set off
with BEA Parts woodgrain, metal-trimmed
bezels. Just Dashes restored most of the inte-
rior panels, adding a thin layer of foam under
the new skin and creating a neat, soft-touch
feel. Legendary Auto Interiors rebuilt the seat
frames and reupholstered them in black
leather and an original black and orange
houndstooth material. Other interior details
include a trick headliner from Millsaps
Upholstery (Maryville, Tennessee), custom
dome lights and an autodimming rearview
mirror, XV seatbelts, Vintage Air A/C, and
Electric-Life power windows.
Its now done and has already completed
its first Power Tour with good results. If
youre going to any of the major shows that
Keisler displays at, you will no doubt see the
Maximum Overdrive Kuda.
> The interior looks the part of a 71 Cuda, but every part in here has been touched in some way.
The steering wheelmounted paddles control up/downshifting, but the trans computer will still
shift the trans if the driver forgets. However, holding both of the paddles simultaneously toggles
between auto and manual mode. In manual mode, you get to shift for yourself without the com-
puter intruding.
> On Keasler Racings dyno, the mostly stock motor made 498 hp and 465 lb-ft.
> Ronnie from Millsaps Upholstery built trunk
panels from ABS plastic to keep luggage and
other junk from bashing the fenders from the
inside out.
>John Macioce at Empire Mopars modified
the original 383 Shaker hood baseplate to
mate to the FAST throttle body at the proper
angle.
> The A-41 transmission is a no-cutting-
required bolt-in. The one in this car is the Stage
2 unit rated to handle 550 hp and 550 lb-ft.
TTI adjusted the headers to compensate for
the wider (than a 727) transmission, and the
mufflers are Accurate Ltd.s repro AAR Cuda
mufflers and side-exit pipes. The rearend is
a Moser MO875 with a fabricated housing.
Moser actually supplied two rears for the
car, one with 3.55 gears for all-around use
and another with 3.91s for the track. Both
use Detroit TrueTrac differentials, and Moser
prepped them with a single-channel ABS sen-
sor and reluctor gear so Keisler can develop
antilock brakes sometime down the road.
> Notice the shaved door handles and
killer stance, thanks to the XV suspension
parts. This is a driver, too, as Shafi says,
In the 4,000 miles since the Power
Tour, weve beaten the crap out of
the exhaust tips, with the left side
being about two-thirds of its origi-
nal diameter. StanleyArt.com
made the 3M reflective stripe
to incoporate the 70 Cuda
hockey stick and AAR strobe
stripe.
>
MY GOAL WITH THE CAR WAS TO USE ONLY
BOLT-ON PARTS THAT ANYONE CAN BUY.
THERES NO CUSTOM FABRICATION.
SHAFI KEISLER
Velocity Is Distance Over Tim
e.
Bonneville Speed W
eek Is Velocity Over History.
By David Freiburger Photography: David Freiburger
> The Cohn & Jucewic Monza is an
amazing car, since it destroys virtually
every record it aims for and its built
in an open driveway. This year, the
team came loaded with a CFE-headed,
sheetmetal-tunnel-rammed, 750hp
D motor, which is huge power for less
than 300 ci. Driver Bob Jucewic beat the
D/Classic Production record by 20 mph,
pushing it to 221.064. With the addition
of a front air dam, the car picked up 13
mph and set the D/Classic Gas Altered
record at 234.316 mph.
B
y any measure, Bonneville is booming. Since just 2005, race entries are
up by 26 percent, with 504 cars and motorcycles hitting the Salt Flats for
the 61st running of Speed Week in 2009. Last year, for the first time ever,
the diligent volunteers for the Southern California Timing Association
and Bonneville Nationals set up three complete tracks on the Salt, lead-
ing to 2,488 timed runs. For 2009, the whopping 3,108 timed runs are an all-time
record. Officials commented on the staggering number of rookies.
But its not just the participant count thats swellingits also the spectator traffic.
Any long-timer at this years Speed Week can tell you that, by eyeball alone, there
were more oglers than ever, with the line of RVs and hot rods stretching the full 3
miles from the pits to the starting line. For the first time ever, there was gridlock
on the way off the Salt on the first Saturday of the event, and the retrorod evening
jam at the Nugget Casino (ne Stateline) in nearby Wendover, Nevada, was well
beyond the point of befuddling the security guards.
With all these newbies at the Mecca of hot rodding, we heard and overheard
more questions than ever about how land speed racing at the Bonneville Salt
Flats works. Here are some answers.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE
IN THE THREE TRACKS?
In recent history, there have been two tracks at Speed Week, the Long Course
and the Short Course. In 2008, a Special Course was introduced, and excellent
salt conditions allowed that third track to be run this year as well. The Special
Course is nothing more than a second Short Course.
The Long Course is a total of 8 miles; the fifth is the last timed mile and the
rest is for rundown. The Short Course and Special Course are 5 miles each,
and only the second and third miles are timed.
The Long Course is for faster vehicles; to qualify to run there, a car must
first run 175 mph in 2
1
4 miles on one of the shorter tracks. Any car is allowed
to run on the short courses, and records may be set on any of the three tracks.
HOW ARE RUNS TIMED?
On the Long Course, a racer is given five different mph numbers. The first is
referred to as the quarter and is based on average mph over a 1,320-foot
timing trap that starts at the 2-mile marker. Next, a timeslip provides aver-
age mph numbers over three flying miles: the 2 to the 3, the 3 to 4, and the 4
to 5. Official timeslips refer to these as Mile 3, Mile 4, and Mile 5, though
the handwritten notes you might get from volunteers after your run may
say Mile 1, 2, and 3. The announcers and racers will often refer to the 3 to 4
as the middle mile. The final timing number is called exit speed, or termi-
nal speed, and is measured over a 132-foot trap at the end of the fifth mile.
On the Short and Special Courses, the 2
1
4 and exit speeds are also pro-
vided, but there are only two flying-mile times.
> The gorgeous Ferguson Racing streamliner has been on a roll, currently holding five XXF (Ardun Ford) records set in 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
This year, with a fresh paint job, Don Ferguson Jr. put the first dent in the car by hitting a timing light, but he set an XXF/Blown Fuel Streamliner record of
300.462 in the process, earning entry into the 300 Chapter of the 200 MPH Club.
HOW IS A
RECORD
SET?
All Bonneville records
are based on flying-mile
times; the 2
1
4 time and
the exit speed are not
officially valid.
To qualify for a
record, a racer must
exceed the current
record by at least 0.001
mph. If that is accom-
plished, the car goes to
Impound, where it is
retained overnight and
where officials certify
compliance with class
rules. The next morn-
ing, all the cars that
qualified for a record
are paraded to the start-
ing line for record
return runs. The return-
run mph is averaged
with the qualifying run,
and if the result is at
least 0.001 mph faster
than the old record,
then a new record has
been established, pro-
vided that the car passes
another tech inspection
I saw the 3-mile
marker coming up, and
I knew if I hit it, I would
at least get a time.
Alan Fogliadini
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> Tom Littich of Bavaria bought this
P-47 drop tank in America, built it in
Germany with a 331 Hemi and no
parts newer than 1955, then shipped
it back here for Speed Week. It did not
meet safety rules, and the team added
many new rollcage bars right there on
the Salt. Tom made five runs, the best
of which was 180.119, then sent it to
the Pomona Swap Meet and tried to
sell it for $44,000.
>The BMR roadster, featured in our July 09 issue, ran an incredible quarter time of
259.796 mph on an aborted run, then killed 24 mph off that on the next days run. But it still
put down an unreal 291.113 in the middle mile, to the screams of everyone on the start-
ing line. This would have ruined the old C/Fuel Roadster record of 257.274 mph, but on the
record return run, driver Alan Fogliadini spun seven or eight times at a terrifying 281 mph.
The car stayed rubber down. If handling problems are solved, it will be unstoppable.
>Current SCTA President Roy
Creel is too busy to race at
Speed Week, but he worked
with Eric Nelson to put a neat,
custom-headed Vintage 4
Flathead mill in a Fuel Modi-
fied Roadster and set a new
record at 132.645 mph.
>The Kowalski Customs roadster wore this
very cool tribute to the fuel-burning roadsters
that thundered before.

immediately after the
return run; it is then
that engine displace-
ment is verified.
A record can be set
over any flying mile; in
other words, a car is not
required to run the full
length of the track if it is
capable of qualifying for
a record in the first or
second timed mile on
the Long Course. How-
ever, only the fastest
mph on a timeslip will
be considered; if a racer
runs his highest speed
at the fifth mile, he can-
not opt to use the slower
4-mile or 3-mile time
for his record.
All record-return run
times must be made
over the same real estate
as the qualifying run.
That means if the quali-
fying time was set at the
fourth mile, then the
return-run time for the
establishment of
records is also at the
fourth mile. In that
instance, even if the car
runs to the fifth mile on
a return run, the 5-mile
time is ignored. Fur-
thermore, any mph
number from a record-
return run may not be
used to qualify for
another record.
HOW
DO THE
CLASSES
WORK?
Most race classes at
Bonneville are broken
down by five criteria:
body category, aerody-
namic modifications to
the body, engine size,
supercharged or not,
and fuel or gas.
The categories are
Special Construction
(Streamliners with
closed wheels and
Lakesters with open
wheels, neither of which
may be based on any
production car),
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I know Chauvin is watching us. Rich Roberts
>Chauvin Emmons was a legendary Bonneville racer known for beautiful and very fast roadstersand all the
nitro. A few weeks before Bonneville, he broke his leg working on this car and ultimately died of resulting complica-
tions. In tribute, his son Chauvin Mac Emmons drove the car this year for the first time and entered the Bonneville
200 MPH Club with a C/Blown Fuel Modified Roadster record of 280.012 mph. On his return run, he went a mam-
moth 302.934 mph in the middle mile. Thats how Bonneville families do it.
>The tragedy of Speed Week 09 was the loss of driver Barry Bryant during a terrible 200-plus-mph rollover of the
ubiquitous Tom Thumb Special Competition Coupe. Barry was well known in the land speed community, along with
his father, Tom Bryant, and will leave behind a hollow spot.
Barry was taken home too soon . . . he was prepared . . .
anyone who is not should think seriously on this.
Tom Bryant
> Gary Spencer in his 540-powered 71 Camaro can lay claim to being
the first guy to take a record away from the HOT ROD Magazine Spl.
Camaro. Our old AA/Classic Fuel Altered number was 252.481 mph; his
new one is 256.233.
Photo: Dan Kaplan
V=D
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Vintage (23 to 38 road-
sters, 48-and-earlier
coupes with vintage
engines, 48-and-earlier
oval-track cars), Classic
(28 to 81 American
cars without EFI), Mod-
ified (with classes for
virtually any year and
make of car, including
sports cars and pick-
ups), Production
(including stock-bodied
28-to-current passen-
ger cars, sports cars, and
trucks), and Diesel
Truck.
Within the Vintage,
Classic, and Modified
categories, there are
multiple classes divided
by aero modifications.
In Vintage, a Street
Roadster is nearest to
stock (it has rear fenders
and front headlights), a
Roadster is fenderless,
and a Modified Road-
ster or Rear Engine
Modified Roadster has
a stretched wheelbase
and aero mods forward
of the cowl. In Modi-
fied, the lowest level of
aero upgrades is Gas
Coupe, which allows a
front air dam. Next is
Altered, where spoilers
and covered grilles and
headlights are legal. The
next step up in the
Modified category is the
Competition Coupe
class, which allows
chopped tops and
stretched, aerodynamic
noses and bellypans.
The Modified Sports
and Modified Pick-
up classes likewise
allow more aero mods
than the respective
Production-class ver-
sions of the same vehi-
cles. In the Production
category, cars must be
aerodynamically stock.
Next, each class
within these categories
allows a certain number
of engine variations.
Displacements range
from AA, which is 500
ci and up, to K, which is
>The guy who took the C/Gas Modified Sports
record from Mike Cook was Bob Johnson with
his Keith Dortonbuilt SB2.2 358ci mill in the
Cadillac XXXLR. It wasnt without a fight, as Bob
thrashed on this car all week, spinning at least
twice and even taking a penalty day, before
finally securing 200 Club membership with a
247.070-mph record.
>Kirk Manuel from Fort Worth, Texas, owns the big Dodge truck that driver Greg Hogue has run several times at our
Drag Week event. Kirk drove it to a new D/Diesel Truck record of 191.992 mph in the same trim used to run 163 at
Maxton and 161 at the Texas Mile. Two Gear Vendors units were used at Bonneville. With this setup, the truck will run
high 10s at the dragstrip.
> Gary Hart brought his AA/Blown Gas Altered
Stude powered by a 515ci Merlin big-block
with two modified turbos from a Ford Pow-
erstroke for 1,050 hp. The car qualified for a
record with a 248.427-mph run but lost oil
pressure. A mad thrash in Impound seemed
to determine that the distributor was not
fully engaged with the oil pump shaft. It
was repaired, but then a turbo expired on
the record return run. It turned out that
the oil pan was dented, not allowing pick-
up clearance.
>Mike Cook scored the C/Gas Modified Sports record at
245.135 mph with a Jesel Dodge 9.0:1 motor. He lost
it later in the event, but attempted to get it back with a
higher-compression Jesel mill robbed from a
roadster that Jimmy Shine had spun
earlier in the week. That engine
expired on Mikes next
record attempt.
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V=D
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30.99 ci and under. An
engine with any kind of
supercharger or turbo
falls into the Blown
classes. The Gas desig-
nation is for cars operat-
ing on the certified ERC
brand gasolines pro-
vided at the event. Fuel
classes are open to any
noncertified fuel,
including gasoline,
alcohol, nitromethane,
or nitrous oxide.
Every entry is
required to carry a class
designation on its side,
and this leads to a con-
fusing alphabet soup for
first-timers. Generally,
engine displacement
comes first, followed by
a slash, then a code that
describes the induction
type, fuel, and body
class. For example, a
AA/BGS is a Blown Gas
Streamliner with an
engine above 500 ci. A
C/BFRMR is a Blown
Fuel Rear-engine Modi-
fied Roadster with a C
engine, from 306 to
372.99 ci. A D/CGC is a
Classic Gas Coupe with
a D engine from 261 to
305.99 ci. And a V4F/
BVFCC is a Blown Vin-
tage Fuel Competition
Coupe with a Vintage
four-cylinder Flathead
engine. Get it?
WHAT NEXT?
That basic primer on
how Bonneville racing
works might help you
bench race, but you
need to read a rule book
and get there in person
to understand it com-
pletely. Only then will
you be fully engulfed in
a hot rodding history
since 1949 and a world
unlike any other. Its
called Salt Fever. Catch
it, and youll be back.
