Rivalry Resurrected at State of Speed LA: BMW VS. Mercedes

Summer is here and the heat is turning up, at least at Mays State of Speed LA where the age-old “BMW VS. Mercedes” was being contested once again. There were plenty of sick builds representing both sides, from classics to modern rides. While the theme this time was Mercs vs. Bimmers, they weren’t the only types of cars out for viewing pleasure. There were other EDM manufactures, muscle, and of course JDM.

…they weren’t the only types of cars out for viewing pleasure. There were other EDM manufactures, muscle, and of course JDM…

A big thanks to all who came to participate and those who came to enjoy the amazing cars on display. Stay tuned for the next State of Speed LA car show, we hope to see you there!

History Of The Dodge Charger: A Quick Look

Many muscle cars of the 1960’s all share a very similar story. While this decade is commonly referred to as the golden era of these fast, flexing street machines, there was a literal war between the companies designing and subsequently serving these cars as hot as possible to feed the market’s insatiable need for speed. 

The Dodge Charger wasn’t the first of these cars types to emerge from the drawing board. In fact, its very existence came in hopes to steal a share of the muscle market from General Motors and Ford, which had already achieved huge success on the streets with the 1964 release of the Pontiac GTO and Ford Mustang respectively. The younger audience that was buying these cars was hopped up on adrenaline, constantly scanning the horizon looking for the next big hit. In 1966, Dodge was there to enter a new horse in the race. 

The Charger came out sprinting to catch up to the frontrunners with four different V-8 engine offerings, one of which was the much-anticipated 426 Street Hemi mill. While the Dodge Charger displayed a strong initial showing during its first year of production, a slower-selling 1967 prompted the company to act fast. What happened next was an alteration to their approach in hopes to remain a viable competitor to the industry’s leading performance models. 

Little did Dodge know the impact said changes would make for the Charger’s second-generation success. At first glance, everyone who laid eyes on the car’s fresh redesign knew right away something big was about to happen. The sleek Coke bottle shape and integrated rear spoiler made the car look fast and capable before the key was even turned. Even today, the ’68-’70 Charger (namely the ’69) remains one of the most recognizable silhouettes in automotive history, as it has been forever immortalized with its multiple big screen appearances. 

…The sleek Coke bottle shape and integrated rear spoiler made the car look fast and capable before the key was even turned…

Backing up the Charger’s aggressively updated appearance, Dodge designated four big block V-8 powertrain options available for the coupe. The mild, entry-level 145-hp 3.7L I-6 was enough to make new-to-market drivers happy, but for the more wild at heart, two big V-8 engines were lying in wait to exponentially make things far more interesting. Buyers had a hell of a decision to make when starting at the 7.0L Hemi or the 7.2L Magnum power plants, but there was surely no losing with either selection. 

The third generation of the Charger received a second package redesign that was right on par with the looks of many other vehicles of the 1970s (think overly curvy), but lacking a longer lasting appeal that the previous gen had going for it. It was during this time that the Charger tells a shared tale of woes of other performance vehicles in the industry. Increasingly rising insurance premiums and gasoline prices proved to be major threats to the muscle car species as a whole. If that lethal combo wasn’t enough to take them out, the upcoming federal emissions regulations was sure to be certain death for their kind. 

Thankfully for Dodge, the Charger was still able to eek out some semblance of an existence until the end of the 1978 model year when it was taken out of production. Before the plug was pulled on it, the Charger had somehow appeared in the personal luxury car category. For the first time in the car’s history, performance output was not placed at center stage, and to be honest, neither was its styling with regards to today’s standards. The writing was definitely on the wall for the struggling Charger. 

…Increasingly rising insurance premiums and gasoline prices proved to be major threats to the muscle car species as a whole…

After the release of a Charger R/T concept car in 1999, which received good enough reviews, there weren’t any more whispers of the sleeping giant’s name in public again until 2005 when Dodge legitimately rereleased the car as a 2006 model year. The first question on everybody’s mind was quickly answered with authority—yes, this car was worth the wait! 

Even though there was some grumbling from a small sect of Charger ultra purists, the sedan version didn’t look bad—not at all. Even those who had something to say about the car’s extra two doors remained quiet when learning about the Charger’s top-end 6.1L Hemi V-8 SRT8 model—425 ponies and 420lbs-ft of torque will do that. 

A major overhaul came in 2011 for the Charger, which notably included aggressively restyled bodywork and a 6.4L Hemi-equipped SRT model. The car continued to evolve with the introduction of the SRT Hellcat model four years later. The Charger claimed a lot of bragging rights under this badging with the inclusion of a supercharged 707hp 6.2L Hemi attached to an 8-speed paddle-shifted ZF auto transmission. Yeah, those are big numbers, especially for a five-passenger sedan.

 It’s safe to say that 56 years after its inaugural release, there’s never been a more exciting time to own a Dodge Charger. 

A Quick-Hitting History Of The Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet’s Impala is an iconic nameplate that has been around since 1958 until 2020 when it was yanked from production for the second time. Throughout the years, and 10 generations later, this car has seen its fair share of restyling and reconfiguration to fit in with the auto industry’s ever-changing climate. 

First introduced to the world as the Bel Air Impala, the name itself designated itself as the top-of –the-line trim package for Chevy’s well-established, deluxe full-size car line. While the first example of the Impala was built to commemorate Chevy’s 50^th anniversary, it gained enough traction to become a stand-alone production model the very next year. 

Car fans fell in love with the styling of the ’58 Impala with its wide yet sleek appearance, but the factory quickly tweaked its appearance to give it a fresh identity that was all its own. In its second year and generation, the brand new Impala line featured exterior tail fins and teardrop shaped headlights, and sat atop of an X-frame chassis that promoted a lower ride height and had great structural integrity. The Impala was made available in multiple body variations such as a two-door hardtop or convertible and a four-door hardtop or sedan—the options were plentiful. 

While the Impala was quickly gaining popularity in its first couple years on the street, it wasn’t until the very start of the third generation in 1961 when things really got interesting when the release of the Super Sport performance package was first made available. While the SS model was available with many powertrain options to choose from, including Chevy’s brand-new 409ci 360hp V-8, which really allowed the Super Sport designation to live up to the hype. While upgraded performance gains were the major reason consumers opted for this premium badging, its many plush interior features and heavier-duty chassis components were also just as desirable. 

The exterior packaging changed again during the Impala’s third generation, and overall, the car became boxier than before. The new look of this particular redesign has had long-lasting power and is one of today’s most popular selections for restorations and full custom rebuilds throughout the car’s history. You’ve most likely seen Impalas of this vintage cruising in music videos or heard about rolling in a ‘six-four’ on the radio a time or two before. 

…this particular redesign has had long-lasting power and is one of today’s most popular selections for restorations and full custom rebuilds…

While the fourth generation saw its own redesign, which brought a more sleek and modern aesthetic to the Impala’s exterior, it also represented the car’s seeming most popular iteration to date for car buyers of the era, as it sold over a million units alone in 1965. Another interesting happening during this generation was the dropping of the availability of the wagon option in 1969, which had been a great family-friendly package from ’65-’68. 

During 1971-1976, the Impala once again went through another major appearance overhaul, while still offering the outstanding comfort and interior space consumers had come to associate with the nameplate. It was also during this time that the Feds began cracking down on emissions regulations, which in turn directly led to dramatically lower performance offerings being made available. These limitations were not specifically unique to the Impala, or the Chevy brand for that matter—the strain was felt all throughout the automotive industry.

…It was also during this time that the Feds began cracking down on emissions regulations, which in turn directly led to dramatically lower performance offerings being made available…

After going though yet another repackaging starting in 1977, the Impala’s sixth generation saw the car’s retirement from production in 1985. The premium Caprice package trim, which had proved to be popular in years past, began outselling the Impala as a sports coupe, yet the sedan Impala was still a popular selection for families during this period. Either way, the Impala was out, and the Caprice was given a chance to run as its own model.  

When the Impala became a fond memory, there were no plans to bring it back until almost a decade later in 1994. This 7^th generation only lasted two years in production, but since this release was strictly an SS model equipped with a decent 5.7L 260hp LT1 power plant, critics weren’t overly thrilled with the four-speed automatic transmission that was made the only option available. While the upgraded suspension setup was praised, however, this version didn’t have the right moves to hold the market’s attention for long. 

After being sidelined yet again, the Impala took another breather for another four years until it was revived again in 2000. This time, it remained on the street until it was recently canned once more in 2020. This most recent run spanned two whole decades that proved to be rather influential throughout the years as it hung around at the top as Chevrolet’s luxury full-size car offering. 

Many wonder if the Impala will make yet another return. It’s hard to count this car out, as it has been sent to pasture multiple times only to be roped back into production rotation. If the car does come back, it’ll be interesting to see what it will look like and what kind of new features it’ll be flexing. If the Impala does remain in extinction this time, it will remain near and dear in the hearts of millions of car enthusiasts.  

Then & Now: A Quick Look At The Dodge Challenger’s Past & Present

With so much buzz given to the Hellcat and Demon trim packages these days, it sometimes seems like there is somewhat of a disconnect from the Dodge Challenger of the early 1970’s. While the level of excitement surrounding the modern muscle car currently sits at an all-time high, the beginning stages of Dodge’s entry into the pony car scene some 52 years ago weren’t much more than hopes based on performance-centric auto market predictions.

Introduced to the market in 1969 as a 1970 model, the OG Dodge Challenger showed up as the new kid on the block to those into manufacturer-tuned performance cars. With the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro already well established names during the golden era of the American muscle car segment, the Challenger was originally designed to be a worthy and capable stable mate for Plymouth’s Barracuda to help take on the competition.

…the Challenger was originally designed to be a worthy and capable stable mate for Plymouth’s Barracuda…

While the Challenger did its part of raising awareness of Chrysler-branded performance cars, it also simultaneously carved out its own devout fan base rather quickly in its short production run. When it was first introduced, the Challenger won so many consumers over based on the sheer amount of customizations available to buyers at dealerships nationwide.

The Challenger boasted a wide range of powertrain selections to admire from a modest 225ci 144hp inline six engine to a 440-cubic inch 390hp V-8 power plant, the car was made available in a total of nine total engine configurations to perfectly suit the many types of owners looking to bring one home.

To build upon the Challenger’s generous powertrain menu, the first generation was originally offered in either a two-door hardtop or convertible model with trim packages ranging from the base platform Special Edition (SE), mid-level Road/Track (R/T), and a limited edition Trans-Am (T/A) model that was one of the first production vehicles to offer staggered front and rear tire sizes while meeting the qualifications for legit Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans-Am racing. The Challenger also had one of the most impressive number of color palettes in the industry of paint codes to select from as well.

It was an exciting time for Chrysler, and even more so for fans of the Challenger specifically. The car’s appeal to gear heads, as well as to folks simply looking for a sporty car to drive was nearly immediate. But like all good things, the Challenger’s future was snuffed out all too quickly in 1974. The hike in insurance premiums during that time, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, along with a worldwide gasoline crisis going on in 1973, the carbureted muscle car industry was hit blow after blow, ultimately resulting in one challenge the Dodge Challenger just couldn’t overcome.

It wasn’t until 2006 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit that a sign of the Challenger’s possible resurrection was made public. A concept vehicle based on the styling cues of the first generation and presence of a 6.1L HEMI engine under the hood, went over better than expected, and eventually led to yet another production run in 2008 due to overwhelming demand. The Dodge Challenger was back on the streets—kind of.

While only a limited number of high-end, fully loaded SRT8 models were made available in that first year back, not everyone who wanted a new Challenger could get their hands on one. 2009 proved to be the car’s full return to consumers looking to buy one according to their preferred specifications. Muscle car admirers were once again able to hop back into the driver seat with a base model SE equipped with a 3.5L 250hp V-6 with the option to upgrade to a R/T package complete 5.7L 375hp HEMI engine with even more options and performance add-ons to select from.

…2009 proved to be the car’s full return to consumers looking to buy one according to their preferred specifications…

Throughout the years, the Challenger became available with more aggressive HEMI packages, but found itself becoming overshadowed by the competition, namely Ford’s Mustang GT500 and Chevy’s Camaro ZL1. Dodge’s response to potentially being hopelessly overpowered by these cars was its release of the SRT Hellcat—a car equipped with a 6.2L rendition of the Gen III HEMI that was teamed up with a 2.4L twin-screw supercharger to produce 707hp and 650-lb fit of torque.

This escalated the Challenger to the top of the heap, but in an effort to remain ahead of the pack, the same 6.2L HEMI found in the Hellcat was blessed with a larger 2.7L supercharger, along with a suite of upgraded engine components to make for the 808hp nucleus available in the notoriously powered SRT Demon package that was limited to only 3300 units.

For 2022, there are a total of nine different Dodge Challenger trim levels topped off with two high-end cars—the SRT Hellcat Redeye and SRT Super Stock premium models. The Challenger still remains attractive to a wide audience, from the entry-level 303HP V-6 AWD package to an 807hp rocket in the Super Stock trim that thrives on 91-octane pump gas.

It’s safe to say that the Challenger remains a crowd pleaser to this day more than 50 years after its original release. Even with the plug being prematurely pulled back in ’74, the legendary car has sat through a decades-long hiatus and has come back swinging for the fences.

Business in the Front, Party in the Back

The Chevy El Camino

The pickup truck is as American as apple pie and the Chevy El Camino is apple pie à la mode. Of course, being an agricultural driven country the pickup has been the vehicle of choice for generations and as we have often seen, GM was caught back footed when Ford introduced their Ranchero in 1956. The Ranchero was based on a two-door, station-wagon platform that had an integrated cab and pickup bed unlike a regular pickup that has a separate cab and bed.

But wait, the history can be traced to Australia where Ford offered two roadster pickups in 1932, one with a straight-side bed known as the Standard Utility Car or ‘Ute’ for short. The popularity of such a beast caused one lady to apparently write to Ford Australia asking for “a vehicle to go to church in on a Sunday and which can carry our pigs to market on Mondays”.

The letter caused Ford designer Lewis T. Bandt to begin work later that year on marrying a coupe to a pickup. His happy marriage appeared in 1934 when a coupe body was joined to an integrated pickup bed. The Ute was only ever really popular in Australia until the Ranchero was invented to meet the same needs for a comfortable pickup that could do double duty as a utility vehicle and a cruiser. While the concept was sound, sales for 1957 did not reach 22,000. Nevertheless, its mere introduction caused GM to take notice.

While GM was behind Ford, there were some directional indicators in 1955 when Chevy introduced their factory-customized Cameo Carrier pickup. Although based on Chevy’s regular pickup, the Cameo had many car-like features including car-like interior, optional engines, automatic rather than stick transmissions and power-assisted brakes and steering. The big difference initiated by designer Chuck Jordan was the ditching of the running boards and the use of fiberglass bedside panels to afford a more integrated appearance. Chevy sold some 5,200 units in ’55 but sales slumped in ’56 to 1,460 and in ’57 to 2,240. Only 500 were sold in ’58 and the model was dropped.

The new-for-’59 Chevy El Camino, which means “the path” or “the way” in Spanish, was based on the Brookwood two-door station wagon as was the sedan delivery and it emulated the styling of the full-size Chevy Impala. Up front there were twin intakes above a full-width grille flanked by dual headlights. The greenhouse featured a huge wrap-around windshield and an unusual and dramatic “flying wing” top that was an abbreviated version of the tops on full-size cars.

The rear was equally wild with sweeping airplane influenced “batwing” fins that emanated from just behind the cab and ran the entire length of the bed—it was about as far as fins would go. Wide “cat’s eye” taillights were split along the bed line. This was no hog-hauling pickup this was cruiser personified.

The new-for-’59 Chevy El Camino, which means “the path” or “the way” in Spanish was based on the Brookwood two-door station wagon…

Under the vast hood, Chevrolet offered a 3.9L 235 ci straight six, the 4.6: 283 ci V8 and the Turbo-Thrust 5.7L 348 ci V8 producing a max of 335 hp. Three or four-speed manuals were available as was a two-speed Powerglide auto.

Sales of the ’59 El Camino were brisk at 22,246 units but they were by no means staggering and they fell off the following year to 14,163. “The road” came to an end, at least for the time being.

As Ford persisted with the Ranchero, Chevrolet had little choice but to reintroduce their version in 1964, however, it was based on a mid-size platform rather than the preceding full-size platform. Car design had moved away from the fins of the fifties and the new Camino was a very clean design based on the Chevelle two-door wagon. Indeed, it carried both badges.

Under the hood there was three optional sixes plus two versions of the 327 rated at 250 and 300 hp. The hot version featured a high, 10.5:1 high-compression, a larger 4bbl carb and dual pipes.

For the following year the Chevy El Camino was subject to the same facelift as the Chevelle with a sharper V’d front end behind which you could get a new L79 327 producing 350 hp. At the dragstrip it could run the ¼ in the low 15s at 90 mph.

We recently dropped in on Kevin Elliott of Kev’s Rod & Custom, La Habra, CA, where they recently completed the full restoration of a ’65 for Charlie Currie of Currie Enterprises.  “This was quite a rust bucket,” said Kevin “We had to replace everything but the roof, the firewall and the front fenders. You know when you send a car out for blasting and only part of it comes back? Well, nothing came back. It has a complete new floor and we had to make special tools to repair the bed.”

Under the hood, Kevin installed a 331 ci Gen I L79 fitted with Edelbrock induction and MSD ignition. It produces 334 hp at 5,500 rpm and 362 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. There’s a GM 4L60E tranny and, of course, a Currie Enterprises F9 rear axle. The wheels are E-T Classic Vs: 17×8.5 in front and 18×9.5 in back.

From Kev’s the Currie El Co went to Mickey Larson at Twins Custom Coaches that, at the time, was located in Pomona, CA. There it was painted at Mick’s Paint but not by Mick’s Paint. The color is GM Arrival Blue by PPG.

Finally, in 1966, Chevy dropped in the 6.5L 396 that could put out a max of 375 hp and now run the ¼ in the 14s. It was a hot rod truck alright. Besides the engine there was new bodywork, a new dash with horizontal sweep speedo, optional tach and optional Strato swiveling bucket seats.

In 1967 there was another facelift and minor changes but the big news came in ’68 with the introduction of the Super Sport SS-396 of which the L78 version had solid lifters, large-port heads and an 800 cfm Holley 4bbl carb. As it did in 1966, the L78 produced 375 hp. The vehicle was now longer but still based on the Chevelle station wagon with a 116-inch wheelbase and overall length of 17 feet, three inches.

More minor changes came in 1969 and ’70 when the body became a little squarer. The latest SS396 was now actually 402 cubic inches or 6.6 liters; however, there was a honking 454 ci engine that produced 450 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque pushing the El Co through the ¼ in the 13s at more than 100 mph.