To get a rule book
and stay in tune with
news and results, go to
the SCTA/BNI website,
www.scta-bni.org.
>Ed Good-
rich is the racer
described in this
months Holeshot
column, the one who lent
us Camaro parts last year.
He has worked on his car since
2008, lowering it and adding a
front air dam. He ran his best lap ever
at 219.660 mph but is still frustratingly
far from the 237.280-mph record.
>The most impressive run was in Wayne
Jesels huge Dodge crew cab truck: Jimmy Bar-
ton drove it to an unreal 262.118-mph record
in D/Blown Modified Pickup. Thats unheard of
for a fullsize truck, but get this: Its just 293
ci. Waynes brother Dan, of Jesel Valvetrain
Innovation, also got in the 200 Club in it, as did
Dale Cherry and Robert Hustler after the team
swapped to an unblown B engine.
>Andy Green, a fighter pilot in the Royal
Air Force, is the fastest man on Earth, hav-
ing been the first to break the sound bar-
rier on land with a run of 763.035 mph in
a car called ThrustSSC. His wife, Emma, an
eye specialist, had never raced until John
and Tyler Hanson loaned her their 243hp,
167-mph Civic for licensing passes. From
left to right are Mike Cook, Emma Green,
Ken Carlson, starter Bill Taylor, Andy
Green, JoAnn Carlson, and Inez Carlson.
>Wayne and Lonnie Whytock have run this 65 Olds Cutlass at
Bonneville since 1992. It was a parts chaser with 196,000 miles
on it when the engine blew, so they put in a stock 455 and ran the
Silver State open road race a few times, once averaging 142 mph
for 90 miles. It has also run 201 mph at Bonneville on nitrous. These
days, it has a blower atop another 455, Enderle injection, a Tremec
five-speed, and a 3.50-geared Ford 9-inch rear. It owns the A/Classic
Blown Gas Coupe record at 203.522 but this year ran low 190s until
an engine fire stopped the progress.
V=D
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It aint worth it if you dont earn it. George Poteet
THE TOP TIME TROPHY
Every year that Speed Week has been contested since 1949,
HOT ROD magazine has issued the Top Time Trophy, the award for
the single fastest pass of the meet, regardless of if the pass is a
record or not. To many, this is the ultimate prize for Speed Week.
In 2009, we saw the first hard-core race for the trophy in many
years, as three cars in attendance had the potential.
On the very first pass of the week Saturday morning, the
Poteet & Main Speed Demon set the standard at 369.462, then
369.814 on Sunday. The same day, the Spirit of Rett showed a
real threat at 366.689 and on Monday morning ran 369.584, just
0.230 slower than Poteet & Main. The race was on.
Spirit of Rett ran again Tuesday but did not improve. Mean-
while, Poteet & Main got serious with a 387.453, but then on
Wednesday, Nish ran 371.281, then 385.262just 2.191
behind. The Nish Royal Purple car had what it took to go faster,
minus one connecting rod. It had been a very close run, with the
720ci naturally aspirated Nish car running neck and neck with
the 299ci turbo car.
Then on Thursday, Poteet & Main decided to run again, even
though it appeared that the team had the Top Time locked up,
because they wanted a 400-mph number engraved on that tro-
phy. It was a heroic effort, with a flying-mile time of 394.346 mph.
The exit speed was 401.285 mph, but exit speed, while interest-
ing, has no merit in this game. The final number was the Poteet &
Main 394.346.
On the way to that number, the Poteet & Main team fragged
five quick-change rearends, as the pinion shafts and spur gears
kept breaking. They were fixed with spares, loaner parts from
Nish, and an emergency set driven in overnight from California.
Charles Nearburg in Spirit of Rett even offered to fly in spare
parts. Whats more, the Liberty trans had a broken Fifth gear
slider, so all the top speed runs were made in Fourth, screaming
the engine to as much as 9,350 rpm. With it all fixed, Ron told
us, we think it has 450 in it.
> George Poteet was new to the
Salt just 10 years ago. He got
involved first with three road-
sters and a 61 Ford, then with
the Blowfish Cuda, and with Ron
Mains Ecofire, which got George
into the 300 MPH Chapter in
2006. These days hes thrilled to
be in the Speed Demon. See more
at www.cameltoe.net.
> Kenny Duttweiler built and
tuned the 299ci, Dart canted-
valve Little Chief motor with
a single 115mm Turbonetics
billet turbo. He adjusted boost,
traction-control and rev limits
throughout the week, running low
boost and 1,600 hp. The potential
is 2,200 hp and 10,000 rpm.
> Heres the Poteet & Main Speed Demon with the HOT ROD Top Time Trophy and the crew, from
left to right: George Poteet, Ron Main, Mark Mcaw, Roland Russ, Kenny Duttweiler, Rudy Marti-
nez, Dave Daviak, Gary Thomas, A.J. Smith, Ian Mann, David Main, Bill Guzenski, Paul Green, and
John Aitken. We also spotted Chris Rachke of ARP and David Farwell of Goodyear lending a hand
(the latter being the engineer for new 450-mph tires). Ron claims this is the smallest cubic-inch
engine and first turbocharged car to be clocked over 400 mph. See more at www.speeddemon.us.
> Charles Nearburgs Spirit of Rett is in tribute to his son, lost to Ewings
sarcoma in 2005. The streamliner is the former Wooden & Vaughn car,
still running AA/Gas Streamliner and setting a record at 368.136 mph.
Early in the week, this car was just a few tenths of a mile per hour behind
the Speed Demon in the chase for the Top Time trophy.
> Nish Motorsports has owned the HOT ROD Top Time Trophy for three
years straight and came back this year with 720 ci and 1,600 hp, ready
for another score. The car made two passes in one day, one at 371.281
mph due to driver error. Mike Nish told us he was checking the EGT
instruments and missed the 3-mile marker, so he shut down at the
4, thinking it was the 5. Thats a remarkable admission, as we must
say that Mike is a cool, professional, analytical driver who is not even
breathing hard after getting out of the car moments after a 380-plus-
mph run. He later ran 385.262 mph, but the engine chucked a rod. See
www.nishmotorsports.com. HRM
Guys forget this is actually
a 5-mile drag race.
Kenny Duttweiler
Late Models Fight It Out at the Return of the
Hot Rod Drags, Presented by Flowm
aster Mufflers.
Here Are the Com
binations That Make Them
Fly.
By Rob Kinnan
Photography: Rob Kinnan, Jerry Pitt, and Richard Small
F
rom 1964 to 1969, HOT ROD magazine had its own NHRA event, the HOT ROD
Championship Drags at Riverside (California) Raceway, and it was inundated with
Stock class racers showing off Detroits finest. So thats what came to mind as we sat
with the guys at the NMRA/NMCA last year at the SEMA show, talking about working
together on a drag race. With Detroit in its current state, it seemed like an event that
showcased the latest hot rods from the Big Three was a natural, so the HOT ROD Drags made its
return, this time presented by Flowmaster mufflers.
Staging it as a Ford versus GM versus Chrysler race, thanks to support from ShopHemi.com,
the rules required late-model body styles with Modular, GM Gen III and IV, and Hemi engines,
respectively. Engine swaps into early body styles (like an LS1 in a 69 Camaro) were not allowed.
Two classes were created: an index class and a heads-up class. All the competitors would qualify
together, and the quickest eight would go into the Quick 8 heads-up. To ensure that the Quick 8
wasnt weighted to one manufacturer, the quickest two cars from each manufacturer went into the
class, plus the next quickest two as wild cards. That meant there would be at least two GM cars,
two Fords, and two Mopars battling in a heads-up format. Everyone else ran in the index class.
The heads-up racers also had to participate in the True Street 30-mile cruise prior to elimina-
tions. The rules were structured to ensure real street cars, but power-adders and bolt-
ons were allowed. Visit HOTROD.com for the complete rules.
PRESENTED BY
SPONSORED BY
THE HOT ROD MAGAZINE DRAGS
> Fans of HOT ROD Drag Week will remember
Jeff Schmells 08 Mustang GT500 from last
year. It runs a beefed short-block with Fox
Lakeported stock heads, Comp cams, and
a Whipple 3.4L supercharger. Liberty Gear
prepped the 6060 six-speed and added a
Quick Time bellhousing, and a Moser M9 rear
spins widened stock wheels (by Well Craft)
and Mickey Thompson rubber. Schmell was
the number two qualifier in the heads-up class
with a 10.15 at 137 mph but lost to Stephen
Wells in the first round.
> Jack Reynolds showed the easiest
(though not the most attractive) way to
keep rubber off the quarter-panels: clear
plastic wrap. His 08 SRT8 Challenger makes
447 hp with Arrington Stage I heads, Kooks
headers, and Flowmaster mufflers. On M&H
Racemaster tires, it runs mid-12s, and on a
12.50 index, he broke out in the third round
with a 12.455.
> zMax Dragway (located across the street from Lowes Motor Speedway) is the new Taj
Mahal of dragstrips. With four lanes and the nicest dragstrip tower weve ever been in, its
even more shocking to learn that it was built in only a few months. This is Nelson Whitlock Jr.
boiling the hides on his high-10-second 10 GT500.
The index class had 12 different indexes in
half-second intervals ranging from 9.50 to
15.00. After a few rounds of time trials on
Friday and Saturday, racers had to declare
which index they were in. There was one
qualifying round at the end of the day on Sat-
urday, and a racers position on the ladder
was determined by who ran closest to his
index without going under. Eliminations
were on Sunday. The winners got $2,500 plus
a plaque and jacket, the runner-up was paid
$1,000 plus a plaque, and the semifinalists
and quarterfinalists got $500 and $250,
respectively ($250 and $100 in index). Flow-
master also provided $1,000 to the quickest
car from each manufacturer.
The dates were August 6-9, the venue was
Bruton Smiths spectacular zMax Dragway in
Charlotte, North Carolina, and the race was
held in conjunction with the Nitto Tire
NMRA/NMCA All Star Nationals. It is a
four-lane dragstrip, so we anticipated run-
ning all four lanes at once, but the brand-new
track was having issues syncing the timing
equipment, so that didnt happen. Other than
that, the event went off without a hitch, with
30 cars entered. Nearly all of them were street
cars with the typical bolt-ons, and the e.t.s
ranged from two mid-9s to a high 14per-
fect, exactly what we were hoping for. When
it was all over, Sheila Rivers Trans Am stood
atop the heads-up class and Jim Burfords 07
Corvette made it through five rounds to win
the index class.
Finally, a special thank you must go out
to our sponsors Flowmaster and ShopHemi
.com for their support in the return of the
HOT ROD Drags and also to the NMRA/
NMCA crew for handling all the logistics
involved in this event.

> After the last round of qualifying on Sunday, here was the Quick 8. Clockwise from the
blue Mustang at the top are Nelson Whitlock Jr., Rob Farley, James Miller (300C), Stephen
Wells, Sheila Rivers, Michael Meeks, Jeff Schmell, and Al Gennarelli.
>Sheila Rivers (Lexington, South Carolina) was the big dog in the heads-up class. Her 98
Trans Am runs a 408ci LSX motor with AFR heads, a FAST intake, and a 150-shot Nitrous
Express kit. The chassis uses a Racecraft tubular K-member, a BMR torque arm and
control arms, and QA1 shocks, while the transmission is a TH400 and the rear is a Moser
9-inch. With all factory accessories still working, it makes 670 hp to the tires and hikes
the Bogart wheels to a best pass (at this event) of 10.022 at 134 mph.
>
b
W
Q
U
IC
K
8
> Rob Farleys 98 Indy pace car convertible was hard to missand quick, too. With a
stock short-block, Trick Flow heads, a 90mm FAST throttle body, a custom-ground ECS
cam, and American Racing headers, it ran as quick as 11.23 at 122 but has run mid-10s.
He says power-adders are for girls and the engine makes enough power to win. He
didnt, though, losing to Sheila Rivers in the final.
Photo: Mike Slade
Stephen Wells went to the semis and lost
to Rob Farley. His 02 Camaro runs a mostly
stock engine with a custom cam, a Kooks/
Corsa exhaust, and a small whiff of spray.
It makes 450 hp to the Mickey Thompson
drag radials through a stock 4L65E trans.
The car ran as quick as 11.03 at 125 during
qualifying.
Jim Burfords completely stock 07 Cor-
vette was the perfect weapon for the index
class. He won by running within a tenth of
his 13.00-second dial-in and beating Paul
Smith Jr.s much quicker Vette in the final.
>
>
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> Michael Meeks from Santa Rosa, Florida, was
the first to register for the HOT ROD Drags, but
he went out in the first round to James Millers
300C. The 04 GTO has a 408-inch LS1 with a
Callies/JE bottom end, Trick Flow heads, a Comp
cam, Kooks headers, a FAST intake fed by a
Nasty Performance tube, and a hidden 100-shot
of nitrous. It ran as quick as 11.40 at 119 mph
but slowed to a 12.88 in the first round and lost.
> Paul Smith Jr. had the raciest-looking car
in the index class, with sponsor stickers
everywhere and 28x10.5 Hoosier slicks. He
was the number four qualifier and went all
the way to the finals for a runner-up finish.
The 98 Vette has a 427ci LS2 with ported
LS6 heads, a FAST intake and 90mm throt-
tle body, long-tube headers, and a vacuum
pump to make 495 hp and 490 lb-ft at the
wheels. Its shifted by a Rossler 4L60E,
and the stock IRS rear has a DTE Stage V
Quaife with 4.10s. Its run as quick as 9.95
at 135 and was running on the 10.00 index
at zMax.
> ShopHemi.com brought out a handful of
customers cars, including the lone Chrysler
300C belonging to James Miller of Suffolk,
Virginia. It has a 6.1L Hemi with an Arrington
throttle body and qualified with an 11.35 at
119 mph. He lost to Sheila Rivers in the semi-
final of the heads-up class.
>>
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> Al Gennarellis (Sunbury, North
Carolina) 09 SRT8 Challenger
features a 426ci short-block,
Arrington cylinder heads, an
Arrington 90mm throttle body,
and Kooks long-tube headers.
It ran as quick as 11.66 at 117
but was first-round fodder for
Farleys Vette.
> The Kooks Headers family was well repre-
sented with two SRT8 Mopars. This is George
Pops Kook Sr. in his 06 300C. It appears
mostly stock but has a full-race Bischoff
cam and, of course, a full Kooks exhaust.
It makes 505 hp to the 20-inch Nitto drag
radials and has run an 11.99 at 120. In the
12.00 index, Pops got a first-round single
then redlit in the second round.