Recently, we were able to check out a ’70 El Co SS built for Amir Rosenbaum of Spectre Automotive at the SO-CAL Speed Shop. The truck was built to compete in autocross events, specifically the Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge, and features a set-back 7.0L 427 ci Corvette Z06 LS7 engine. It produces 650 hp and almost as much torque transmitted through a Tremec six-speed manual trans. The suspension came from Global West, the six piston brakes from Baer and Italian five-spokes from OZ. The truck, featured on the TLC TV show ‘Hard Shine,” was painted in single-stage black with silver stripes at Micks Paint, Pomona, CA.

New front-end styling came in for 1971 but emissions controls were lurking and the dreaded ‘smog pump’ was added strangling performance. For example, the LS5 454 only produced 365 hp and the LS6 454 was nixed. The switch to ‘net’ figures came in and the 402 ci 396 was rated at 240 hp while the 454 that was only available in the SS model, was rated at 270 hp.

By the time of the fourth Generation, 1973-’77, the El Co was breathing hard, constricted by smog devices and getting heavy. It was middle age spread and the vehicles no longer looked svelte and cool. Gen IV was the largest El Camino and they had wide bumpers like boat transoms and optional fake wood grain side trim. Sales of Gen IV started well at just under 65,000 units for ’73 but by the end of the run in ’77 they were down 10K units.

Things did improve for Gen V (1978-’87), however, the El Co now shared a frame with the Malibu and V6 engines replaced the big-blocks. Those days were done. Nevertheless, overall the car looked better after it’s Weight Watcher’s program, more clean and sharp edged and a lot less boat-like.

Things got smaller under the hood too when the standard engine became the 3.8L V6 producing a whopping 110 hp. California, meanwhile, got the anemic Buick V6. And, the SS model was now shipped out to Choo Choo Customs of Chattanooga, Tennessee it did not, however, get the L69 engine of the Monte Carlo SS.

In 1985, GM moved production to Mexico but the public had lost interest and sales slumped to a total of 13,743 units for 1987 and a mere 420 for 1988. What killed the Camino? Why, the new Chevy C/K pickup introduced in April 1987 as an ’88 model. The C/K was a hot rodder’s dream and it was the end of the road for the Chevy El Camino.

Million Dollar

Vicious Mustang

There’s something about early Mustangs that just gets the heart pounding and the blood pumping. Despite their obvious age, now almost 60 years, they never seem to go out of fashion. Like a good pair of 501s, they look better with age, they feel comfortable and to paraphrase Rod Stewart, they wear it well.

The other cool factor regarding early Mustangs is that it doesn’t seem to matter what people do to them they always look good. Take, for example, the Vicious Mustang designed and built by Timeless Kustoms, Camarillo, CA, and said to cost a cool mil’. Timeless began the million dollar build with an original ’65 Fastback that was stripped to its shell for a total makeover that incorporated numerous Dynacorn body panels. The base for the creation was a chassis from Art Morrison fitted with a Corvette C7 front clip and an Art Morrison multi-link independent rear suspension. Triple adjustable coil-over shocks from Ridetech are fitted to all four corners.

Quite often, modifiers of early Mustangs will lean toward the more traditional powertrain with a small-block Ford with twin 4bbls, quad Webers or some similar historically accurate induction. However, in the case of the Vicious Mustang the owner opted for not only a supercharger but also twin turbos for what he terms as compound forced induction.

The base engine is a 5.2L Coyote ‘Aluminator’ from Ford Performance fitted with an Aviad four-stage dry sump system. Internally the block is fitted with Dart Big Bore 3.7-inch sleeves, Manley 2618 forged pistons and Pro-Series rods and a Comp cam and a Ford Performance Coyote Boss 302 forged crank. Meanwhile, the GT350 heads were CNC ported. And there any similarity to other modified Mustangs ends because between the heads squats a serpentine belt-driven Magnusson TVS Magna Charger for low rpm boost. Supplementing the blower for high rpm boost is a pair of exhaust-driven Precision 64/66 ball bearing turbochargers.

Employing a MoTeC engine management system and an Aeromotive fuel system comprising Eliminator pumps, Pro Series EFI Regulator and fuel rails with a trunk-mounted custom fuel cell, the engine produces 1,003-wheel horsepower and 784 lb-ft of torque on E85. Backing up the power plant is a Centerforce DYAD Clutch, an EMCO CG46 sequential six-speed transmission and a 9.75-inch Strange Engineering aluminum independent axle.

To stop this beast Vicious is fitted with 15.5-inch Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears. The wheels are Forgeline GT3C Centerlocks: 19×11 in front and 19×13 in back. The tires are 305/30ZR19 in the front and 355/30ZR19 out back.

The other cool factor regarding early Mustangs is that it doesn’t seem to matter what people do to them they always look good.

Those big tires are wrapped with some expressive hand-crafted bodywork including integrated fender flares and an aggressive deep front air dam fitted with twin coolers and a F-40-inspired rear end diffuser. Incidentally, the grille contains machined inlets for the turbos and the cool satin paint is a custom PPG mix called ‘Vicious Titanium Silver’. The main body color is accented with a red-edged ‘over the top’ black stripe in traditional style.

Contrasting with the subtle, semi-gloss exterior color is a wild, blood red leather interior handled by @ethorcustoms within Timeless Kustoms. It features a full tube-steel roll-cage and TK-branded Sparco Pro2000 seats fitted with DJ Safety five-point harnesses. DJ Safety also supplied the fire suppression system while the climate control was provided by Vintage Air. A MoTeC digital dash cluster sits behind the quick-release, three-spoke Sparco R325 steering wheel that is fitted with paddle controls.

As early modified Mustangs go, Vicious has to be one of the wildest from its triple-blown engine to its blood red interior. To compliment the build and the public’s enthusiasm for all things Vicious you can visit ViciousStang.com and check out the related clothing line. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook and watch the vids here.

This 1961 Chevrolet Impala Is Effortlessly Graceful

One of the things that distinguishes true craftsmanship is making perfection look easy – long hours spent behind the scenes to ensure every element of your work is flawless, but all the outside world sees is a masterpiece that demonstrates a subconscious flow that just seems right. Such is this 1961 Chevrolet Impala, built by Hill’s Rod and Custom.

For the 1961 model year, Chevy did a complete rework of the Impala, which had made its debut in 1958 as a top-of-the-line Bel Air. Just one year later, the second generation Impala became its own series, and in 1961 the third gen Impala received yet another complete redesign. The most visually striking aspect for the ‘61 was the “bubbletop” roof line, which replaced the preceding Impala’s substantial C-pillar with graceful, arching sheetmetal that was far less obtrusive. The 1962 model returned to a more conventional rear roofline and backlight, making the ‘61 visually unique among its siblings from the early Sixties.

Over the years, the bubbletop Impala’s popularity has never faded – among the many designs produced by the Big Three during the early muscle car era, the 1961 Chevrolet Impala’s visual language never really fell out of fashion. It managed to thread the needle between ‘forgettable’ at one end of the spectrum and ‘over-the-top’ at the other, earning a place as a timeless classic. When a car like that comes into one’s possession, the challenge is to respect the design while still having something new to say, and our feature car is a perfect example of how that can be achieved.

Curt Hill, proprietor of Hill’s Rod and Custom, was the right man for the job. When Dave and Jodi Matarazzo entrusted their Impala to him for this build, it was a work-in-progress, but to get it to where it needed to be, some backtracking was necessary. “It was a roller with a custom frame already built, and we went ahead and did the motor, the exhaust, the air suspension, the wheelwells and everything involved in the engine bay,” Hill recalls. “We took it from a car that was supposedly ready for paint (but wasn’t even close) to finishing it up and getting it done.”

“Part of it was that before we started, we had to knock all the Bondo off the car!”Curt Hill, Hill's Rod and Custom

As it turned out, that process became more extensive than was first anticipated, but the Matarazzos were committed to doing things right. Per Hill, “Dave had a really good eye for color, and to how he wanted things done, so he definitely had a vision of how he wanted it to turn out.” The hue you see on the finished car is just as specific as all the other details. “It’s a custom color. Jodi had seen something similar on another car and really liked it, so we were working off of a picture and refined it from there,” Hill adds. But before the first hit of primer could be applied, the “ready for paint” sheetmetal needed a considerable amount of TLC.

“Part of it was that before we started, we had to knock all the Bondo off the car!” Hill recalls with a chuckle in his voice. While they were at it, Hill and his crew fabricated the incredibly clean engine bay to showcase the modern LS3 crate engine like a fine piece of jewelry in a velvet box, and the suspension setup was refined via Ridetech ShockWave air springs and shocks controlled via Accuair ride height sensors.

To handle the horsepower of the 4L60E-backed LS3 and make the most of the suspension precision offered by the custom chassis, air springs, and dampers, modern low-profile radial tires were a must, and Milestar XP+ ultra-high performance all-season rubber in 20-inch diameter was chosen. With a tread compound formulated to remain pliable across a wide temperature range, an all-season asymmetric design with wide circumferential ribs, large shoulder tread blocks, and an inside tread pattern optimized for wet and winter traction, the XP+ was an ideal match for a car destined to be driven, not just admired for its good looks.

Once everything was straight, mechanically sorted, and body-filler-free, Valley Custom Powder Coat was turned loose on the chassis, the shiny bits went off to Sherm’s Plating, Plant Interior got to work on the upholstery and other passenger compartment details, and Altissimo Restoration was finally able to lay down color and clear. “I’m proud of how the engine bay turned out, and the stance on the car is just right,” Hill attests. “We tried really hard to achieve an overall look where it’s definitely a custom car, but everything really flows together, and nothing seems out of place.”

“It was a long build,” Hill admits. “Start to finish, it was probably two and a half years total. It spent eight months in the paint shop, and like two and a half for the interior.” It’s hard to argue with the results, though, and in the end, Dave and Jodi Matarazzo have a Chevy that’s a unique expression of their own personal taste and class.

History of the Chevelle:
America’s Most Popular Mid-Size Muscle Car

GEN I 1964-1967

As Chevys go, the Chevrolet Chevelle had a short life of just 13 years from 1964 to 1977—not very long from the point of view of brand life, nevertheless, in those short ‘baker’s dozen’ years the Chevelle carved a niche for itself in the hearts of Chevy lovers.

The Chevy Chevelle, a name derived from a Hebrew girl’s name meaning “My God is a vow,” was introduced on September 26, 1963, as a ’64 model positioned between the Chevy II/Nova and the Impala. Unfortunately, the Chevelle negatively impacted sales of the compact Chevy II. It also competed with the Buick Skylark, Olds Cutlass and the Pontiac Tempest that were all built on the same mid-size, A-body platform. However, despite all this competition that included the Ford Fairlane, the Chevelle, priced from $2,231, notched up sales of 370,834 units of which 17,608 went for export. There were also some 16,285 units built in Canada.

Base engine for 1964 was the lowly 120 hp six-cylinder but by mid-year the top of the line Malibu SS could be had with the optional 300 hp 327. There was, apparently, a 365 hp 327 that never made it to production. That was a shame because Chevy were well into the performance wars and the ’64 Malibu SS L76 would be the one to own.

The Chevelle [is] a name derived from a Hebrew girl’s name meaning “My God is a vow.”

The following year, Chevy upped the anti with a 350 hp L79 327 as well as the stonking Z16 396 option, however, only 201 396s were built, a fact that I think supports the argument that the whole muscle car market was more hype than anything else. Yes, the buff magazines touted performance and the cognoscenti talked a lot about it but the general public tended to buy the more pedestrian models.

As with other Chevy models, the Chevelle came in a range of body styles from two- and four-door sedans through coupes, convertibles and wagons and even the two-door sedan pickup known as the El Camino because in Chevy-speak the El Co was in fact a Chevelle derivative. Top of the line was the Malibu SS that was also available as a rag top. Production stayed buoyant in ’65 and totaled 378,618 with another 19,132 units in Canada. SS coupes accounted for 71,984 while convertibles hit 9,128. The one to have would be the Malibu SS Z16 396.

Proving the Chevelle’s popularity, production jumped in 1966 to a healthy 447,364. The ramp-up was, however, due to completely new, aggressively styled, less boxey, more forward-thrusting sheet metal. And, the hits kept a’comin’ as ’67 saw new front and rear fascias, front disc brakes, a dual master cylinder and a collapsible steering column. Sales slipped a tad but only to 403,963 of which a little more than 60K were SS 396 models.

GEN II 1968-1972

Despite the ’66 facelift, Chevelle got another make over for the 1968 model year giving it yet more aggression with a three-inch shorter, 112-inch wheelbase and semi-fastback styling for the coupes. Engines now ranged from a 3.8L 230 ci in-line six to a range of big-inch’ big- and small-block engines: 396-, 400-, 402-, 427- and 454-ci V8s. With three- and four-speed manuals, they were the muscle cars dreams were made of. And, red-stripe tires were optional on Super Sports. The facelift was obviously popular because total production jumped to 503,352 units. No wonder the Chevelle was advertised as “America’s most popular mid-size car.”

As we have seen elsewhere in the history of Yenko, GM allowed select dealers to use the Central Office Production Order (COPO) system to order from an internal menu of high-performance options. It’s confirmed that Yenko ordered 99 Chevelle’s fitted with the L72 427 ci V8 that produced 425 hp at 5,800 rpm and 460 lb-ft or torque at 4,000 rpm. There were a total of 323 COPO orders including the 99 Yenkos.  There was also a police RPO B07 package available on the four-door 300 Deluxe that could also be optioned with the RPO L35 396 engine along with a boxed frame. It all made for one tuff cruiser.

We spoke to David Steele, director of the American Hot Rod Foundation and a long time fan and current Chevelle owner. “I come from a Chevelle family, “said David. “Our Dad bought his ’69 L78 four-speed convertible when we were kids, my older brother had a ’70 SS as his high school ride, and the ’71 SS I bought as my first car drove me to high school and is still getting me around today. I own two now ( including my Dad’s old convertible ) along with my wife’s ’64 El Camino–of which I’ve owned four. I just think they’re great cars. Perfectly balanced and just the right size. To me, an Impala is a serious commitment and a Camaro is just a little undersized to feel solid and brawny. With a Chevy Chevelle you get a medium size car that looks great, is really comfortable, and rides and handles like only a full-frame car can. I think they’re the perfect package.”

No wonder the Chevelle was advertised as America’s most popular mid-size car.

That said, even 50 years ago, we were searching for an antidote to our gasoline addiction and consequently GM developed a steam-powered concept Chevelle. Designated SE 124, the steam punk Chevelle was powered by a 50 hp V4 Besler steam engine—it didn’ fly—it only got 15 mpg and topped out at 60 mph.

The classics Coke-bottle styling of the ‘69s was downplayed in 1970 as the sheet metal was tightened up and shared with the Buick Skylark but not on the wagons or the El Co. Top of the line Malibu SS models were available with the 402 ci 396 or a new 7.4L 454 ci that produced 360 hp. The LS6 option, of which 4,475 were produced, was fitted with a 4bbl 800 cfm Holley and put out 450 hp at 5,600 rpm and 500 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. The cool factor of the SS was enhanced by the Cowl Induction hood that opened with a stab of the throttle.

Yet another sheet metal revision came in 1971 when the front and rear were restyled. Big news for muscle car fans was the mid-year introduction of the ‘Heavy Chevy’ that was the base Chevelle available with any V8 including the 402 ci but unfortunately not the 454.  Base engine for the SS was a 5.0L 307 rated at 245 hp but at the top of the pile was the LS5 454 with cowl induction. Unfortunately, the LS6 was nixed early in the model year.

“With a Chevy Chevelle you get a medium size car that looks great, is really comfortable, and rides and handles like only a full-frame car can. I think they’re the perfect package.”David Steele

The world was changing though and GM had to mandate that all divisions engineer their engines to run on unleaded, low-octane fuel. Compression ratios fell from highs of 10 or 11:1 in 1970 to 9:1 in 1971. Total production for 1971 was 515,625. But the following year production jumped more than one hundred thousand units to 631,661.

GEN III 1973-1977

By 1973 and the Gen III the Chevelle’s edge had gone and the corporate fat had set in. The new Colonnade wheelbase remained the same at 112 inches but the length of the coupe hit 205.7 inches, up from 197.2 of Gen II and Gen I’s 197 inches. The cool factor had been erased leaving only the two-door coupe, four-door sedan and the four-door station wagon—gone was the convertible and the two-and four-door hardtops—all in the name of safety and possible Federal roll-over standards. Chevrolet also touted the largesse as offering more interior room and 25-to 35-percent more glass depending upon the model but big is not always better and the Chevelle had lost its ‘pony’ car agility. Gone too was the SS, replaced in 1974 by the Laguna S-3 and in ’75 the big block was nixed.

However, it was a body style that found favor on the NASCAR circuit with Cale Yarborough notching up 34 victories. In 1976, Yarborough won the Winston Cup Grand National Championship driving the #11 Junior Johnson/Holly Farms Chevelle.

The cool factor had been erased [and] the Chevelle had lost its “pony” car agility.

The available engines were also reduced and ranged from a 4.1L 250 ci six through the 7.4L 454 big-block. There was, however, a 6.6L 400 ci small-block as well as the regular 305, 307 and 350 ci small-blocks. Unfortunately, the cars were billed as “a size whose time has come.”

In 1977, Yarborough won his second Daytona 500, won nine of his 30 races and won his second Grand National title, however, it was the end of the road for the third generation Chevelle. At least it went out with a roar rather than a whimper. 

Big Red:

Maybe the World’s Baddest ’69 Camaro

Over the years there have been some bad ass Camaros but few have enjoyed the longevity, diversity and reputation of Big Red. From the rough roads of the La Carrera Classica to the Silver State Classic to the Bonneville Salt Flats to Pikes Peak Big Red has been there, done that and yet the story continues.

The saga of Big Red begins more than 30 years ago in 1987 when Dan Gottlieb and his son RJ embarked upon the creation of the baddest Camaro in captivity—a car that would take on the best in the toughest Mexican road race known as La Carrera Classica. Father and son put together what they anticipated would be a winning combination that utilized a stock ’69 Camaro body and frame, a roll cage and a 540-inch, all-aluminum, dry-sump Donovan built by the legendary John Lingenfelter. In flat-out trim Red was capable of 200 mph and quickly proved to be a contender.

Unfortunately, during its 1987 La Carrera II debut and while 18-year old RJ was leading the race and Chris Kaufmann was riding shotgun the Camaro had, well, a big accident at over 140 mph. They’d pushed too hard and the stock uni-body and sub frame was just not up to it. The car veered off the highway and was destroyed; only the Lingefelter engine and the rear end were salvageable. Luckily RJ and Chris walked away.