> George Kook Jr.s 07 Magnum
runs a stock engine, save for a
custom cam and a Vortech V-3
supercharger. Its slightly quicker
than his dads 300C and was
running in the 11.50 index. In
the heat of the day, however, it
slowed to a 12.35 and went out in
the first round.
> Nelson Whitlock Sr. runs Evolution Performance, and you may remember his 07 Mustang GT500
from the Feb. 07 issue, where it was featured as the first GT500 in the 10s. With a tiny pulley on a
Kenne-Bell blower, it ran 9.68 at 143 mph and was running on the 10.00 index at the HOT ROD Drags,
but a first-round redlight ended his day. His son, Nelson Jr., was running in the heads-up class with
a 10 Mustang.
> Danny Nicelys Corvette is a bad boy with a
9.70-at-144 best-ever timeslip. It has an LS7
with an Eagle bottom end, ETP-worked LS7
heads, a Comp cam of undeclared specs, and
American Racing headers. An RPM-prepped
4L60E automatic and Z06 rearend give it to
Hoosier 28x10-15 slicks on Bogart wheels. His
10.009-at-136 qualifier made him the lowest
qualifying GM car, which scored Flowmasters
$1,000 prize. HRM
> Randall Sargent of Blountville, Tennes-
see, had one of the nicest cars in the HOT
ROD Drags. His 06 SRT8 Charger runs an
Arrington 426 stroker fitted with ported
heads and a 0.570-lift cam, an AFE Stage 2
induction system, and a Kooks/Billy Boat
exhaust to make 478 hp. Richmond gears
on a Quaife differential, a beefed drive-
shaft, and 1,000hp halfshafts keep it alive
on its way to low 12s. Joshua Schwartz was
driving the car and left on Paul Smith Jr. in
the first round but ran too far off his dial to
keep Smiths Vette behind him.
$
1,000
>
$
1,000
The 70s and 80s Return as We Present
the Retro-Tasteless Looks We Want To Own Today.
By David Freiburger
Photography: HRM Archives
Y
ou know you dig it. For nearly three
years weve been hearing from forty-
somethings about secret cravings for
blowers, tunnel-rams, raised-white
letters, Cragars, and even (gasp!)
graphics. Its the predictable, back when
I was in high school scenario. But then
the rebel twentysomethings started to
catch on to it, spellbound by the con-
cept of wheels as small in diameter as,
say, 15s and awestruck by the
power-hungry carbon footprint of
dual quads atop an 8-71. So call us
harbingers of ghastly retrogaudi-
ness, but well go ahead and say it:
70s and 80s street machine style
is back.
Thing is, though, just like the still-
booming craze for 50s- and 60s-style hot
rods, the best retroriffic car builders of now
need to filter out the repugnant elements of
history and crank up the stuff that everyone
recalls as icons of cool. In the hot rod world,
its easier to strike the right pose or get
close enough that guys love your junk
even when you miss a few cues here and
there. With muscle car street machines,
you have to be bolder with your 70s-
and 80s-inspired choices so people
know you mean it and not just that
youre a guy with dated wheels. That
means digging deep into the look, taking risks, and
applying the stuff that really works.
This story is here to help you do that. We rifled
through the dustiest portions of the HRM
archives for examples of street machines from the
1978 to 1982 time frame and picked the ones we
thought still looked cool today. Some seen
here are a bit over the top, but well guide
you with our opinions of what works
and what doesnt, gladly assuming the
roles of throwback Mr. Blackwells of
horsepower and headbanging. This is
about fashion, even if it is bell-bottoms and
concert-jersey fashion. Whether you agree
with our assessments or not, let us see your
retro-style muscle rides. Theyre whats now.
Again.
> Wheelie bars should never be allowed on cars that dont need themand
we still cant overlook that in the name of nostalgia. But the May 80 issue
claimed that Al Woodwards 543ci Vette ran 10.40s, so who knows? Knock
off the bars and toss on some Cragars and drive it anywhere.
Model photos: Robert Kerian
Model: Nikki Gray
Stylist: Hollie Williamson
Makeup: Jessica deBen
> This is the one photo of the bunch that we hijacked from Car Craft, since that mag really had its finger on the
pulse in the street machine heyday. We love all three of these cars from the 78 Car Craft Street Machine Nationals,
and the engine in the foreground is the inspiration
for our Crusher Camaro makeover. Also note the
cable-drive Moroso tach. The red car sports
the then-hip, now-unthinkable velour inte-
rior. The graphics on the Challenger are
great and almost justify the hood-
mounted gauges.
> Gassers from the
60s are white hot
these days. A lot of
those former drag
cars became street
machines in the 70s,
as all it took was a
new paint job and
some Center Line
Auto Drag wheels
to bring them up
to date. This is Jeff
Hellers 55 shot by
Gray Baskerville in
Palmdale, California,
in 1980.
>Heres another example of a Gasser gone street machine with wheels and tires, lots
of chrome, velocity stacks, and kandy apple flames; a wilder paint scheme would have
bumped this one into the Street Freak category in 1979.
>
> HOT ROD produced annual
Corvette issues in the 70s and
early 80s, each one loaded
with stuff like this. To us, this
68 shows a perfect execution
of a Stingray street machine,
though wed top our 427 Rat
with a huffer rather than a
tunnel-ram. We absolutely love
the metalflake paint that was
done at home by owner Del
Saxhaug of Michigan in 1977. If
any custom painters out there
want to help us with a scheme
like this for an HRM project car,
were all over it. Seriously.
STREET MACHINES!
> This car has long been one of our inspirations, probably because
its more street racer than street machine and more 71 Pro
Stocker than 78 cruiser. Steve Lisks Troy, Michigan, 71 Hemi
Challenger was a standout with a Lenco trans and 5.38 rear gears,
not to mention wheelie bars that were actually used. The graphics,
hoodscoop, and Cragar Super Tricks cinch the era look.
>Marlan Davis shot this at the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals West in 1979. As todays most senior staffer, he probably has not photographed
a car feature in 25 years. The car is Tom Fausts 68 Hemi GTX that he bought in 1977 as a high school car. It was white and blue with panel graphics,
but Tom modernized it (for the time) with a blackout and gold-anodized Center Lines and cad-plated trim. We cant see replicating this look today,
but if you found a car like this in a barn somewhere, it would be supercool.
>We had to include a V-8 Vega. This one almost looks contemporary and would be easily repli-
cated in House of Kolor Organic Green. Robert Meyers 74 Kamback from Columbia Heights, Min-
nesota, was shot at the 79 NSRA Street Machine Nationals (yes, the National Street Rod Associa-
tion had muscle car events back then). Its stuffed with a blown 327.
> This is a stance that has been known to give us the dry heaves, but in the
context of 1978, theres something aggressive about it. Jim Chenhalls Pon-
tiac, Michigan, 70 Chevelle sits high on 15x4 and 15x10 American slot mags
with Goodyear L-78-15 and 29x10.50 rubber. The 396 is stacked up with dual
quads on a tunnel-ram.
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STREET MACHINES!
THE STOCKERS
There was a time when Roots blowers were as commonplace as
todays 17-inch Torq-Thrust wheels. The formula was easy: Take a
bone-stock muscle car, add dish mags or Cragars and white-letter
meats, and cut a hole in the hood to clear your 6-71, or preferably,
8-71. Here are four examples of that look.
> Les Sutaks 69 Camaro absolutely had it all when it appeared on the cover of HRMs Nov. 79 issue: the panel
graphics, the blower, the Cragars, the slapper bars . . . it even had a Doug Nash five-speed. To make this a cool
cruiser today, wed just tuck the tires a little tighter and drop the back end an inch or two and call it good.
> This is Mike Serafins 383-powered, Sassy Grass Green
71 Challenger seen in the Oct. 80 issue.
> Ed Schollmeyer
of St. Louis had this
real 70 Olds 4-4-2
W-30 convertible
with a four-speed
and an aluminum
W-27 rearend, but
that didnt stop him
from hanging a 6-71
on the 455 mill. Those are 15x7 and 15x8 American 200S wheels,
which are now being produced again but with a different center cap.
> Rich Hall of Lebanon, Tennessee, was just 23 years old when
Gray Baskerville shot his car at the 78 Street Machine Nationals. The Carousel Red 69 GTO Judge was powered by a 462ci Poncho
mill with a 6-71 Dyer blower. It was normal in 1978 to whack holes in rare hoods, but this one is a fiberglass reproduction.
> In the Nov. 79 issue, this car was credited to Alonzo Cole, though the techsheet listed the name Scott Cole. Its a 69 Mercury Cou-
gar Eliminator that Alonzo or Scott bought for $1,900 and spent
another $2,100 on 14-inch Cragars, traction bars, and a built 351 with a Dyer 6-71 and twin 600 Holleys.
>
>
C
>
>
t
a
> Remember Matt and Debbie
Hay? They became famous
for several Pro Street cars,
including the pink Thunderbird
that was released as a Revell
model. In 1978, Matt and then-
girlfriend Debbie Yoder had this
at the Car Craft Street Machine
Nationals. The black blower was
fresh, as were the gold Center
Lines, and magazines had not
yet started to complain about
rubber hanging out of the quar-
ters (and thats a retro look we
still cant endorse). Have you
noticed anything else wrong?
The 66 Mustangs engine is a
350 Chevy.
> Allen Owens 72 Plymouth starred
alongside the Eastwood & Barakat 32
sedan on the Nov. 82 cover of HRM and
was painted by Kustom Kolors in El Cajon,
California. This look, with bold, solid
colors, is similar to the work that famed
SoCal painter Bill Carter was creating at
the time. With gauges on the hood and
polished Center Lines, the car was typical
of the more-show-than-go cruising cars
of the early 80s.
> Were unsure of the origin of this 70 Challenger, but with
wires, the diamond-pleat interior, and the chain steering wheel,
it seems that only the carbs through the hood separate it from a
lowrider. Even so, the lace paint and metalflake almost make it
contemporary with todays custom-car trends. HRM
68 DECEMBER 2009 HOT ROD 68 DECEMBER 2009 HOT ROD
PROJECT CAR
> We very nearly went to jail for this photo. Read more about that in Holeshot next
month. But true to street machine form, the Crusher now blazes the tires with ease.
Heres a typical hole-in-the-hood Camaro. It sits like a truck. The
wheels are dated, the valve covers were hip when Reagan took office,
and it sucks enough gas to implode OPEC. This represents everything
that magazines, and good taste, have banished for 20 years. All told,
its virtually flawless.
This throwback represents the third life for the Crusher Camaro, a
67 thats been around here since we paid $700 for it in 1993. (A brief
history appears in this months Where It All Began column.) We
decided to act on our long-standing retro urges and revert the car to
the cruise-scene imagery we 40-somethings ached for during our
junior high through high school years after mainlining the feature cars
in HOT ROD and Car Craft every month. Were talking about the pre-
Pro Street days. The car we want for today is like the junk that was
built from, say, 1978 to 1982 with lots of ripple effect into the late 80s.
As a bellybutton Camaro, the Crusher seemed like the perfect can-
didate for street machine greatness, so follow along as we ditch the old
billet 17s and modern brakes and revert this junk to 80s style. Its the
most fun project weve done in quite a while, and we cant wait to go
hit the newly renewed Van Nuys Boulevard cruise scene in the car.
Happy days are here again.
The Crusher Camaro Returns, This Time Shedding All Vestiges
of Pro Touring During an 80s Street Machine Makeover.
By David Freiburger Photography: Wes Allison and David Freiburger
RETROGRADE
> With the iron-headed,
XE282HR-cammed 383,
a TH400, 4.57 rear gears,
30x9.00 Hoosier radial
slicks, and Cragar steel
wheels, the Crusher
weighed 3,150 sans driver
and ran 12.18 at 108 mph
in the quarter. It just barely
lifted the left front tire. This
is how the car looked when
the street-machine redo
began.
> Heres the Crusher as you last saw it in the Feb. through May 03 issues of HRM when it had a 632ci big-
block for power and sat on 17-inch Billet Specialties wheels and big Baer brakes. We realize that many of you
will think this is way cooler than what weve now done to the car. We can live with that.
> The interior was fairly ransacked when we started the makeover. Our
friend Chad Reynolds had to rewire every circuit in the car except the
lights. Note the Lecarra wheel, Auto Meter carbon-fiber gauges (dan-
gling), and 68 houndstooth seats. If you look carefully, you can see the
little yellow rubber Camaro keychain, a remnant of the CARS race team
of the 90s, that has been with the Crusher for 15-plus years.
> This is the engine bay after the
632 was removed and the car sat
untouched for five years. All the
bodywork dust is from when the
TV show Overhaulin used our shop
for several episodes.
> An unseen 2007 to 2008 redo
involved installing the GM Perfor-
mance Parts HT383 small-block
built in the story 500 Lb-Ft in Six
Easy Steps that was the Mar.
02 cover theme. The stock crate
engine was fed a Comp XE282HR
cam, and when it was in the car, it
had a Weiand Air Strike intake and
a Holley 750 carb.
n
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Tony Stewart at the NASCAR
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Patrick
A) Sharp readers will note the
lack of a fuel pump boss on the
block, revealing this to be a Mark
V or VI engine and therefore an
anachronism.
B) These are Hookers new Dark-
sides headers that have ceramic
coating in black, ideal for the look
we wanted. They are PN 2457-
3HKR with 2.00-inch tubes and
3.50-inch collectors. They fit per-
fectly with just one light smack
where they kissed the frame.
Several applications are offered
with the Darksides coating.
C) We used metal-laden body
filler to fill the Holley logos on the
ends of the heads, since most
guys only had stock iron heads
in the 80s. These heads lack the
stock contours and freeze plugs,
but the hidden logos and painted
aluminum at least partially con-
ceal the modern heads.
D) You were nobody in the 80s
without a set of gold-anodized,
lightweight, stamped-aluminum
Moroso valve covers. These were
among the keys to our whole look,
and the T-bar fasteners are the
clinchers. The addition of Moroso
Perm-Align, rubber-coated, steel-
core gaskets and a set of hold-
down tabs keep them from leak-
ing like they did in the old days.
E) We chose the satin look for the
Weiand 8-71 blower, which makes
it more racy and less showy.
F) Most cars of the 70s and 80s
used in-line, single-feed Holleys,
but we did spot some old HOT ROD
feature cars with side-mounted
units like our 850 HPseries
carbs. We made sure to get the
older zinc-chromate finish and
not the new shiny versions.
G) Mr. Gasket velocity stacks
rule. We got them used on eBay,
and only gold anodizing would
improve em.
H) This is a new Weiand Team G
aluminum water pump painted
red to hide its identity. Likewise,
the March billet pulley (the only
short-pump, single-groover we
could find) was fogged black to
look more like a stamped-steel
stock pulley.