“That’s the magic of Big Red, making it look as much like a factory Camaro as possible but, and it’s a big but, it has to run consistently over 200 mph”RJ Gottlieb

Undaunted, and even before RJ was home, father Dan had located another ’69 from which to rebuild the racecar albeit this time with a full tube, stock car-style chassis assembled by Bill Osborne. Lessons had been learned; they wouldn’t make the same mistakes twice. Nevertheless, the car looked as stock as possible from its steel body with glass windshield to its roll-up windows. In fact, Dan had the crew take the extremely rare, at the time, and expensive all aluminum block and heads and paint them factory GM orange to look like a stock, iron block.  He rather enjoyed popping the hood, pointing and saying, “Look it’s just a warmed over 427.” 

“That’s the magic of Big Red,” commented RJ, “making it look as much like a factory Camaro as possible but, and it’s a big but, it has to run consistently over 200 mph.”

For the rebuild Larry Mollicone overhauled the original Lingenfelter engine and dyno pulls resulted in 850 hp and 750 lbs-ft of torque. Backing up the naturally aspirated engine was a Jerrico four-speed and a 9-inch Detroit Locker rear end with Koni coil-overs and twin-caliper vented discs.

In 1988, after almost a year in the making, RJ and his new copilot Bill Osborne won La Carrera III. The following year they were leading by miles when they smoked the clutch and ended their race prematurely. Unfortunately, they were never invited back. That same year they also went on to win the Silver State Classic. They covered the 94-mile, two-lane black top in just 27 minutes, 54 seconds with an average, yes average speed of 197.99 mph. To maintain that average they hit a top speed of 222 mph. I’ve driven that road to Bonneville many times and it doesn’t look possible. RJ was just 19 years old. They won again the following year but intake valve issues reduced their speed.

Big Red was an attention getter and as a consequence Road & Track magazine invited RJ to compete in a top speed challenge at the Nissan/Calsonic test track at Casa Grande, AZ. Big Red trounced the competition with a top speed of 203 mph. The organizers didn’t believe the speed and made RJ run again but he backed it up. Unhappy that a mere muscle car won their supercar top speed shoot out Road & Track cropped Big Red out of the cover photo.

For RJ, it was time to go back east and go to school, consequently, Big Red was loaned to Don Laughlin’s Auto Museum, Laughlin, NV, where it was displayed for almost 10 years. In 2003, RJ returned to California and collected the car with the intention of taking it to a few shows, however, once a racer always a racer and RJ and Dan soon set about yet another ‘Red-surrection’.

Driving the modifications was a new Brodix-based 598 ci engine fitted with a modified Braswell “Severe Duty” carburetor flowing 1350cfm. Again, built by Larry Mollicone—it produced an insane 1,100 hp. To compensate for the huge increase in horsepower the team added safety improvements and bigger brakes. And, they turned to the Baer Brakes’ Z2Z Challenge for a new venue to express Big Red’s prowess. Once again, they took top honors in the acceleration/deceleration contest.

In 2006, it was back to the back roads of Nevada for the Silver State. Unfortunately, fuel problems caused them to splutter through the first 20 miles, nevertheless, after shutting down and rebooting the system RJ took off like a banshee to take first place in the Unlimited Class.

Over the ensuing five years, RJ competed in numerous events including The Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational, The Texas Mile, Vintage Auto Racing’s “Big Bore Bash” at Willow Springs, the Mojave Mile, the Mojave Magnum and the Virginia City Hill Climb. RJ took top honors at nearly every event while Red was featured in the 2009 movie the ‘Fast and the Furious 4’.  It was also in the 2017 feature film version of the hit 70’s TV show “Chips” directed by Dax Shepard who is a big fan.

If you really want to see Big Red in action, and who doesn’t, the whole process has been filmed by Josh Oliver in an eight episode docuseries, “The Original Outlaw Racer” and is viewable here.

In 2013, with a blown 1,800 hp motor the team tried their hand at the Bonneville Salt Flats where they ran a strong 227 mph. Despite all the different venues at which RJ had wheeled Big Red he had still not attempted the infamous Colorado spike known as Pikes Peak. Unfortunately, during a test session at California’s SCCA Buttonwillow track, in preparation for Pikes Peak, Big Red caught fire due to a fuel fitting vibrating loose. The fire was devastating and any plans for future events had to be put on hold while the car was rebuilt, yet again. Undeterred, as always, Big Red was rebuilt to run at the Mojave Mile in April 2017 where it broke its own record of 251 with a blistering run at 253.7 mph.

This ProCharged version of Big Red was both an evolution and a tangential move away from the road race and hill climb combination toward a quest to discover the ultimate top speed of a ’69 Camaro. This development began with mile racing in 2009 in Texas with the 598 road race set up that continued to evolve over the years through a dual quad ram to nitrous for the Mojave Mile to a ProCharged version for Bonneville running on methanol with water injection. 

The secret to this build is the ‘switchability’ and versatility: one minute its in road race trim, the next hill climb mode and the next its set up for balls out land speed racing. Indeed, as the car has evolved and gone faster and faster the team has learned the secret of prepping the car for each specific racing venue. For example, the set up employed for the Mojave Mile would not be the same set up used for hill climbs. Purpose-specific tuning resulted in a very competitive 11:08.357-second run to the clouds placing them fourth in the Pike’s Peak Open Class. 

StateofSpeed.com caught up with RJ and the Big Red team at the recent East Coast Timing Association Arkansas Mile event at Blytheville, AK, where RJ had run 244.4 in June 2018. The weather was not cooperative and Big suffered mechanical problems, nevertheless, RJ managed a run at 246.238 mph besting his own record.

From Arkansas the team moved north to Limestone, Maine, for a run at the 1.5-miles course operated by the Loring Timing Association loringtiming.com. There, RJ ran a strong 256 mph taking the class record from Roadkill’s David Freiburger and running just shy of his best run ever of 266.2 mph at the Mojave 1.5 Mile.

So, what’s next for RJ and Big Red? Well, there are more records to be broken, hills to climb and speeds to be bettered. It ain’t over yet.

SEMA 2019: Impressions

SEMA 2019 is here and bringing the all-around automotive goodness we’ve come to expect. We don’t know if you’ve heard, but there were a lot of new A90 Toyota Supras out there. Despite this year being called “The Year of the Supra”, the show had an abundance of other fantastic builds that deserve some love.

Here are some of our Supra-free highlights from SEMA 2019.

IMPORTS

This Datsun 240z has a completely carbon fiber body and is powered by 5.3L Chevy V8 out of a Silverado. This truck powered beast is owned and raced by Shawn Bassett and is built to tear up the track at any time attack.

MUSCLE

Check out this ’72 Riviera by Gas Monkey Garage of Discovery Channel’s Fast n’ Loud. It’s powered by a Katech LT4 and boosted with a Magnuson Supercharger.

Koni showed off their heritage with a Shelby GT350 at their booth sporting the shocks they developed for the original release in the 60s.

OFFROAD

Milestar Tires displayed their newly released UTV/Side-by-Side specific Patagonia SXT tire.

CLASSICS/HOT RODS

The AMC Gremlin was once classified as one of the ugliest cars ever made, but that title definitely doesn’t fit this one. This custom Gremlin hot rod is built by Jacob Griffin and proves that these ugly little cars do have some potential.

EURO/EXOTICS

Eibach collaborated with Hot Wheels to present this clean BMW 2002 along with its miniature version at their booth. Some lucky attendants even got to take home their own Eibach x Hotwheels collectible 2002.

The Camaro Story

1967–Present

GEN I 1967–1969

You can trace the history of the muscle car back to 1949 when GM’s Oldsmobile division dropped their new 135 hp ohv 303 ci V8 into a lightweight body. They called it the Rocket 88 and it rocketed Olds to the top of the NASCAR tree with six wins out of nine late-model division races in 1949. The Rocket 88 had such an impact that in 1951 Jackie Brenson and Ike Turner penned the hit song Rocket 88 and inadvertently gave birth to Rock and Roll. It went to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart.

…the name Camaro was reportedly derived from Heath’s French English Dictionary as a term that translated to “friend” or “comrade.”

Fast forward to the early sixties and the youth revolution. Suddenly, kids had spending money, the disposable income they called it, for things like music, movies, clothes, and automobiles. Ford may have been on the ball faster than GM though it wasn’t something you’d expect from the staid ol’ Ford Motor Company; nevertheless, they answered the call of the youth market before GM with the 1964-1/2 Mustang. The Mustang took the market by storm selling 1.5 million cars in the first three years.

It caught GM on the back foot and it took until the ’67 model year for them to retaliate with the Camaro. Introduced on Sept. 29, 1966, the Camaro was originally codenamed ‘Panther’ but Automotive News says the name Camaro was reportedly derived from Heath’s French English Dictionary as a term that translated to “friend” or “comrade.” We checked this with French friend Phillipe Dahn of Frog Specialties and he has never heard of such a word in French. GM product managers also told reporters that the term also meant “a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” And the stage for the ongoing rivalry was set.

Described as being long of hood and short of deck, the rear-wheel-drive Camaro was built on GM’s F-body platform and was available only as a coupe or convertible with 2+2 seating. It was available with nearly 80 factory options and 40 more dealer options. The base engine was a 140 hp 230 ci six-cylinder but you could get almost any engine that Chevrolet made all the way up to the 375 hp 396 ci in the Camaro SS version. The Camaro SS was also available with a 350 ci engine.

Sales were brisk but not Mustang brisk and Chevy sold only 220,906 in 1967 when Ford sold 472,121 Mustangs. Nevertheless, the Camaro paced the ’67 Indy 500 and to commemorate this Chevy built 104 Pace cars. Chevy also offered the Z/28 ‘Special Performance Package’ so that they could be eligible for SCCA Trans-Am racing. The package included a special 302 ci V8 with solid lifters, Muncie 4-speed trans, heavy-duty radiator, special suspension, dual exhaust, 15×6 in wheels, 3.73:1 Positraction rear axle, power-assisted front disc brakes and a special ‘skunk’ stripe package. Only 602 Z/28s were produced in 1967 making them extremely rare and valuable.