> Ah, the heart of todays street
machine rework. We love our Weiand-
blown big-block. Here are the keys to
the period look:
A
H
B
C
D
E
G
F
RETROGRADE
When bench racing this buildup
with a number of motorheads,
guys often piped up with the stuff
they remembered from the old
days, usually starting with, Oh,
and you gotta have . . . Heres a
list of some 70s/80s gotta-haves
that we left off the Crusher.
The big, chrome-and-orange
Fram HPG-1 fuel filter hanging
under the rear bumper (Summit
Racing still sells those)
A Holley Blue fuel pump, also
peeking below the bumper (and
also still a top seller)
Your girlfriends garter belt
around the tach (how come
we never saw girls actually
wearing them?)
Wristbands around the valve
cover breathers, because
theres no chance you actually
had a PCV valve
A big, feathery roach clip or
high school graduation tassel
hanging from the rearview
mirror
Speed stickers on the under-
side of the trunk lid, probably
including an Erson Cams decal
if you lived near a Super Shops
A KMET sticker in the rear
window (the defunct Mighty
Met was the Los Angeles rock
station of choice; insert your
favorite here)
Gabriel Hijackers air shocks
(with the rabbit sticker in the
quarter-windows)
A Kraco eight-track deck
Gauges mounted on the cowl
A Camaro (or whatever brand)
tinted banner across the top of
the windshield
Lift shackles on the rear
A Pete Jackson geardrive
Dual remote oil filters, either
hanging under the front bumper
or in a hideously inconvenient
spot under the hood
An oil pressure gauge some-
where under the hood
A name painted on the quar-
ters or on the back of the rear
spoiler, something along the
lines of Highway Star or per-
haps just a Pink Floyd Dark Side
of the Moon spectrum logo
> This is the before shot of our Rat motor. Its a 489-incher
(4.280x4.250) that has been used in HOT ROD, Car Craft,
and Chevy High Performance. It started life in the story Pure
Grunt in the June 03 HRM. It uses a Scat Series 9000 cast
crank (not the smartest choice for a blown motor, but oh
well), SRP forged pistons for 8.95:1 compression, Holley PN
300-554 aluminum oval-port heads, and a Comp 230/236
hydraulic roller cam. Its a supermild combo that makes 660
hp at just below 5 psi boost with the Weiand 8-71 blower 25
percent underdriven.
> We got this old-school ACCEL
Super Coil from Summit Racing. Tons
of guys mounted these right here on
their Camaros. We loved it but opted
for the vintage MSD unit instead.
> This is supercool. If you find one
of the old-style MSD boxes (with
the old logo cast in) on eBay or
at a swap meet, you can send it
to MSD to be rebuilt with modern
guts. This old box, complete with
the vintage logo, secures the look
of the street machine era. Here
you can also see the cars big-
block heater box.
OTHER 80s
GOTTA-HAVES
> Looks killer.
We took the cars
10-year-old Griffin
aluminum radiator
and fogged it with
Eastwood Co.s
Underhood Black
to make it fade
away. So far, with a
single electric fan,
its keeping the Rat
cool. We also pulled
all the decals off
the battery to
make it blend. The
ACCEL yellow plug
wires are a must-
have, and theyre
fed to a clear dis-
tributor cap from
Summit Racing.
> Weiand offers a slick hard-
line fuel-inlet kit for dual carbs,
but no one was that sano in
the 80s, so we strung Earls
braided line and blue-and-red
fittings all over the engine. A
modern Aeromotive fuel sys-
tem is hidden under the car.
d
>
o
RETROGRADE
ROLLERS AND MEATS
To pull off the 78 to 82 vibe, you have very few wheel choices: slot mags,
Cragar S/Ss, Center Line Auto Drags, or Cragar Super Tricks. Perhaps
with skilled application you can pull off Western Vectors or Keystone
Klassics, but thats a tad sketchy. You can opt for raised white letters to
really shout your cause, or you can downplay the look and modernize it
a skosh with blackwalls. Radials are a no-no unless you can find early-
tread-pattern BFG Radial T/As.
We installed several sets of wheels and tires on the Crusher for three
distinct looks. All our mounting and balancing are handled by So-Cal Tire
Pros in Burbank, California.
> During the Crushers
recent small-block phase,
we had installed Moroso
Trick Springs, PN 47150
with a rate of 213 lb/in.
Here we swapped to PN
47195 with 250 lb/in. The
very heavy nose will still
bottom onto our tall front
tires in extreme cases, so
we need either shorter tires
or taller bumpstops.
> This is the ultimate look of the 80s. Nothing clinches the message like a set of Center Line Auto Drag spun-
aluminum wheels and genuine Pro Trac bias-ply rubber. Our combo uses 15x3.5s and 15x10s. The Crushers
Ford 9-inch rearend is 56
5
16 inches flange to flange, and the car has steel, semicircular minitubs, though the
springs are not relocated. The 15x10s have 4
7
8 backspacing, which required 1
1
4-inch spacers. The tires are
Pro Tracs from Coker Tire in P215/75R15 and N50-15. The fronts measured an observed 27 inches tall with an
8-inch section width. The rears measured 28
3
4 tall and 12
3
4 wide on the 10-inch wheels.
> To fit the slot mags and the
Center Lines on the car and for a
more era-correct look, we needed
to ditch the 13-inch brakes. We
didand replaced them with a
complete front-disc setup from
Master Power. These were the
easiest installation ever, as the
brakes come totally assembled
onto the spindles.
o
t
> >
> Center Line with
Pro Tracs
> Ansen Sprint with
Mickeys
> Cragars with
Silvertowns
> Heres a vibe that smacks of the early-to-mid 70s with some genuine 15x8 Ansen Sprint slot mags (with the
very cool curved lips) that we bought for $200 at a swap meet, complete with JC Penney tires. Replacing those
here are some of the last raised-white-letter bias-plies, the Mickey Thompson Indy Profile S/S rubber thats
now sold exclusively through Summit Racing. We used G60-15s (26 tall, 10
3
8 section width) and L60-15s
(28
5
8 tall, 11
1
2 section width). Sadly, the 3
1
2-inch backspacing on the wheels was totally wrong on the front
of the car; 4
3
4 is what was required with these tires.
> For rear-wheel spacers, we used these billet bolt-ons custom-made for us by old Funny Car racer Fred
Goeske at WheelAdapters.com.
> The Cragar S/S wheels, in 15x4.5 and 15x8, give a very classic look that screams retro a bit more than the
Center Lines. The rear tires are Hoosier 30.0x9.00 radial slicks that measure 29
1
8 tall and 11
1
2 in section. The
front tires are Coker Tires BFGoodrich Silvertown bias-ply reproductions in 6.40-15, measuring 27
3
16 inches
tall and 6
1
2 inches in section width. The Cragars actually fit over front 13-inch Baer brakes by using -inch
spacers. Out back, the stock backspacing of 4
1
4 inches required
3
8-inch spacers.
>
>
RETROGRADE
> The retro makeover also extended to the interior. The Grant PN 838 steering wheel is a foam-gripped, 13.5-incher that was just $25.95 at Summit
Racing. It recalls the Superior 500 wheels that were on every street machine of the 70s. For gauges, we chose the Auto Meter original Sport Comp
series, as those were the absolute must-haves when we were in high school. The tach is the 3
3
4-incher rather than the later Monster Tach, and the
2
1
16-inch panel-mounted gauges read oil pressure, water temp, and boost pressure. Note our rare speedo delete panel.
> Finally, we couldnt have a
hole-in-the-hood car without
having a hood. We bought a gen-
nie steel one from a Craigslist ad
and whacked clearance for the
blower. Car Crafts John McGann
did us the huge favor of painting
the hood to match. What do you
think, is hoodless the better look,
or is it more wicked with the steel
in place? We plan to garner opin-
ions as we cruise this thing merci-
lessly, reliving the street machine
years. HRM
SOURCES
ALAN GROVE COMPONENTS; Louisburg, KS;
913/837-4368;
www.alangrovecomponents.com
CENTER LINE WHEELS; Santa Fe Springs, CA;
800/345-8671;
www.centerlinewheels.com
COKER TIRE; Chattanooga, TN;
866/513-2744; www.cokertire.com
CRAGAR; Milford, IA; 877/827-2427;
www.cragar.com
EARLS; Rancho Dominguez, CA; 270/781-
9741; www.earlsplumbing.com
HOLLEY; Bowling Green, KY;
270/781-9741; www.holley.com
HOOKER HEADERS; Bowling Green, KY;
270/781-9741; www.hookerheaders.com
MASTER POWER BRAKES; Mooresville, NC;
888/351-8785; www.mpbrakes.com
MOROSO; Guilford, CT; 203/453-6571;
www.moroso.com
MSD; El Paso, TX; 915/855-7123;
www.msdignition.com
SO-CAL TIRE PROS; Burbank, CA;
818/845-8473
SUMMIT RACING; Tallmadge, OH;
800/230-3030; www.summitracing.com
WEIAND; Bowling Green, KY;
270/781-9741; www.weiand.com
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PROJECT CAR

With a Nitrous-Assisted
11-Second Timeslip in Hand,
We Get More Serious With the
10 Camaro by Upgrading the
Heads, Cam, and Exhaust.
By Michael Galimi
Photography: Michael Galimi and Will Handzel
Last month, HOT ROD
embarked on a mission to run
11s with a brand-new 10
Camaro SS. With a few bolt-ons,
Nitto 555R drag radials, and a
shot of nitrous, the HOT ROD
test car blistered to a best of
11.96 at 115 mph. On the chassis
dyno, it kicked out 514 rwhp (on
the sauce), up from the stock
numbers of 374 rwhp. Off the
bottle, the bolt-ons were worth
23 hp and made 397 rwhp. After
some practice on the dragstrip,
car owner Robin Lawrence
power-shifted his way to a best
of 12.73 at 108 mphsans
nitrous. This month, we want to
see how fast we can make it in
naturally aspirated trim.
The LS3 is great in its stock
formit has 376 ci, free-flowing
heads, and a healthy hydraulic
roller camshaft. Last months
bolt-ons were shorty headers, an
axle-back exhaust, and an Abaco
cold-air kit and MAF sensor.
This month we get more serious
with a head, cam, and header
swap. The heads are GM Perfor-
mance Parts L92 CNC-ported
(PN 88958698) castings. After
porting, they have maximum
intake flow of 330 cfm, and the
exhaust ports move 201 cfm,
both at 0.600-inch lift and using
stock 2.165/1.590 valves.
We called the stock cam
healthy because it comes from
the factory with 0.551/0.522-
inch lift and 204/211 degrees of
duration at 0.050 lift, but we
wanted more. The first one on
the test list was the GMPP LS
Hot Cam (PN 88958733). It fea-
tures intake and exhaust lift of
0.525, but the duration is more
than stock with 219/228 degrees.
The lobe separation is listed as
112 degrees, giving the engine a
nice idle: a little lumpy but liv-
able. Why would we test a cam
with less lift than stock? First, we
have seen a few people online get
this camshaft installed by their
dealers. Second, our nastier
Lunati Voodoo cam hadnt come
in yet and we couldnt sit still
with nothing to do.
The CNC-ported heads and
Hot Cam brought power to 406
rwhp, hardly impressive for the
modifications. Our assumption
is that the restrictive exhaust
thanks to the four catalytic con-
vertersis holding it back.
When Lawrence added straight
test pipes in place of the factory
units, it was worth 23 rwhp. Our
overall output was up to 429
rwhp and 415 rear-wheel torque.
When the new cam showed
up, Lawrence yanked out the
Hot Cam and stuck in the Lunati
Voodoo cam, which has
0.578/0.598 lift, 233/245 degrees
of duration, and a lobe separa-
tion of 115 degreesmore
aggressive but still completely
streetworthy with nice idle char-
acteristics, smooth low-rpm
driveability, and healthy low-end
power. On the chassis dyno, the
Camaro spun the rollers to the
tune of 448 rwhp and 416 rear-
wheel torque.
At that point, the shorty head-
ers were more than likely chok-
ing the engine, so we swapped
them for some long tubes from
Kooks Custom Headers. Kooks
also sent a 3-inch cross-pipe,
which mates to a new 3-inch
Kooks after-cat exhaust. The eas-
ier breathing was worth another
19 peak rear-wheel horsepower,
and the midrange power went
up as high as 25 rwhp in some
spots. The car feels like it has
another 75 hp, Lawrence says
obviously a bit exaggerated, but a
few quick blasts on the street
showed the seat-of-the-pants feel
was greatly increased.
On the track, we swapped to
Mickey Thompson 305/35R18
ET Street Radial tires on C6 Z06
wheels. The stickier tires proved
to be the hot ticket, as Lawrence
left at 6,000 rpm, banged the
gears at 6,200, and flew the traps
with a 12.10 at 115 mph (without
nitrous). One stab of the juice
and the story changed dramati-
cally. Our new rear rubber was
blown away instantly and got
loose on every gearshift. It
slowed the HOT ROD Camaro
down big time to just a 12.20, but
it blistered the traps at 125 mph,
showing real potential once we
can get the car to hook better.
NEW CAMARO BOLT-ONS
> The CNC-ported L92 heads
from GMPP are the same as the
LS3 heads. They are the fourth-
generation small-block heads and
feature rectangular intake ports
compared with the third-gener-
ation heads unique cathedral-
style ports.
> There were some conflicting reports on the chamber size, so Law-
rence measured each head. Our CNC-ported L92 had 70cc chambers,
while the stock LS3 heads chambers were 69 cc.
> The GMPP heads do not come assembled and require the stock
valves to be reused. The intake valves check in at 2.16 inches while
the exhaust valves boast a 1.59-inch diameter. The valvesprings were
upgraded to Comp Cams springs (PN 26918) with titanium retainers
and steel locks, due to the aftermarket camshaft.
> The heads were installed using stock head bolts, which are torque-to-
yield. Lawrence also used GMPP stock replacement head gaskets.
> The first cam we tried was the GMPP LS Hot Cam. The LS3 made 429
rwhp and 415 rear-wheel torque once the catalytic converters were
removed, and thats with shorty headers and axle-back exhaust. An
Abaco cold-air kit and MAF were also used.
> GM moved to a single-cam bolt
(right) in 2007, but most of the
aftermarket camshaft companies
still use the three-bolt setup
(left). The GM Hot Cam and the
Luanti grind both use the three-
bolt combination.
> We replaced the GM Hot Cam for this Lunati grind that has 14/17 degrees more duration and 0.053/0.033 more lift. It proved to be worth 19 hp and
1 lb-ft over the Hot Cam. Those numbers were without catalytic converters in place.
> The tuning was performed with
HP Tuners software. We eliminated
the rear oxygen sensors when we
installed the test pipes at the track
and used the HP Tuners to turn off
the diagnostics for the rear O
2
s to
prevent setting trouble codes.
> The Nitto 20-inch 555R
drag radials were great for the
street, but we needed more
traction so we swapped to
Mickey Thompson ET Street
Radial II 305/35R18 tires. The
Mickeys were also shorter, at
26.4 inches tall versus the Nit-
tos 28.80-inch height, which
made the stock 3.45:1 rear
gear ratio effectively shorter.
We mounted the tires on stock
C6 Z06 front wheels, which
are 18 inches in diameter (the
rears are 19s). It works but
its not pretty, so well switch
back to the wheel/Nitto tire
combo for the street.
NEW CAMARO BOLT-ONS
PARTS AND POWER LIST
GMPP CNC-ported L92 heads, LS Hot Cam, shorty headers, axle-back exhaust, Abaco cold-air, and MAF 406 rwhp
GMPP, removed cats 429 rwhp
GMPP, changed to Lunati cam 448 rwhp
GMPP, changed to Kooks long-tube headers and exhaust 464 rwhp
*All testing was performed on Abaco Performances DynoJet chassis dyno, and results are reported using SAE correction factor.
SOURCES
ABACO PERFORMANCE; 877/693-9269; www.abacoperformance.com
GM PERFORMANCE PARTS; Grand Blanc, MI; 800/450-4150; www.gmperformacneparts.com
HP TUNERS; Buffalo Grove, IL; www.hptuners.com
KOOKS CUSTOM HEADERS; Statesville, NC; 866/586-KOOK; www.kookscustomheaders.com
LUNATI; Olive Branch, MS; 662/892-1500; www.lunatipower.com
NITTO TIRES; www.nittotires.com
> Above: Kooks also supplied a 2-inch cross-pipe and axle-back
exhaust. Its throaty.
> Left: The full-length Kooks stainless headers feature 1
7
8-inch
primary tubes that go into 3-inch merge collectors.
> The Camaro made the most
power with the Lunati cam,
Kooks exhaust, and GMPP CNC-
ported heads. Output rose to
464 rwhp and 427 rear-wheel
torque, using the SAE correc-
tion factorwhich generally
reads 4 to 6 percent lower
than the more popular STD
correction factor on chassis
dynos. The SAE correction fac-
tor converts the cars output
based on weather conditions,
theoretically allowing a fair
comparison of vehicles in dif-
ferent locations with different
atmospheric conditions.
HRM
EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
MORNING BEGINNING AT 7AM ET
PART OF THE WEEKEND
MORNING ENGINE BLOCK
PROUD SPONSORS OF HOT ROD TELEVISION
PRESENTED BY
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PROJECT CAR
THE RACE ROD
We Assemble a Factory Five 33 Kit in Five Days, Start to Finish.
By Rob Kinnan
Photography: Rob Kinnan and Eric Jacobs
Street rods have never been
known as handling cars, but why
cant they be? If youre fabricating
suspension anyway, why not
build in geometry thatll make it
go around corners like a slot car,
with fat tires on all four corners?
Factory Five Racing was reading
our minds, literally, and built just
that, a 33 Ford kit with real
underpinnings and a low
enough curb weigh to guarantee
blistering performance. For a
few coins less than 20 grand, you
get everything but the drivetrain,
wheels, tires, paint, and a few
assorted smaller items. We
showed the new kit and what it
takes to prep the body in last
months issue and return with a
complete buildup of one here.
Actually, complete is not totally
accurate since its impossible to
cover everything in even a years
worth of stories in a monthly
magazine. FFRs build manual
on the kit is a whopping 397
pages of step-by-step illustrated
instructions, and when you first
start looking through it, its easy
to get intimidated. So we con-
spired with Factory Five to cheat
on a buildup in a most entertain-
ing wayand one were pretty
sure is going to catch on with
other people building kits.
FFR has a very active group of
customers offering advice and
friendship on its website. The
word went out on the message
board that HOT ROD was going
to follow the buildup of a car in
California and was looking for
volunteers to jump in and help.
Approximately 20 agreed and
were summoned to Langley Ker-
sonbooms Hermosa Beach, Cal-
ifornia, shop, LK Motorsports,
with the goal of tearing open the
boxes on Monday morning and
driving the finished car out of
the shop by Friday night in time
D
> Heres the majority of the build crew with the partially finished car. This was on Wednesday, the midpoint of a five-day buildup.
THE RACE ROD
> This was the scene at LK Motor-
sports when the kit was first deliv-
ered. Owner Langley Kersenboom set
aside the area next to his new four-
wheel dyno so everyone had enough
elbow room during the build.
> The monstrous FFR instruction manual
looks intimidating, but every single step is
illustrated with a photo and explained in detail.
> The front suspension is the first area of attack. The kit uses
inboard-mounted Koni coilover shocks mounted just behind the
radiator.
> At any one time there were
three or four areas of the car being
worked on, which allowed us to
build it in a week. Here you can
see where the MSD 6AL box and
starter solenoid are mounted.
The aluminum firewall should be
mounted while the body is fitted
to the chassis since it is a loca-
tor for a bunch of other parts. We
painted the body before the build,
so the firewall had already been
positioned and marked.
> That big box on the frame is the
fuel tank. Its mounted behind the
seats and is concealed when the
body is on.
for the annual kit car show at
Knotts Berry Farm. The only
advantage the team had was
that the body had already
been painted by Jeff Miller, as
we covered in last months
issue.
As stated earlier, seven
pages cannot possibly cover
even a fraction of whats
involved in building the FFR
hot rod kit, so dont look at
this as anything resembling
an instruction manual.
Rather, this story is intended
to show that its not an overly
difficult kit to assemble (and
in fact is easier than FFRs
straightforward roadster kits)
and that with enough people
who know their way around a
wrench (and even a few who
dont), you can build one in a
short amount of time. No
lying, it only took five days
on this one. And the best
part is, you can have fun
with a group of buddies
while doing it.
Next month we put the fin-
ished car to the test, but well
tease you a little hereits
really fast.
>
> The kit is designed to use a Ford 8.8-inch
rearend from a Fox or SN-95 Mustang, and you
can choose from a stock-style four-link or a more
race-oriented three-link suspension. This car
uses the three-link, and we loaded the 8.8 with
3.73:1 gears. That big bracket bolted to the hous-
ing is the upper link mount.
> A checklist was made for each day to ensure
progress.
> Some of the aluminum panels were installed
before the body went on and some afterward.
Cleco pins are a brilliant way to hold them in
place to make sure all the holes are correct and
everything lines up. This photo also shows how
the pedal box was mounted. Notice the hanging
Wilwood pedal and three master cylinders (two
for brakes, one for the clutch). The trick reservoirs
mounted in front of them are an LK Motorsports
setup, and once the body is mounted, theyre
accessible from a removable panel on the cowl.
> Ah yes, the horsepower jew-
elry. Ford Racing supplied a Boss
347 crate motor and Tremec
TKO-600 five-speed transmis-
sion. The engine makes 450 hp at
6,000 rpm and 400 lb-ft at 4,900
with a hydraulic roller cam, 9.7:1
compression, and Ford Racing
Z heads. The forged crank and
pistons will also allow us to spray
it at a later date, but with the cars
final curb weight of about 2,300
pounds, this should be plenty . . .
at least for a while.
THE CREW
All week:
Eric Jacobs,
Wareham, MA, project manager
Langley Kersenboom,
owner, LK Motorsports
Mark Dougherty,
Hershey, PA
Henry Renaud
Lithia, FL
Karen Salvaggio,
Riverside, CA
Andy Salvaggio,
Riverside, CA
Dave Boles,
San Diego, CA
Mark Stackler
Tom Heltzel,
Seattle, WA
Bill Lohmiller,
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Gary Larrivee,
Redondo Beach, CA
Bruce Kading,
Las Cruces, NM
Victor Menashe,
Albuquerque, NM
Partial week:
Jeff Felderman,
Mission Viejo, CA
Paul Mastroianni,
Corona, CA
Darren Trapp,
Orange, CA
John Jones
Ed Holley,
Oak Hills, CA
John Cameron
William Robertson,
Valencia, CA
David Hodgkins
Donald Cribbs,
Burbank, CA
Jeff Rautenberg,
Palmdale, CA
> Some of the stock rearend brackets were not
needed and were removed.
> There are quite a few aluminum panels for the
floor, trunk, and other areas. They are precut to
fit, but you still have to drill the mounting holes in
the panels and the frame.
> The Optima Red Top battery was hidden under
the fuel tank and looks to be a bear to remove, if
thats ever needed.
> The car really started to take shape when the
engine was slid into place.
THE RACE ROD
> After assembling the grille/radiator/fan assembly, it was
installed. The kit comes with hoses and everything else needed.
> Jeff Batman Miller
delivered the body that was
painted last month. The suit?
Dont ask.
> With the fuel system plumbed and the wiring hooked up, we all stood
back and listened to the first engine firing. The gesturing dude in the
middle is Ford Racings Jesse Kershaw, who came to visit the buildup.
> Since we were shooting for a
street-going race rod, it seemed
obvious that a RacePak UDX Ultra
Dash Extreme be used instead of
traditional gauges. Its really cool.
> With the body mounted, the re-
maining trunk panels were installed.
The kit includes precut carpet to
cover all the aluminum panels.
> Mark Dougherty prepped the fiber-
glass transmission tunnel to clear
the trans.
> The body is not that heavy, but we used plenty of hands to carefully lower it into place without
scratching anything.
> The stainless steel mufflers sit right under the seats, so we covered
the floor with Damplifier Pro insulation.
> Miller installed the door hinges and doors. Five-point Simpson
harnesses are included for both sides and attach to a chassis
mount before the rear bulkhead and seats go in.
LK MOTORSPORTS
Langley Kersenbooms Hermosa Beach, California, shop is the West Coast
go-to place for pro-built Factory Five cars. While the company specializes in
the FFR Challenge series (a class within NASA that runs all FFR roadsters),
its well versed in building turnkey versions of any FFR component car. In the
shop on any given day are several street and race roadsters, a GTM supercar
in progress, and a hot rod or two. Just before our build party, LK had gotten
its new four-wheel dyno up and running, too. If youre reading this story and
dont feel like you have the time to build a car yourself, LK can set you up.
> The roof is held on with about
10 bolts and Rivnuts and is
removable. Here, Dougherty drills
the cowl for the Rivnuts.
> The kit comes with all the glass, including power windows
for the doors.
> To separate the flat and
shiny parts of the paint job,
Bruce The Brush Brennan
was called in to lay down
some red pinstripes.
> The interior of the roof and the
bulkhead behind the seats are
finished in black gelcoat, but we
went the extra distance and had
Tom Hanson masterfully cover
them in leather. It really makes
a difference. Hanson works out
of the LK Motorsports shop, so
many of the companys cars get
his touch.
> The roof was lowered into place and bolted down. We doubt well ever
remove it since it looks too cool installed. You can see part of the rollbar.
The kit comes with double-hoop bars, la Cobra. But with the roof in
place, that would look weird, so we converted it to a single bar the width
of the interior.
THE RACE ROD
> We chose black powdercoated Rushforth Rated X wheels (19x10 rear
and 17x8 front) and Nittos sticky NT-05 rubber (275-40s on all four
corners).
> Kersonboom installed the meatball. Why number 13? Dunno,
just seemed cool.
SPECIAL
THANKS
We gotta give props to a few
companies that really helped
this project come together in a
timely manner. First was Sum-
mit Racing Equipment, which
provided most of the needed
parts (like a fuel pump, carbure-
tor, and so on). This build cer-
tainly wasnt the first time weve
had to make panic-stricken,
last-minute calls to Summit to
get parts next-dayd, and it prob-
ably wont be the last. Also,
ANplumbing.com in Lawndale,
California, graciously provided
the various lines and fittings we
needed, and Tom Hanson of
Auto Restorations (310/739-
1957) did a masterful job of
upholstering the door panels,
headliner, and rear bulkhead in
yummy black leather.
SOURCES
AUTO RESTORATIONS; 310/739-1957
ANPLUMBING.COM; Lawndale, CA; 310/542-0856; www.anplumbing.com
FACTORY FIVE RACING; Wareham, MA; 508/291-3443; www.factoryfive.com
FORD RACING; Dearborn, MI; 800/367-3788; www.fordracingparts.com
J. MILLER CUSTOMS; Temecula, CA; 951/676-0191
LK MOTORSPORTS; Hermosa Beach, CA; 310/937-6869; www.lkmotorsports.com
NITTO TIRE; Cypress, CA; www.nittotire.com
OPTIMA BATTERIES; Aurora, CO; 888/8OPTIMA; www.optimabatteries.com
RACEPAK DATA SYSTEMS; Rancho Santa Margarita, CA; 949/709-5555;
www.racepak.com
RUSHFORTH WHEELS; Tacoma, WA; 253/306-3215; www.rushforthwheels.com
SUMMIT RACING; Tallmadge, OH; 800/230-3030; www.summitracing.com
> The plank owners all signed the underside of the trunk lid
even the two shop dogs. HRM
> Knotts Berry Farm, Saturday morning.
SPEED PARTS TESTING
FASTs New Self-Tuning Electronic
Fuel-Injection System Takes the
Hassle Out of Converting to EFI.
By Rob Kinnan
Photography: Ed Taylor
> We installed the EZ-EFI system on a GM 290hp crate motor (disguised to look like the original 327) in Larry Abels 65
Malibu SS. The throttle linkage is standard Holley, and the throttle valve cable bracket for the 200-4R transmission was
also a quick hookup.
Converting from a carburetor to
electronic fuel injection (EFI)
has always been a bit of a hassle.
The number of sensors and the
miles of wiring harness, not to
mention learning how to tune
the sometimes confusing control
unit with a laptop, scare a lot of
people right back to their carbu-
retors. But FASTs latest creation
changes all that and uncompli-
cates EFI. The EZ-EFI is said to
be self-tuning.
If you can install a carburetor,
you can install the EZ-EFI kit.
The spine of the system is a four-
hole throttle body that has a
standard Holley 4150 flange, so
itll bolt to any intake manifold
that a Holley will. The heart is
the computer that controls it,
and you dont have to hassle with
programmingthe computer
learns what the engine wants
and programs itself. And finally,
the wiring harness isnt even that
complicated; all but four wires
connect to the throttle body
itself.
Probably the most difficult or
time-consuming part of the
entire installation is upgrading
the fuel system. EFI must have
high fuel pressure to operate, so
an electric EFI-style pump and
return system must be used.
FAST has an EZ-EFI fuel pump
kit and a hose and fitting kit, and
we highly recommend using
both for simplicitys sake.