Sales were brisk but not Mustang brisk and Chevy sold only 220,906 in 1967 when Ford sold 472,121 Mustangs.

All U.S. Camaros were built either in Norwood, Ohio, or Van Nuys, California. However, cars were also built overseas in the Philippines, Belgium, Switzerland, Venezuela, and Peru. I wonder how many survivors there are in those countries?

At the top of the Camaro Gen I tree was the COPO 9560 ZL1. In 1969, two Central Office Production Orders (COPO), numbers 9560 and 9561, were offered as the result of some dealers, notably Canonsburg, Pennsylvania’s Yenko Chevrolet, installing 427 ci engines in Camaros despite GM forbidding dealers installing engines bigger than 400 ci.

COPO 9561 used the solid-lifter L72 427 that made 425 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Yenko ordered 201 of these to create the legendary Yenko Camaro. Apparently, in total there may have been as many as 1,000 Camaros fitted with L72 engines. Conceived and designed for drag racing by Dick Harrell, the COPO 9560 used an all-aluminum, hand-assembled ZL-1 427 rated at 430 hp with 450 lb-ft of torque. Only 69 ZL-1 Camaros are supposed to have been built.

GEN II 1970–1981

The Gen II Camaro was unveiled on February 26, 1970, and while it retained its F-body platform with uni-body construction, 2+2 seating and general engine family its styling was a radical departure from Gen I despite the retention of the long hood, short deck architecture.

The new [Gen 2] Camaro was actually quite an aggressive, good looking car […]  however, it did not sit so well with the public…

Apparently, GM designers looked to Europe for their styling queues. The grille, rather than being full width with integral headlights was now a pronounced pouty orifice with a distinctly European egg-crate insert flanked by split-bumpers and separate head and driving lights. It was said to borrow liberally from early-60s Ferrari designs even down to its twin round taillights.

The new Camaro was actually quite an aggressive, good looking car with a distinct sweep to the fender line, nicely flared wheel arches, slightly less chrome, no side vents, wider doors, however, it did not sit so well with the public who only purchased 124,901 examples when Mustang sold 191,239. In 1971, it fared even worse due to a two-month worker’s strike at the Norwood, Ohio, plant—the only plant now building Camaros.  Sales were even worse at 114,630.

Unfortunately, even more, problems faced GM and new emissions and safety standards were introduced and the first fuel crises were on the horizon and insurance rates were rising. There was even talk in 1972 of canceling the Camaro altogether when sales plummeted to just 68,651 units.

There was a major change in the engine line up as there were now only seven rather than 10 options. A 3.8L V-6 was added; all the small V-8s were eliminated as was the brutish 427. Nevertheless, consolidation made sense especially in light of the looming fuel crisis when members of OPEC, Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, proclaimed an oil embargo. The embargo lasted just six months by which time the price of gas had quadrupled. A recession and another oil crisis would not help the Camaro’s sales, nevertheless, the Gen II Camaro survived more or less unchanged for 11 years until 1981.

GEN III 1982–1992

As we have seen, the turbulent seventies caused Detroit all sorts of upset. Their business model had been to build big, gas guzzling cars that remained unchanged for years save for some additional accessories. After the recession, the oil crises and market attack from imports, things would never be quite the same.

This was the era of factory fuel injection, four-speed automatics, and five-speed manuals—all in the name of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.

Some things don’t change though and the third generation Camaro retained the trusty F-body platform with coils up front and leaf (buggy) springs in the rear. And now, because oil prices would never be the same, the engine line-up included a 2.5L four cylinder, the so-called ‘Iron Duke,’ and three V6s. There were now only two V8 options, the 305 and the 350. Long gone were the heady days of 396 or 427 cubic inches. This was the era of factory fuel injection, four-speed automatics, and five-speed manuals—all in the name of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. Only 51-percent of buyers chose the V-8, the others, four- or six-cylinder models.

Designed by Jerry Palmer, the Gen III Camaro retained that long-nose, short deck configuration but with some differences. The windshield was raked back at 62 degrees; the first GM design to break their internal 60-degree edict. And in back, there was a European-style hatch back to access a cavernous cargo space when the rear seats were folded down.

It was quite the different Camaro from previous generations and three models were available: Berlinetta, Sport Coupe and Z28. The Sport Coupe was actually the base model and came with 4, 6, or 8 cylinders; the Berlinetta started with the V6 but the 5.0L V8 was optional. The Z28, however, came standard with the 5.0L V8 that boasted a staggering 145 hp with a single 4bbl carb. Even with the optional LU5 twin Throttle Body ‘Cross Fire’ Injected 305 it only produced 165 hp and that lack of power in the Z28 was one of the criticisms leveled at this otherwise well received model.

Sales of the Gen III never set the world afire but as the year progressed the car got better.

There was a more powerful version built to pace the Indy 500 and although some 6,000 visually similar cars were sold, they did not come with the hopped-up 5.7L V8 of the pace car. Meanwhile, in Europe, a Z28E (E for Europe) was shown at the Geneva Auto Show with a 155 hp carbureted V8.

Sales of the Gen III never set the world afire but as the year progressed the car got better. In 1983, the Z28 got more juice with a 190 hp High Output 5.0L. The big news came in 1985 and the introduction of the IROC-Z named after the International Race of Champions. With tuned suspension and ‘Gatorback’ Goodyears, the IROC also benefitted from the Corvette’s TPI engine.

In 1987, for the 20th anniversary, Chevy had American Sunroof Corp., chop the top off and offered a convertible Camaro for the first time since 1969. It didn’t help much, sales were only 1007 units and production at Norwood, Ohio, was ended.

By 1988, another recession was looming and the Camaro line-up was reduced eliminating the LT model as well as the base Z28.

Approaching ten years, the Gen III was nearing the end of its life. To give it a little Viagra, the Rally Sport designation was re-introduced featuring a ‘ground effects’ body package. The top dog continued to be the IROC-Z 1LE supposedly tuned for SCCA Showroom Stock competition; however, despite its racecar pretentions apparently only 111 1LE-optioned Camaros were built. A total of only 34,986 Camaros were built in 1990 and the last Gen III was produced on December 31—it was the end of the line—so to speak.

For 1991, the Camaro was given a shave and a haircut and all RS and Z28 models received a new body package, sadly, however, the IROC-Z had to be dropped because the Dodge Daytona was now the IROC car of choice. A new B4C option was introduced and this ‘Special Service’ read ‘Cop car’, edition rated the 350 ci engine at 245 hp at 4,400 rpm and 345 lb-ft or torque at 3,200 rpm.

The 25th anniversary 1992 Camaro was a bit sad because the Z03 ‘Heritage Package’ performance upgrades intended were nixed in favor of some badging and graphics.  It was the last year for the Gen III and the last year for production in Van Nuys, CA, as production moved to Quebec, Canada.

GEN IV 1993–2002

For anybody looking, a strong hint of the GEN IV Camaro had surfaced in January 1989 when Chevrolet unveiled the Chevrolet California IROC Camaro concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Though still attached to the F-body platform, the body, tagged ‘cab-forward’ design was a radical departure created under design director John Schinella.

Concept cars don’t usually make it to production but the GEN IV looked an awful lot like the concept right down to the side mirrors that flared out from the tops of the front fenders. The big news was an all-plastic body except for the hood and the rear quarter panels.

Standard it came with a V6, first a 3.4L and then in ’95 a 3.8L. Standard for the Z28 was a multi-port fuel injected (MPFI) 350 ci LT1 that had first appeared in the ’92 ’Vette, however, there was an SS version available with the 330 hp LT4. 1993 also saw a police package while ’94 saw a six-speed manual and traction control for the Z28.

The infamous SS model was brought back in ’96 and it enjoyed 25 more hp than the Z28—much of this work was done by Ed Hamburger’s SLP Engineering. Another aftermarket outfit fettling the Camaro was Callaway and in 1994 they intro’d the ‘SuperNatural’ with a 404 hp LT1 and a dramatic body package. However, Doug Rippie Motorsports topped that with their 430 hp DRM.

Things in Camaroland remained much the same until 1997-’98 when the car was given a facelift inside and out and under the new hood came a new all-aluminum 5.7L LS1 that had first appeared in the C5 Corvette introduced in 1995. With 300 hp, the LS1-powered Camaro became one of the fastest cars in its class. However, sales were inching down due to many factors not least of which was declining interest in two-door sport coupes. In 2001, Chevy sold only 29,009 Camaros. In 2002, Chevy offered a 35th anniversary trim package but the car was the same as it had been for the past two years and sales barely exceeded 40,000. It appeared that Camaro had had its day but Chevy had sold almost 4.4 million during its 35-year lifespan.

GEN V 2010–2015

Just as GM had been two years behind the Mustang they were caught on the back foot again when Dodge introduced the retro-styled Challenger in 2008 and it would be two years before GM brought the Camaro back in 2010. In my opinion, the exterior design wasn’t quite as clean at the Challenger but that’s just my opinion.

[the LSA powered Camaro] produced a staggering 580 hp and was the fastest Camaro ever built to date.