To see just how this system
works, we tested it on two
engines at Duttweiler Perfor-
mance, one a 496ci big-block
Chevy and the other a 350. The
same EZ-EFI system was used
on both engines to gauge its abil-
ity to tune itself, and the only
thing we had to change was
inputting the specs for each
engine into the included hand-
held controller. On both engines,
the system fired right up and set-
tled into an idle, and its self-
learning function caused each
engine to pick up a little more
power after a few pulls on the
dyno. Surprisingly, it actually
made a tad more horsepower on
the small-block when compared
with a Holley 750 carburetor.
The main appeals of entry-
level electronic fuel injection are
efficiency and ease of starting, so
to gauge them, we installed the
same unit in a car and tested it.
Larry Abels 65 Malibu SS was
the guinea pig, and McMillan
Speed and Fabrication did the
work. The EZ-EFI system
replaced the restored Rochester
square-bore carburetor on the
very mild small-block, but
before that, we tuned the carb as
well as we could, then took the
car on a 100-mile mileage loop.
The carb delivered 13.2 mpg.
With EZ-EFI, the exact same
mileage loop brought home
18.5 mpg.
So there you goFASTs EZ-
EFI is a bolt-on that works, goes
on easily, returns better fuel
mileage, and in some cases
might squeak out a few more
horsepower. When it comes to
electronic fuel injection, it just
doesnt get any easier.
> On the left is the fuel pump kit ($367.45), and on the right is the hose and fitting kit ($157.49).
You can buy the EFI and both fuel kits by opting for the Master Kit for $2,244.27.
> This is the base
kit, which retails for
$1,837.45. It includes
everything needed
to install EFI except a
fuel system.
> The wiring is brutally simple. Every connection is labeled and all
but four (oxygen sensor, serial cable, water temp, and power leads)
link to the throttle body, where they run to injectors, intake air temp,
throttle position, idle air control (IAC), and MAP sensor.
> The first dyno mule was this 350 with 10.0:1 compression, TFS
23-degree heads, a dual-plane Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap mani-
fold, and a Comp Cams XE268 flat-tappet cam. With a Holley 750-cfm
carburetor, it made 411 hp and 417 lb-ft. Then we installed the EZ-EFI
unit and used the handheld controller to input the engine data and it
fired up and idled smoothly immediately. We honestly didnt expect to
see any power gain by switching to the EZ-EFI (in fact, a carb will usu-
ally make a few more peak horsepower than EFI), but within a couple of
pulls, it had picked up slightly to 414 hp and 426 lb-ft.
($ )
EZ-EFI
>After the small-block had run, we lifted up the EFI unit and slid
this 496 under it, then we input the new engine specs. This engine
has 10.25:1 compression and a Brodix single-plane intake and
oval-port heads. We didnt bother testing the carburetor on the
big-block; rather, the goal was to see how quickly the EZ-EFI would
adapt to more cubic inches. Again, the motor started immediately
and idled at our commanded 850 rpm. On the first pull it made 553
hp and 605 lb-ft, and after 20 pulls, it made the same torque but
picked up more than 10 hp to 566.
>With the dyno thrash out of the way, we installed the EZ-EFI into
Abels Malibu. It replaced the Rochester carburetor, which meant we
had to use a Trans-Dapt part No. 2064 adapter to fit the Holley 4150-
based throttle body to the Rochester-pattern intake.
>An oxygen sensor comes with the kit, and FAST even provides the
bung to weld into the header collector, as well as instructions on
exactly where to put it.
>The closer the fuel pressure regulator is to the front of the car,
the better, since it keeps the vacuum line as short as possible. We
mounted it near the old mechanical fuel pump location. The base
map in the computer is based on 43 psi of static fuel pressure, so
thats where the regulator needs to be set.
> The kit comes with a temperature sensor, which we installed near
the thermostat.
>Dont let size fool youthis
small pump feeds the small
screen filter and is capable of sup-
porting up to 600 hp.
> We picked up a
3
8-inch tank
sending unit from Original
Parts Group and modified the
stock version (left) by adding
a
5
6-inch line and angling the
return away from the sock
pickup to avoid air bubbles.
The stock
5
16-inch fuel line is
now the return.
> Ron Turnpaugh of FAST helped oversee our testing and was also behind the scenes in developing the
systems user-friendly interface.
> This step is very important:
The positive and negative leads
for the EZ-EFI must go directly
to the battery. Connecting them
anywhere else invites problems
with electrical noise. Ask us how
we know.
If a guy can put in
a distributor, set
his timing, and
adjust a carb, the
EZ-EFI system
is just as easy.
Kevin McMillan
> We found a 71 Camaro dual-snorkel air cleaner with a 70 Chevelle cowl-induction air cleaner spacer for
the 65 Chevelle, and unless you look closely, youd never know it had EFI on it. We tucked the computer
under the factory air conditioning suitcase.
EZ-EFI:
ONLINE VIDEO
INSTALLATION
In an effort to demonstrate the
cutting-edge, self-tuning attri-
butes of FASTs EZ-EFI, we have
produced three short broadband
videos that are available on HOT
RODs video player (www.hotrod
.com/multimedia/02/hot_rod_vid
eos/index.html) as well as at the
HOT ROD YouTube Channel (www
.youtube.com/hotrodmagazine).
Video part one covers the fuel
system modifications of the
EZ-EFI system with everything
from modifying and installing the
fuel pickup to installing the pump
and filter and routing the primary
fuel line. In part two, we show
the details of installing the EFI
hardware and routing the harness.
Finally, part three provides tuning
protocol, testing information, and
our installers evaluations. Check
it out now.
EZ-EFI
> This EZ-EFI handheld is the only
interface youll useno laptops
allowed. Once you meet all the
demands of the computer, the
check mark in the AL (auto learn)
shows it is auto-learning. The
more you drive, the more it learns.
Once programmed, you can take
it out of the car or leave it in. You
can tune air/fuel ratio and a few
other small things, but you cant
get into finite tuning, so its really
hard the screw up the tune.
> We did a 100-mile drive to test gas mileage with the carburetor and the EZ-EFI. The carburetor was rich
in some areas and lean in others, so we got it as close as possible, and it got 13.2 mpg. The exact same
route and speed with EFI brought back an astounding 18.5 mpg. HRM
SOURCES
A&A CORVETTE; Oxnard, CA; 805/278-4107;
www.aacorvette.com
COMP CAMS; Memphis, TN; 800/999-0853;
www.compcams.com
FAST; Memphis, TN; 877/334-8355 or
901/260-3278; www.fuelairspark.com
MCMILLAN SPEED AND FAB; Oxnard, CA;
kevin@speedandfab.com
MSD IGNITION; El Paso, TX; 915/855-7123;
www.msdignition.com
ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP; Seal Beach, CA;
562/594-1000; www.opgi.com
Its amazing
how close the
tune-up is on
EZ-EFI right out
of the gate.
Ed Taylor
Programming the EZ-EFI system is so easy, you dont
even need to know how to spell laptop. Ed Taylor
EZ EFI
>>
> With everything installed, the car fired right up and we strapped it to the chassis dyno at A&A Corvette in
Oxnard, California. The results were similar to what we saw on the engine dyno. It made 178 hp and 237.5
lb-ft with the EFI, compared with the carbureted baseline of 168 hp and 218 lb-ft.
b
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63028 - '06 Ford Shelby

Mustang GT 500 Cobra

63029 - '05 Pontiac GTO
Ram Air Custom

63030 - '65 Chevy Impala
SS 396ClassicStreet

Pontiac, GTO, Chevrolet, Chevy, Impala, Chevelle, SS 396 all related Emblems and vehicle body designs
are General Motors Trademarks used under license to CMW Holdings, Ltd.
Safety features, building
materials, manufacturing
processes and after-sales
support vary greatly from
brand to brand.
Know exactly what youre
buying and the actual cost
of ownership before you
make a purchase.
Become a lift expert
in about 20 minutes
Compare Lift Brands
View Engineering Reports
Tour the BendPak Factory
TAKE THE
CRASH
COURSE
AVOID THE
HARDER
LESSON OF
BUYERS
REMORSE
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u
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www.bendpak.com
2-Post
4-Post
Mid-Rise
g
NEW PRODUCTS
SPEEDSTER GAS CAP
Santa Cruz Speed & Custom
831/406-0126
www.santacruzspeedandcustom.com
Inspired by vintage Indy race car hardware, Santa Cruzs ip-open, vented
cap will look bitchin on just about any hot rod, street rod, or bike. The
handcrafted 3.125-inch aluminum cap has a stain nish to contrast
against the mirror-nish stainless double latch, and the hardware is of-
fered in either brass or stainless. To attach the cap directly to a tank, weld-
in bosses are sold separately in steel and aluminum.
Price: $239.00 cap, $25.00 for the weld-in boss
OEM-STYLE
SUBFRAMES FOR
67-69 CAMAROS/
FIREBIRDS AND 68-72
CHEVY IIS/NOVAS
Auto Metal Direct (AMD)
866/934-7558
www.autometaldirect.com
Three brand-new subframes for your 68 to 72 Nova and rst-gen Chevrolet and Pontiac F-body are patterned to include cutout holes, bends, brackets,
and weld beads that are identical to the originals. We know Kinnan needs one for his Firebird, so join us and replace your rusty, weakened, dented, bent,
warped, or damaged original subframe with one of these faithful reproductions from AMD.
Price: $1,799.95
UNIQUE VALVE COVERS
Clayton Machine Works (CMW)
256/489-2450
www.claytonmachine.com
CMWs design goal for these covers was to avoid the bulky, stuck-on ap-
pearance of conventional PCV valves and breathers. To achieve that, the
PCV and breather hide under a nearly ush-mounted elliptical design
element. For easy customization, the centersections of the covers are
removable for painting, polishing, plating, or the addition of CMWs own
carbon-ber panel. The polished aluminum valve covers include the
breather and PCV assemblies and will clear roller rockers. Versions for
center-bolt SBC applications are also available.
Price: $285.00

QUICK TEST
DURACELL DAYLITE LED
FLASHLIGHT
It takes a lot to make a flashlight newsworthy, but after spending
some time with the Daylite LED, wed say Duracell has created some-
thing significantly useful. Sure the body is a nice shock- and water-
resistant anodized aluminum case, but its the TrueBeam LED Tech-
nology that makes the difference. Thanks to a new lens and reflector
design, the TrueBeam captures nearly 100 percent of the ultrabright
LEDs output to project a dark-spotless beam thats brighter and
whiter than you can find in any other flashlight on the market, accord-
ing to Duracell. Trust us, it makes all the difference under a shadowy
dashboard and will make most other flashlights seem like theyre
lighted by fireflies. Duracell Daylite is available at most large drug and
hardware stores nationwide for $24.99. CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL
SOURCE
DURACELL; www.duracell.com/daylite
BRAIDED BRAKE HOSE KITS
Classic Tube
800/882-3711
www.classictube.com
Classic Tube has DOT-approved, StopFlex braided stainless steel hose kits
for nearly everything from 60s muscle cars to new Vettes, but individual
hoses can also be made to spec for custom applications. StopFlex hoses
are signicantly stronger than stock hoses thanks to Teon liners, a
Kevlar braid covered with stainless steel braid, and crimp/swage ttings.
The result is no volumetric expansion in the hose under pressure, which
results in a much rmer pedal feel and increased braking efciency.
Price: Varies by application
TEST AND TUNE
RADIX RETRO SUPER-
CHARGER FOR LS SERIES
Magna Charger
866/534-6417
www.magnacharger.com
Magna Chargers new MP1900 TVS Radix Retro kit for 03 to 09
4.8L, 5.3L, and 6.0L engines found in 1500- and 2500-series
Silverados, Sierras, Suburbans, Avalanches, and Yukons uses
the same Eaton four-lobe, high-helix rotor technology found
in the new LS9 Corvette and 09 Cadillac CTS-V. Simply stated,
this new blower requires less than 1 hp to drive, moves much
more air, has cooler discharge temps, and is much quieter than
previous models. In fact, on top of up to 120hp and 120-lb-ft
gains, Magna Chargers testing has shown a slight fuel mileage
improvement at steady speed cruise. The Radix Retro system
comes complete with everything you need for installation,
carries a three-year warranty, and is 50-state legal for select
99 to 06 models.
Price: Starting at $5,677.88
SRT8 DIRECT FIT
STREET DUAL
Ram Automotive Co.
803/788-6034
www.ramclutches.com
Ram Automotive has a new twin-plate high-performance clutch
and ywheel assembly for Hemi Challenger R/T and SRT8 models,
and its ready to take some punishment without punishing
your left leg. The Direct Fit Street Dual weighs a whopping 15
pounds less than stock due to a billet aluminum ywheel, and
it has twin friction discs that provide 2,400 pounds of clamp
loadenough to manage up to 1,000 rwhpyet it maintains
near-stock pedal effort.
Price: $1,450.00 organic disc, $1,630.00 metallic disc
QUICK TEST
ROAD MICE
Tired of boring little amorphous computer mice? Road Mice has the
answer with its new line of muscle car wireless optical mice. Far from
the typical el-cheapo junk that does no justice to the real machines,
these mice are actually well built and surprisingly well-proportioned
representations of new Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers, and Z06 Vettes.
Combine that with the unexpectedly ergonomic roof lines and headlights
that blink with each click, and youve got a cool addition to a car guys
computer. The only drawback weve found so far is the irresistible urge
to make revving and tire-screeching sounds while moving the mouse
around. Road Mice are PC and Mac compatible and retail for $44.95.
CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL
SOURCE
FOUR DOOR MEDIA; Dana Point, CA; 408/227-6423; www.roadmice.com
TEST AND TUNE
BUDGET BILLET COILOVERS
Aldan Eagle Shock Absorber Co.
310/834-7478
www.aldaneagle.com
These solid billet coilovers from Aldan Eagle are American-made with Ameri-
can materials and yet are somehow still budget oriented. Budget doesnt
mean you give up features, however; the rebuildable shocks are nitrogen-
charged and offer a choice of polyurethane or spherical end mounts.
Aldan has more than 17 different spring rates to complement them in
11.5-, 14-, or 16.5-inch lengths.
Price: Starting at $329.95 per pair with springs
STAGE 2 COLD AIR INTAKE
FOR CHALLENGERS
Advanced Flow Engineering (AFE)
951/493-7100
www.afepower.com
Advanced Flow Engineerings stage 2 air intake systems utilize roto-molded plastic intake tubes de-
signed to maximize air velocity and an 18-gauge powdercoated heat shield to improve horsepower,
torque, and throttle response. Two versions are available: No. 54-10712 includes AFEs Pro-5R lter,
which utilizes ve layers of progressive cotton media, while No. 51-10712 includes the synthetic
Pro Dry S lter, which requires no oil to recharge. Both install using factory mounting locations, and
thanks to 66 percent more potential airow, AFEs testing showed an increase of 10 hp and 16 lb-ft.
Price: $371.73 for 51-10712, $377.98 for 54-10712
ANALOG
WIDE-BAND
AIR/FUEL
GAUGES
AEM
310/484-2322
www.aempower.com
For those who dont like digital, AEM has
released an analog version of its popular
wide-band air/fuel gauge. The gauge has a
0- to 5-volt analog output for use with all
common data loggers and virtually any
engine management system and uses a
Bosch sensor thats accurate to 0.1 AFR. The
backlighting is adjustable to seven colors
(white, blue, green, red, orange, light blue,
and aqua) to help it blend with most factory
gauge clusters. When youre ready for more
input, AEM will soon have matching analog
boost, EGT, water temp, oil temp, fuel pres-
sure, and oil pressure.
Price: $265.00
I am running a 60 Cadillac in my Allard and just
installed a Joe Hunt self-contained electronic
ignition (magneto look-alike). The timing light
shows 10 degrees initial and sounds right,
but when I run up the rpm, the light goes way
past my mark at 32 degrees, all the way up
to 170 or 180 degrees. Thats an impossible
place for the engine to run. I reviewed an old
Sears Timing Light Instruction Sheet and as
suggested, moved the pickup on the wire to
plug No. 1 as close to the distributor as pos-
sible. The advance at rpm then went up to 50
or 60 degrees. I got the same result with two
different digital timing lights. Joe Hunt Tech
states that there is 22 degrees centrifugal in
the distributor, period, and that advance is not
adjustable. Why am I getting these inaccurate
readings? How can I get an accurate reading?
David Watson
Lititz, PA
Dont use a digital timing light. Most digital
dial-back timing lights (typically identified by
an LED readout) are notoriously inaccurate
when used with solid-core plug wires, as well
as with many high-output aftermarket igni-
tion systems (MSD being a prime example).
Apparently, the digital lights get confused by
random electrical-pulse bleed-over. Westech
Performance, which does a lot of HOT RODs
dyno testing, has encountered this problem
before. It suggests using either an older-style
analog dial-back light (usually identified by a
regular dial on its back face instead of the LED)
or a basic nondial-back light. Westech uses
the following two lights, both of which it says
have been proven reliable even with the most
extreme high-output ignition systems: an old
Sears Craftsman Model 21023 with a rotary
dial or (for nondial-back usage) MSDs PN
8990. To prevent false triggering with any tim-
ing light, its always good practice to keep the
No. 1 cylinder wire well separated from other
spark plug wires and to make sure the wires to
WACKY TIMING
By Marlan Davis
the timing lights inductive pickup also do not
pass near any of the plug wires.
SOURCES
BARON RACING EQUIPMENT; Woodland Hills, CA; 818/702-
0043
JOE HUNT MAGNETOS; Rancho Cordova, CA; 916/635-
5387; www.huntmagnetos.com
MSD IGNITION; El Paso, TX; 915/857-5200 (general) or
915/855-7123 (tech); www.msdignition.com
SEARS HOLDINGS CORP.; Hoffman Estates, IL; 800/MY-
SEARS; www.sears.com
TOM ROBERTS DESIGNS; Ventura, CA; 805/644-8899;
www.tr-designs.com
WESTECH PERFORMANCE GROUP; Mira Loma, CA;
951/685-4767; www.westechperformance.com
DISPLACEMENT
VS. TORQUE
What is the relationship between engine
displacement and peak torque rpm? For
example, if I have a strong but well-mannered
V-8 and increase its displacement with a
stroker kit, what is going to happen to the
shape and placement of the torque curves?
For the purpose of this example, all other
aspectsincluding the cam, heads, intake
manifold, headers, compression ratio, and so
onremain the same. I am not asking about
any increasesjust where it will move in the
rpm range (if at all).
I think the peak is going to move to a lower
rpm with more displacement. My reasoning is
that the increased displacement will increase
the airflow through the intake manifold, which
would increase the cylinder filling at a lower
rpm. But the increased airflow would also
increase the restriction, and it would hit its
> Opposite: This Tony Baronbuilt 59A Ford flathead V-8 is also destined for an Allard that com-
petes in vintage sports car racing. The aluminum Baron heads and Tom Roberts front cover are
OK, but per the rules, the 245hp/280-lb-ft mill is sparked by an old-school mag. Want old-school
looks with modern high-output spark? Consider Joe Hunts electronic distributor.
flow limit at a lower rpm as well. The result is,
while the bigger engine will probably be mak-
ing more power at a high rpm compared with
the smaller-displacement version, it would be
starting on the downward side of its power
curve earlier as well.
Mike Peissner
San Diego, CA
In general, a normally aspirated engines
torque potential is very closely tied to its dis-
placement. If the engine is not cylinder head
limited, as swept volume increases, there
should be more cylinder filling on the intake
stroke and therefore more thrust on the pis-
ton during the power stroke, generating addi-
tional torque. If the displacement increase
does not translate into a torque increase, the
engine is probably being held back in the cam
or cylinder head department.
On a typical dual-purpose hot rod engine,
if the stroke changes but overall engine
displacement remains the same (by decreas-
ing bore diameter), the amount of torque at
the peak wont change significantly. But the
short-stroke engines torque peak will usually
occur at a higher rpm. Because horsepower is
a function of torque output times rpm, if the
heads and cam are not otherwise a limiting
factor, the short-stroke engine should have a
higher top end power potential, albeit at the
expense of the extreme bottom end.
Keeping these basics in mind, lets examine
your hypothetical case of two engines of dif-
ferent displacement where any displacement
change is solely by means of a change in
stroke and all other aspects remain the same.
In reality, not all aspects can remain the
same: Rod length and/or piston compression
SEND STUFF IN: EMAIL: PITSTOP@HOTROD.com MAIL: HOT ROD, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048
PHOTO REQUIREMENTS: Minimum size 1,600 x 1,200 pixels MESSAGE BOARD: HOTROD.com
TECH Q&A
HOTROD.COM
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PIT STOP
negatively impact piston stability, increasing
piston rock, which in turn may call for addi-
tional piston-to-bore clearance. But for the
purposes of this comparison, well assume all
this stuff remains the same.
Dave Ebbert of DNE Motorsports Develop-
ment has some old-school, DOS-based,
analysis software that he says models with
a high confidence level what happens due to
a stroke change. He ran two cases for me: a
small-block and a big-block. One cautionary
note is that as stroke increases, so does
the rotating assemblys mass engine speed.
For any rotating assembly, there is a max
safe theoretical rotating assembly rpm, the
point at which what Ebbert terms the critical
tension number is reached, when the loads
imparted to the rotating assembly exceed
4,350 g (4,350 times the force of gravity).
Peak tension always occurs at TDC because
of the reversal of load. Above this point, even
with very good parts, things tend to fly apart
(such as the caps pulling off the connecting
rod). The torque and power must peak below
distance, as well as rotating assembly weight,
will also change within the same engine block
from any change in stroke. To max out an
engines capabilities, the base cam event tim-
ing versus the stroke, the rod length, and the
head characteristics would also most likely
change. For example, even if only the piston
pin location is altered to accommodate the
stroke increase without changing the piston
skirts overall shape, the piston ends up drop-
ping further out of the bottom of the cylinder
bore at bottom dead center (BDC). This could
> Need more torque? Increase engine size. Power should follow the
torque increase, provided the cam and heads dont become limiting
factors. Equipped with the same heads and cam, this World Products
540ci Rat gained 67 lb-ft over its 31ci smaller brother but made just
13 more peak horsepower, pointing to the need for a larger cam and
heads.
> Dont count on a cam change to yield significant torque changes.
Once cam duration exceeds about 236 degrees (at 0.050), the
engine wont make any more peak torque. The larger cams just
raise peak torque to a higher point in the rpm range. Here, Westech
Performance tested two Comp solid roller cams on an otherwise
identical Ford 393 crate engine.
350
420
490
560
630
700
6
,
2
0
0
5
,
8
0
0
5
,
4
0
0
5
,
0
0
0
4
,
6
0
0
4
,
2
0
0
3
,
8
0
0
3
,
4
0
0
3
,
0
0
0
TORQUE OUTPUT VS. CRANKSHAFT STROKE
This table illustrates the theoretical changes in the torque and power outputs of typical small- and big-block Chevy engines due to an increase in
stroke (cylinder-bore size remaining unchanged). The data are based on sophisticated computer modeling simulations conducted by Dave Ebbert at
DNE Motorsports Development. Except as noted, all dimensional data are in linear inches.
SMALL-BLOCK BIG-BLOCK
Displacement
355 CI 383 CI 467 CI 496 CI
Compression ratio 10:1 10:1 10:1 10:1
Bore Stroke 4.030 3.48 4.030 3.75 4.310 4.0 4.310 4.25
Rod length 5.7 5.7 6.135 6.135
Rod/stroke ratio 1.638:1 1.520:1 1.534:1 1.444:1
Bore/stroke ratio 1.158:1 1.075:1 1.078:1 1.014:1
Piston compres-
sion distance
1.850 1.445 1.645 1.520
Max piston speed 6,529 ft/min at
75 degrees ATDC
6,529 ft/min at
74 degrees ATDC
6,421 ft/min at
74 degrees ATDC
6,421 ft/min at
73 degrees ATDC
Critical tension 9,546 rpm 9,114 rpm 8,277 rpm 7,969 rpm
Intake port flow 240 cfm 240 cfm 270 cfm 300 cfm 370 cfm 270 cfm 290 cfm
Output at peak
torque
409 lb-ft/404 hp
at 5,191 rpm
442 lb-ft/403 hp
at 4,783 rpm
539 lb-ft/453 hp
at 4,415 rpm
543 lb-ft/507 hp
at 4,905 rpm
551 lb-ft/634 hp
at 6,050 rpm
575 lb-ft/452 hp
at 4,129 rpm
577 lb-ft/487 hp
at 4,435 rpm
Output at peak
power
380 lb-ft/496 hp
at 6,852 rpm
412 lb-ft/495 hp
at 6,314 rpm
502 lb-ft/557 hp
at 5,827 rpm
505 lb-ft/622 hp
at 6,475 rpm
512 lb-ft/779 hp
at 7,986 rpm
535 lb-ft/555 hp
at 5,450 rpm
537 lb-ft/598 hp
at 5,854 rpm
HOTROD.COM
you find this to be a problem, or did you have
to make modifications?
Eric Schisler
St. Charles, IL
The advantage of using a factory-style
hydraulic-roller lifter retained by a valley
hold-down plate (aka the spider) is that these
mass-production items are widely available
and much less expensive than retrofit-style
the critical tension rpm or the engine wont
live long and prosper.
The small-block model compares a 355
Chevy (4.030-inch bore x 3.48-inch stroke)
with a 383 Chevy (4.030-inch bore x 3.75-
inch stroke). It assumes a 10:1 compression
ratio, 5.7-inch center-to-center connecting
rods, intake ports that flow 240 cfm at 28
inches of water, and a generic flat-tappet
cam. As can be seen from the accompanying
table, the total torque output increased by
more than 30 lb-ft, with the torque peak point
occurring about 400 rpm lower. Both engines
made nearly the same power but at different
rpms. With the longer stroke, the torque and
power peaks moved close together.
At this point, a professional engine builder
assembling the long-stroke combination
would try to reduce engine friction and/or
move more air through the engine by chang-
ing the cam timing and cylinder head to
maintain the original power peak rpm point,
assuming that rpm point is not the same as
the critical tension rpm (which it isnt here). If
by swapping parts, the builder can maintain
the same power peak rpm, the long-stroke
engine would ultimately make more power.
The big-block Chevy model compares
a 467ci Rat (4.310-inch bore x 4.00-inch
stroke) with a 496 (4.310-inch bore x 4.250-
inch stroke), using 10:1 compression, heads
with intake ports that flow about 270 cfm at
25 inches of water, and a generic flat-tappet
cam. The long-stroke engine peaked around
300 rpm lower, producing about 35 lb-ft more
torque at that point. Total power output was
again nearly the same, but the point at which
peak power occurs dropped about 350 rpm
lower on the long-stroke engine.
Additional sims indicate that throwing ever-
larger heads on a 467 still wont get its torque
peak number up to the 496s level, confirming
that torque potential is closely tied to dis-
placement. The bigger heads move the torque
peak to a higher rpm, which increases horse-
power at the expense of low-end driveability.
Conversely, getting the 496s torque peak to
occur at the same rpm as the original 280-
cfm head on the 468 is doable by installing a
head with 290-cfm intake port flowwhich
again also raises the top-end power.
SOURCES
DNE MOTORSPORTS DEVELOPMENT; Costa Mesa, CA;
949/631-3781
WESTECH PERFORMANCE GROUP; Mira Loma, CA;
951/685-4767; www.westechperformance.com
WORLD PRODUCTS; Ronkonkoma, NY; 631/981-1918;
www.worldcastings.com
THE MUTT REVISITED
I am building a Ford 351C using some of the
details from the web-posted article The Mutt
as a guide. I am going with a hydraulic roller
lifter cam but am concerned with using the
Ford Racing roller lifter specified on the build-
sheet. I spoke to Ford Racing, and the com-
pany indicated that this lifter will not line up
correctly with the Cleveland oil passage. Did
The next
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MOUNTING
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W
Air Ride Technologies
350 '. ' . C|a| | es ' . I aspe|, l N 47546 812-481-4755
PIT STOP
long before factory roller cams were intro-
duced. The premium, most bulletproof solu-
tion is stepping up to the pricey aftermarket
retrofit-paired guidebar lifters (such as Comp
Cams PN 8931-16).
To use the more economical factory OEM-
style lifters (such as Comp PN 851-16) with
a spider-and-guide retrofit kit (Comp PN
31-1000), youll need to have the cam ground
on a reduced base circle. This is what KT
Engines did on The Mutt buildup. Because
on a reduced-base-circle cam the lifter starts
out lower in the lifter bore, the lifters oil
groove wont rise out the top of the bore at full
lift. The downside is that valvetrain geometry
requires correction with an adjustable valve-
train and custom-length pushrods, which will
have to be determined during initial engine
mockup. There are also theoretical durability
issues: A reduced-base-circle cam billet is
thinner, so theres more core flex and each
lobe sees higher point and pressure loading.
The stock Ford cam base circle is larger than
the small-block Chevy, which in theory makes
a Ford cam stronger and also permits grind-
ing quicker lobe profiles not otherwise obtain-
able on a Chevy; so, again in theory, by reduc-
ing the base circle, you are giving up some
of the supposed advantages of a Ford over a
Chevy. In the non-pro-racer world, these are
not critical issues. Remember, too, that really
big-lift, full-race cams must be ground on a
reduced base circle so they can physically fit
through the blocks cam journal bores.