Gone, finally, was the F-body platform, replaced by a rear-wheel drive Zeta platform developed by GM’s Australian subsidiary Holden. The cars, however, were built in Oshawa, Canada.  The base engine was a 312 hp 3.6L V6 backed by either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. The top of the line Camaro SS was powered by a healthy 426 hp 6.2L LS3. It was apparent that the horsepower wars were back and over the next few years GM and Chrysler and even Ford would keep adding power to up the bragging rights.

A convertible was added to the line in 2011 but the big news came in 2012 and the 45th anniversary when Chevy threw the 6.2L supercharged LSA first used in the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V into the ZL1. It produced a staggering 580 hp and was the fastest Camaro ever built to date.

In 2014, the Camaro was given a facelift with a new grille, taillights and the return of the Z28 featuring a 505 hp version of the C6 Corvette 7.0L LS7 engine—it was worthy of the Z28 moniker. To give the Z28 even more of an edge at the track it was put on a diet and weight was reduced where possible, even to the point of using thinner glass in the rear quarter windows. Sales reached their best since 1995 and a total of 86,297 for 2014. Mustang sold slightly fewer and unfortunately, sales would continue to decline.

GEN VI 2016–

Visually, the GEN VI Camaro is not that different from its predecessor, however, it was built on yet another new platform and weighed some 200 lbs less. This time it would be built on the Alpha platform and production had finally returned to the U.S. in 2015 and cars were built at the Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan.

For the first time since 1985, an in-line four cylinder was offered and with a turbocharger it produced a respectable 275 hp. A new 3.6L V6 produced 335 hp, the Camaro SS had a 6.2L 455 hp LT1 and the ZL1 version featured another supercharged LT4 producing a whopping 650 hp making it the most powerful factory-produced Camaro ever. Transmissions ranged from a six-speed manual to an eight-speed automatic and even a ten-speed auto option for the ZL1.

The race was on and for 2017 the ZL1 had a claimed top speed of 205 mph. Chevy engineers even took it to the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany where the Camaro lapped the 12.93-mile track in just 7:16:4 minutes. Despite the accolades, the engineering and technical achievements, the public weren’t buying it and 2017 saw sales slip yet again to just under 68,000 units.

Unfortunately, 2018 would be even worse when sales slumped almost 20,000 units to a tad over 50,000. Mustang, on the other hand fared better with sales of more than 75,000.

At the 2018 SEMA Show, Chevrolet announced a 50th anniversary-themed 2019 COPO racecar that you could ‘apply’ to buy. Available only in metallic blue to emulate the original COPO Camaro, the 2019 COPO featured an exclusive grille and engine accessories to make it look like the original. Only 69 cars were to be built, the same number as were built in 1969.

Perhaps more interesting was the announcement, also made at SEMA, of an eCOPO concept developed in partnership with HancockandLane, North Bend, Washington. Entirely electric powered, eCOPO is driven by a pair of BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motor assemblies, each generating 300 lb-ft of torque providing the equivalent of more than 700 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. Maybe it’s the future.

Over its lifespan, Chevrolet has sold more than 5.5 million Camaros and I guess that’s not all bad for a long-nose, short tail, niche vehicle.

21^st Shelby American Reunion

Perhaps nobody other than Enzo Ferrari commands as much loyalty as American racing legend Carroll Shelby. Unlike Ferrari, Shelby switched allegiances depending on the prevailing climate. In the 1950s, he raced for Allard, Aston-Martin, Healey and even Ferrari. He even raced Formula One in 1958 and ’59 before launching his own car in 1962. Even then he switched from Ford to Chrysler/Dodge to GM’s Oldsmobile as the business climate shifted. However, it is the Cobra and associated vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT500 that are logged in our memory chips as iconic American performance cars.

The Cobra came about because Shelby had learned to like American-powered, lightweight European sports cars with the Cadillac-powered Allards. When the time came to build his own sports car he planned to combine the lightweight, aluminum-bodied British AC Ace chassis with a Ford V8. The AC had an aging Bristol 4-cylinder that was underpowered and outdated. In 1962, the Ford V8 was as modern as it got.

“…[We] worked around the clock to build the first Cobra in Moon’s cramped shop. Shelby sat on a stool and watched the action. I was just a kid.”Roy Gammell

Sans engine and paint, an Ace was shipped to Dean Moon’s hot rod shop in Santa Fe Springs, California. There, a small group of rodders including Phil Remington, Roy Gammell and his son Doyle installed a 260-cubic-inch, small-block Ford and had hot rodder Dean Jeffries paint it yellow for the 1962 New York Auto Show. The rest, as they say, is history. Incidentally, that first Cobra, now painted blue, sold in 2016 for $13.75 million.

Hugely successful on the race track but less so in the showroom—only 654 small-block Cobras and 350 big-block cars were sold—the Shelby Cobra is possibly the world’s best known sports car and its legacy continues to this day with related car clubs, clothing lines, and continuation cars—the Cobra being possibly the most copied car on the planet. They say there are probably more Cobras now than there ever were ever built originally and I don’t doubt it.

There are also numerous events such as the recent 21^st Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club Shelby Tribute and Car Show at the Shelby headquarters in Gardena, California. This huge facility is now home to a small museum of Carroll Shelby’s vehicles, an event space and Original Venice Crew Mustangs (OVC) building continuation GT350s using original ’65 Mustangs. The show is an annual free event open to the public. The several hundred cars on display can be anything relating to Shelby automobiles from Falcons, Ford-powered Sunbeam Tigers and De Tomaso Panteras to an array of the new Ford GT including the custom painted black, white and orange one owned by ex-Ford designer Camilo Pardo who designed the previous GT model. And, of course, there’s a huge selection of Cobras and Mustangs that included a rare station wagon built out of a ’66 coupe and one of only four Mustang GT350 convertibles. What’s literally very cool is that many of the cars are displayed inside the cavernous building out of the hot sun.

You get the run of the building; get to see Shelby-associated celebrities such as Roy Gammell who worked on Cobra numero uno to Doug Dwyer, Ted Sutton, Jim Marietta who operates OVC Mustangs and racing driver/instructor Bob Bondurant. All are approachable and have great stories to tell. We spoke to StateofSpeed.com friend Roy Gammell who worked with his father on that very first Cobra: “We had no time, so dad, myself, Phil Remington, Larry Maldonado and Fred Larsen worked around the clock to build the first Cobra in Moon’s cramped shop. Shelby sat on a stool and watched the action. I was just a kid.”

Two of our favorite cars on display were the one and only 1968 Shelby Lonestar that was built as a stillborn supercar continuation of the Cobra and CSX 3047. This ‘survivor’ Cobra was one of only two painted Hertz gold by the factory in 1965. Despite its well-patinated paint, it is said to be the most original 427 SC left in existence.

…The Shelby Cobra is possibly the world’s best known sports car and its legacy continues to this day.

For more information about LASAAC and the Carroll Shelby Tribute Car Show visit, lashelbyclub.com

Building the Schwab Challenger

Like the company that gave it life, the Dodge Challenger has had a checkered history. The first generation, built from 1970 to 1974 is now regarded as an appreciating classic. The mid-term 1978 to ’83 Mitsubishi Galant Lambda for want of a Dodge badge is possibly best forgotten. However, the new generation introduced in 2008 lives up to Dodge’s original.

For many of us the Challenger that most quickly comes to mind is the Alpine White 1970 R/T 440 Magnum that appeared in the 1971 movie Vanishing Point starring Barry Newman. Newman played Vietnam Vet turned car delivery jockey Kowalski who is tasked with delivering the car from Denver, Colorado, to San Francisco in 15 hours. For the next 98 minutes, Kowalski is pursued and persecuted along the 1,250-mile route until he can’t stand in anymore and nose-dives the Challenger into a police roadblock comprising a pair of bulldozers.

The ending is a Thelma and Louise moment that leaves the average viewer contemplating life but leaves car people wondering what happened to the car. In fact, there were four, possibly five cars loaned to the production company by Chrysler. All were badly damaged during filming and all were apparently crushed at the end of production. If you’re into ‘Americana’ and car chase movies in particular, Vanishing Point directed by Richard C. Sarafian is worth the time.

Chrysler were apparently not happy about Kowalski’s use of bennies to keep awake and one has to say Vanishing Point didn’t do them much good as sales tanked from a high of 76,935 in 1970, the year it intro’d, to a mere 26,299 in 1971.  It was worse in 1972 at 22,919, up a tad to 27,930 for 1973 and a scant 11,354 for 1974. It didn’t help that new safety regulations and the Oil Crises of 1973 were forcing muscle cars off the road. Nevertheless, the movie did as much for the Challenger as Bullitt did for the Mustang and it remains one of the quintessential, genuine muscle cars.

No wonder then that banking group Charles Schwab would pick a ’73 Challenger to give away as a prize at the recent Charles Schwab Challenge at the PGA Tour stop at Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas. There’s a rationale for the prize: “Charles Schwab has been ‘challenging the status quo’ in its industry since 1973. The Colonial has ‘challenged’ some of the world’s best golfers for 73 years. Hence, the event selecting a 1973 Dodge Challenger to reward its winner.” This is the first of a four-year sponsorship of the event at Colonial for Charles Schwab. Hopefully, that means more giveaway cars of this caliber.

To build the car, Schwab turned to industry veterans Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design and Mick Jenkins of Mick’s Paint. Strope found the car in excellent condition in New York before it was taken to his shop in Simi Valley, California, where the car was stripped down to bare metal and fitted with a new Mopar 6.4L SRT-8 392 crate Hemi producing 485 hp. In back of the engine is a Chrysler A-727 TorqueFlite automatic trans with Gear Vendors overdrive. Out back is an 8-3/4-inch Chrysler rear end with 3.55 gears.