There have been some changes since the
The Mutt article was written. Crane Cams
has reorganized and currently sells only
motorcycle parts. Ford Cleveland heads flow
much better on the intake than the exhaust,
so a dual-pattern grind is preferable to the
originally specified 234-degree-duration,
single-pattern cam. Consider a Comp Cams
custom profile based on its SFI lobe series:
No. 3016 for the intake side (230 degrees
duration at 0.050, 0.612-inch valve lift with
1.7:1 rockers); No. 3037 on the exhaust
(236 degrees duration, 0.607-inch lift). For
a carbureted engine, have the cam ground
on a 110-degree LSA and install it 4 degrees
advanced (106-degree intake centerline).
Im told Cleveland hydraulic roller cams
have become popular enough that (unless
otherwise specified) its now standard prac-
tice at Comp to grind them all on a reduced
base circle to avoid any potential problems
but it never hurts to make sure when ordering
that its indeed the case. In Comps nomencla-
ture, if ordering a custom-ground Ford cam,
appending an S to the lobe profile (as
in 3016S) specifies a reduced base circle
aftermarket paired guidebarstyle lifters. In
the case of Ford specifically, the downside is
that factory Ford 5.0L/5.8L Windsor small-
blocks intended for use with factory hydraulic
roller lifters and cams have taller lifter bosses
than previous Ford small-blocks to fully sup-
port the taller factory hydraulic-roller lifters.
The new lifters oil groove and hole are located
higher up on the lifter body than the original
flat-tappet configuration or the retrofit
aftermarket guidebar-style roller lifter. Install-
ing the factory roller lifters in preroller-cam
factory blocks running larger cams ground
on the stock base circle could cause the lifter
to rise so high in the boss that its oil hole is
uncovered. There are no OEM Cleveland or
Modified blocks with the taller lifter bosses,
as production of that engine family ended
RPO LG8 (VIN J), the modern version
of the 3.1L (191ci) 60-degree V-6, is found
in larger cars, typically the 00-03 Pontiac
Grand Prix SE and Chevy Malibu, the 01-
02 Chevy Lumina, and the 00-05 Buick
Century. Rated output ranged from 170 to
175 hp and 190 to 195 lb-ft. Although a solid,
dependable grocery-getter, the pushrod
3.1L V-6 is nothing to write home about; the
DOHC Ecotec has much more performance
Anythings possible, but is it practical? Along
with the Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiacs Sunfire
is a member of GMs third-generation J-body.
Only four-cylinder engines were factory-
installed in these cars. The 96-02 Sunfire
GT used the 2.4L (146ci) RPO LD9, a DOHC
Quad-4 variant with twin balance shafts rated
at 150 hp and 155 lb-ft. In 03, the Ecotec was
introduced: Your 2.2L (134ci) Ecotec variant
carries a 140hp/150 lb-ft rating.
cam; an F suffix would designate
a standard, nonreduced base circle.
Meanwhile, KT Engines continues to refine
the basic 400M-based engine package.
Instead of using the originally specified
Chrysler 340 pistons and small-block Chevy
connecting rods, it says it now prefers an
Eagle 4.25-inch stroker crank for a 351W
Ford/400M-size main journals and Chevy 2.1-
inch rod journals, Eagle Chevy LS1 rods with
up to a 6.560-inch center-to-center length,
and KTs own custom piston or a Diamond
Racing Boss 302 piston (typically, with about
a 1.600-inch piston compression distance
with a 6.560-length rod in a 400M block).
The Eagle crank drops right into a 351M/400
block, and the lightweight unit is internally
balanced. On a 4.040-inch bore 400M, dis-
placement moves up to 436 ci (instead of
431 ci with the previous 4.2-inch stroke). The
Eagle LS1 rod has a stronger beam, is lighter,
and clears everything better. Similar big stro-
kers can also be built up from 351C or 351W
blocks using Eagle cranks and rods with cus-
tom pistons. Contact KT Engines for further
information on these refined combos.
Another drawback of the original buildup
was the 400M-style, low-rise, dual-plane
intake. Theres a very limited selection of
tall-deck 400 intakes, compared to the many
available 351C manifolds. Price Motorsport
offers adapter plates to adapt 351C Cleveland
intakes for use on 351M/400 blocks.
SOURCES
COMP CAMS; Memphis, TN; 800/999-0853 (tech) or
901/795-2400 (general); www.compcams.com
DIAMOND RACING PRODUCTS; Clinton Township, MI;
877/552-2112 or 586/792-6620;
www.diamondracing.net
EAGLE SPECIALTY PRODUCTS INC.; Southaven, MS;
662/796-7373; www.eaglerod.com
FORD RACING PERFORMANCE PARTS; Dearborn, MI; 800/
FORD-788; www.fordracingparts.com
KT ENGINE DEVELOPMENT; Concord, NC; 704/784-2610;
www.ktenginedev.com (website under development)
PRICE MOTORSPORT ENGINEERING INC.; Hope, IN;
812/546-4220; www.pricemotorsport.com
V-6 IN SUNFIRE
I own an 03 Pontiac Sunfire. I was wondering
if it would be possible to swap out the stock
2.2L Ecotec for the later model Sunfire GT 3.1L
V-6. Will this motor bolt right up, or will I have
to modify the engine mounts? Will it bolt up
to the automatic transmission? If you have
any suggestions for an easier swap or similar
motor as far as performance I would also
greatly appreciate the feedback.
Theo Wendt
Hugo, MN
PIT STOP
potential and hot rod parts availability.
Because the 3.1L V-6 was not offered
stock in your chassis, custom fabrication
skills would be needed to install it. Front-
end weight with the V-6s iron block and
aluminum heads would increase over your
all-aluminum four-banger. The Ecotec and
GM 3.1L V-6 have different trans mounting
patterns, so your existing trans wont bolt
up, either. As is the case with any late-model
swap, a knowledge of wiring, electronics,
and computer interface is needed. A typi-
cal cross-platform FWD (front-wheel-drive)
GM swap involves grabbing the entire front
engine and transaxle (aka the powertrain
assembly), the front cradle, the computer,
and the wiring harness from the donor vehi-
cle, then trying to figure out how to graft all
this into the receiver vehicle. You should have
access to the complete factory service manu-
als and wiring diagrams for both vehicles.
In my opinion, this is way too much effort
to gain a measly 30 hp. Instead, keep what
you have and install a GM Performance Parts
supercharger kit on the 2.0L engine (GM kit
PN 17800003 fit the 03-05 Cavalier and Sun-
fire). This will raise output over 200 hp with-
out the need for a time-consuming, expensive
engine swap. GMs kit includes all necessary
hard parts, but your GM dealer still has to
reflash the computer. There are also complete
supercharged and turbocharged Ecotecs
from later cars, but this could require the later
wiring harness, fuel system, and computer.
And most were only offered with a manual
trans. For more information on hopping the
Ecotec, see HOT ROD, July 07, Ecotec to Go.
SOURCE
GM PERFORMANCE PARTS; Grand Blanc, MI; 800/577-
6888 (nearest dealer) or 800/450-4150 (general ques-
tions); www.gmperformanceparts.com
BLOWN ZZ4
SPARK PLUGS
I am writing regarding the article about a
supercharged GM 350 crate ZZ4 engine
(ZZ4 Power Boost, Mar. 09). I am putting
this motor together the way the article was
written, but I have come across one small
problem: There is no such spark plug as the
nonprojected Autolite No. 3935 you used. I
want to put the motor together the way you
did it. What is the correct plug?
Thomas First
St. Peters, MO
The supercharged motor needed a colder
plug than those offered in Autolites standard
street series, so we used an Autolite race plug
that may not be listed in its standard catalog:
PN AR3935 has a
5
8-inch hex, -inch reach,
and a gasket seat. If you cant find the plugs
locally, Jegs sells them for $2.69 each (as of
July 2009). Competitive alternatives include
a Champion C63C or an NGK R5671A-7.
SOURCES
AUTOLITE, HONEYWELL CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP;
Danbury, CT; 800/890-2075; www.autolite.com
CHAMPION SPARK PLUGS, FEDERAL-MOGUL CORP.; South-
field, MI; 866/265-4170; www.federalmogul.com
JEGS HIGH PERFORMANCE; Delaware, OH; 800/345-4545;
www.jegs.com
NGK SPARK PLUGS (U.S.A.) INC.; Wixom, MI; 877/473-6767
or 248/926-6900; www.ngksparkplugs.com
Lokar Performance Products
10924 Murdock Drive - knoxviIIe, 7N 37932
Toll Free 1-877-469-7440
(865) 966-2269 - Iax (865) 671-1999
cataIog@Iokar.com - tech@Iokar.com - www.Iokar.com
7H
IOR QUALI7Y
FjVaînEaV^cH^beaZ
2009 Lokar, Inc.

| Lokar Shifter
knob Adapters
Pat.
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| IIoor Mount Automatic
7ransmission Shifter
| Hi-7ech 7hrottIe CabIe
| LS1 7hrottIe CabIe 8racket -
Single Stud Shown
NEW!
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| MuscIe Car PedaIs for 55-57 Chevy,
Corvette, Camaro/Iirebird, Chevy II,
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ChrysIer A-8ody Dart/Cuda
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h. Total 842,431 834,548
i. Percent Paid 98.4% 98.2%
16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Publication required.
Will be printed in the Dec. 09 issue of this publication.
17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager,
or Owner
Date:10/01/09 Thomas Slater, VP Marketing
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete.
I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on
this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may
be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or
civil sanctions (including civil penalties).
No other racing gasoline offers you the speed, technical
support or track experience that Rockett Brand
TM
provides.
Visit www.RockettBrand.com or call (800) 345-0076 today
for performance data sheets and a listing of dealers near you.
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HOT ROD (ISSN 0018-6031), December 2009; Vol. 62, No. 12. Copyright 2009 by Source Interlink Magazines, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Published monthly by Source Interlink Media, LLC, 261 Madison Ave., 5th Floor,
New York, NY 10016. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing ofces. Canada Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Bleuchip
International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Canada. Subscription rates for 1 year (12 issues): U.S., APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions $20.00. Canada $32.00 (price includes surface mail postage to Canada and
GST-Reg. # 87209 3125 RT0001). All other countries $44.00. *Trademark registered. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to HOT ROD, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.
Not sure what your hot rodder wants under the
tree this year? Well, at least you can put these on
the tree. Monster Rides Ornaments are inspired
by popular street and track rods directly from the
covers of HOT ROD magazine. Each captures the
personality of the legends with an exaggeration
and sense of motion. Crafted in cold-cast resin
and hand-painted with great attention to detail,
each ornament comes in a full-color window box.
Twelve styles are available at $9.95 each in
3x2-inch sizes on average. Visit www.monster-
rides.com to see and order them all.
GEARHEAD
GIFT GIVING
HOT ROD FLEX
AT BVILLE
Weve racked up more than 10,000 miles this
year with the HOT ROD Flex, and among the ven-
ues we traveled to was the 61
st
annual Speed
Week at Bonneville. While Freiburger would have
much rather been racing and protecting his SCTA
records, he did get to travel in comfort with Sirius
XM satellite radio, which made the trip from SoCal
bearable. Visit www.fordvehicles.com/cross
overs/flex to check out how you can deck out
your Flex. Copying our red suede look will have to
be a custom effort, though.
As we noted in our coverage of the 09 HOT ROD
Drags presented by Flowmaster mufflers, as well
as in Where It All Began, the storied history of the
original Riverside Raceway HOT ROD Magazine
Championship Drags shows the rich heritage of
the relationship between HOT ROD magazine and
the NHRA. Now, MightyImage Collectibles is
proud to offer these heritage metal signs using
the original artwork from the first HOT ROD Drags
in 1964 and the sixth HOT ROD Drags held in
1969. The 1964 sign measures approximately
8x14 inches and retails for only $21. The 1969
sign measures approximately 12x18 inches with
a $25 retail price. To view the full assortment of
HOT ROD licensed collectibles from MightyImage,
visit www.pasttimesigns.com or call 619/562-
5264 to order or find a retailer near you.
RETRO HOT ROD DRAGS
HOT ROD
CAMARO 3.0
If going hard-core on the 10 Camaro is what you
are really after, coming soon, well heat things up
several notches as Jud Massingill and the stu-
dents of the School of Automotive Machinists
(SAM) in Houston take their 10 Camaro SS man-
ual six-speed to full drag competition form.
Impressed with Juds solid 8-second perfor-
mance with the SAM naturally aspirated fourth-
gen Camaro, we cooked up a plan at the 08
SEMA show for a fast 10 Camaro with a Shearer
Fabricationbuilt twin-turbo setup. Jud and the
SAM students and faculty are now preparing for
the effort. Shown here with the SAM/HOT ROD
Camaro are (back row) Keith Nix, Andrew Bishop,
Tyler Smith, Tim Locascio, Barry Hill, and Blake
Baucom. In the front row, left to right, are instruc-
tor Tim Markowski, SAMs admission administra-
tor, David Saunders, instructor Chris Bennett, Jon-
athan Waitt, Spencer Allen, Percell Davis, Jason
Ritter, Dean Underwood, Dan Davis, Grant Tillman,
Asa Clancy, Andy Bomkamp, Justin Booth, Mike
Beachel, Rob Figueroa, Joseph Almaguer, Kodie
Wilson, Jason Kelsay, Kyle Bates, Rick Maczko,
Lalo Perez, and Mark Petovic. Stay tuned to HOT
ROD as well as www.samracing.com for the lat-
est updates on the Camaro as well as how you
can make your dreams of working for a top race
shop or engine builder a reality. For more infor-
mation, contact School of Automotive Machinists
at 713/683-3817.
COMING NEXT MONTH
HOT ROD D
The participants of HOT ROD Drag Week have become members of a
fraternity, returning year after year to race, drive, and repeat. The fifth run-
ning of the event will be told in glorious detail in next months issue. Who
will be the top dog, who will break, and who will get lost?
SEE THIS AND MUCH MORE
IN THE JAN.
HOT ROD MAGAZINE
On Sale November 17, 2009
Meanwhile, Get Your Car Fix at HOTROD.com
RAG WEEK
10
YearOne 2009
HR009
1-800-932-7663
Finish it right with parts that are unmatched in quality from
the most trusted supplier in the industry.
YearOne.com Log On Today!
Printed Catalogs
Mopar A-/B-/E-Body (1962-74)
YearOne SpeedShop
Online Only Catalog
PT Cruiser (2001-06)

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