[the Challenger] was stripped down to bare metal and fitted with a Mopar 6.4L SRT-8 392 crate Hemi producing 485 hp.

To make this Challenger stand out from the crowd a new 73 Magum 440 hood with twin scoops and the letters SCHWAB replacing DODGE was fitted while Kelly Cox hand-formed that beautiful polished aluminum side trim that accentuates the Aston Martin-style vents let into the front fenders. The other subtle changes include the use of early 1970-’71 bumper brackets, ’71 Challenger TA spoilers front and rear and the replacement of the stock rectangular side markers with small round units from the ’68 Dodge Charger.

Meanwhile, underneath, AlterKtion suspension components from ReillyMotorsports.com replaced the stock factory torsion bars with a coil-over system and the stock steering with rack-and-pinion. The brakes are 14-inch Baer 6s with nickel-plated 6-piston calipers while the rims are B-Forged items from BilletSpecialties.com: 18 x 8s in front and 19 x 10s in back.

After all the engineering was complete, the car was shipped out to Mick’s Paint in Pomona, California, where Mick’s team worked around the clock to meet the deadline.  Once the car had been painted in Aston Martin Glacier Blue it went on to GabesCustom.com, where the diamond-stitched white leather upholstery was jazzed up with the exact same plaid used in the signature tartan Colonial jackets. The interior includes climate control by VintageAir.com, instruments from DakotaDigital.com and a sound system from Kicker.com. 

From there it was back to Mick’s for final fit and finish before it was back to Pure Vision for final assembly. All in a total time of six months. According to Strope, “Mick’s Paint makes us look good and I’m over the moon in appreciation of his team getting it done on time.”

The car was won by professional golfer Kevin Na who immediately turned and flipped the keys to his caddy and long time friend Kenny Harms saying, “I don’t know how my caddie convinced me to give him the car, but he’s a good salesman I guess. But I’m more than happy to give it to him. He deserves it.” Kenny had been eyeing the car all weekend and the pair had a pact that if Na won Kenny got the car. Na took the remaining $1.314 million.

It remains to be seen whether a custom Challenger with the name SCHWAB instead of the name DODGE can retain its value but you can’t deny the car’s excellence. Whatever the outcome, the Dodge Challenger remains one of the high points of the muscle car era whether it’s restored, rodded or raced.

It remains to be seen whether a custom Challenger with the name SCHWAB instead of the name DODGE can retain its value but you can’t deny the car’s excellence.

Martini Mustang

As international brands go, Martini and Mustang are two of the best known and strongest in their respective markets. The Martini & Rossi liquor company was founded in the mid-19th century, as a vermouth bottling plant in Pessione, Italy. They began sponsoring auto racing under the Martini Racing banner in 1968, and sponsored Scuderia Ferrari until 2008. The Mustang, of course, was introduced in 1964 and became an immediate hit with the public selling 418,812 units in the first year.

As both Martini and Mustang have extensive and successful racing provenance it seemed obvious to Steve Strope of PureVisionDesign.com to combine them and build the Martini Mustang. As seen on TV’s Hand Built Hot Rods, Steve has a unique ability to build not only amazing muscle cars but also concoct a back story that qualifies their existence. In the case of the Martini Mustang Steve posed the hypothetical question; what if Ford were talking to Martini in the mid-sixties when the Mustang had just been introduced and was being raced to great success in Europe by Alan Mann Racing? Would they have developed this Martini-striped Mustang to take on the best Europe had to offer? And, had they built it would they have powered it with Ford’s DOHC Indy engine? That’s unlikely but Steve never lets a fact get in the way of a good story.

…take a ’66 Mustang, splash on the Martini livery, throw in the DOHC Ford Indy engine and you have the T-5R Martini Mustang.

Our story starts with a ’66 Mustang chosen because of its compatibility with contemporary Shelby R (racing) parts. Steve then went in search of a suitable engine and landed at Ed Pink Racing Engines (EdPink.com), Van Nuys, California. There, general manager, Frank Honsowetz revealed that he had four 255 ci dual-overhead-cam V8s that were popular Indy car engines from 1964 to 1978. It was the same engine that powered Brit Jim Clark to win the Indy 500 in 1965.

In Steve’s vernacular, take a ’66 Mustang, splash on the Martini livery, throw in the DOHC Ford Indy engine and you have the T-5R Martini Mustang. The one issue with the race-bred engine was that it was, well, a race-bred engine when, in this application, it needed to be a tractable street engine. Consequently, the team at Pink’s began by stroking and boring to achieve a capacity of 292 ci. Billet steel rods from Lunati are topped with CP forged pistons that have a compression ratio of 10.5:1. Obviously, there are no off-the-shelf cams for this engine so they had to be specially ground to Pink’s specs. 

Originally, the Ford Indy engine had stack fuel injection and Steve wanted to retain that look and turned to Holley for their Dominator ECU and EFI components modified for individual runners. To help build low-rpm power, the injector stacks were made as long as possible. Peak torque of 362 ft-lb comes at 5,600 rpm and max horsepower is 426 giving the 2,900-pound pony a great power-to-weight ratio. According to Honsowetz, “We got the power where we wanted it with a combination of cam profile, increased intake runner length and diameter, and header tuning.”

… Steve has a unique ability to build not only amazing muscle cars but also concoct a back story that qualifies their existence.

Two unusual aspects of this engine swap are the exhaust system and the fact that the engine in its original racing application had no on-board starter—instead, hand-held starters were used. Luckily, Steve was able to adapt a Quarter Master bell housing to the C&R Performance four-speed. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, C&R built the 63-pound box for NASCAR Sprint Cup cars but it was banned because it was too light. “You can carry the gearbox under your arm, it’s that light,” Strope said, “and it shifts butter smooth.”

The sharp-eyed among you will notice that the engine valley where the intake would normally sit is empty. That’s because Pink’s flipped the heads so that the exhaust would exit in the normal position, below the inlet, and not through the windshield.

While Pink’s fettled the engine, Steve’s capable team in Simi Valley, CA, reworked the Mustang’s chassis and suspension. Up front they installed Detroit Speed and Engineering’s Corvette-inspired Mustang Aluma-Frame front clip. Mounted on a lightweight aluminum cradle, it’s a direct replacement coil-over setup that even includes the spindles. It radically alters the driving dynamics of any Mustang offering up to six inches of suspension travel and the precision of rack-and-pinion steering. In the rear, there’s a four-link system and the brakes are Wilwood all round.

For wheels Steve turned to EVODIndustries.com who produced a unique, one-off set of four-spoke, 17-inch pin-drive wheels that emulate those used on the ’66 Lotus Ford Indy racing car. The rears are 12 inches wide, which necessitated a slight tubbing of the rear inner body. The tires are Kuhmo Escta V710s that are just about street legal.

Attention to detail could be Steve’s middle name and this trait is exemplified in the department of the minimalist, rally race-style interior. The period-correct, dark blue, low-back bucket seats upholstered by Eric Thorsen are superbly framed with a Shelby rollcage. The instrumentation, complete with map-reading lamp and dash timers, comprises simple, round, analog gauges reworked using AutoMeter internals by RedlineGaugeWorks.com. Their German script gives a nod to that invented European racing heritage, as does the Momo Prototipo steering wheel. Shelby-style knobs, handles, and even an R-model radio-delete plate sourced from Tony Branda add to the authenticity as do 427 AC Cobra pedals.

Steve’s tribute to Shelby continued through the body mods that included lightweight, Maier Shelby-style fiberglass reproduction parts, including the hood, front fenders, bumpers, etc. Likewise, Shelby Plexiglas rear quarter-windows and an R-model-style Plexiglas rear window were fitted, along with “shaved” hood hinges.

The Mustang was then shipped to Pomona, CA, where the team at MicksPaint.com applied the Martini-inspired Porsche Carrera white PPG paint and graphics. “We raised and flared the rear wheel arches and made outer wheel tubs for it.” Said Mick. “We made an aluminum deck lid skin for it, made a custom front valance, and custom front and rear bumpers for a better fit. The paint, however, was basic Porsche white throughout with Martini stripes laid out by Steve.”

Finally, there are those custom T-5R badges likewise designed by Steve: T-5 was the designation of Mustangs that were shipped to countries such as Germany and Canada where the word Mustang name was not allowed because it was already in use on another vehicle. And, if this was a shipped car, it would be an R model, hence the T-5R designation. We said he told a good story.

The Martini Mustang went on to win numerous awards including the prestigious Ford Design Award at the SEMA Show becoming a fitting tribute to the Martini and Mustang brands.

Your First Dragstrip Pass:
Safety Equipment

…once you’re hooked, you will absolutely want to empty your wallet and fill your driveway with cars just for the track.

The great thing about going to your local drag strip’s grudge night or test and tune day is that you get the chance to actually race your car on the track with very little extra effort or expense – it’s one of the best ways to get involved in motorsports without having to spend a ton of money or have a specially-prepared race car. Don’t get us wrong, though; once you’re hooked, you will absolutely want to empty your wallet and fill your driveway with cars just for the track. But in the meantime, the car you already have will do just fine as an inexpensive gateway drug.

 
One of the things that holds people back from getting out of the stands and into the staging lanes is concern over tech inspection and track safety rules. Depending on how quick your car is, you’ll have to meet some basic equipment standards in order to be allowed to run at a dragstrip that follows the NHRA or IHRA rulebook, and today we are going to take a look at those requirements so there are no surprises when the nice man with the clipboard asks you to hand him your tech card and pop your hood.

Safety requirements are broken down into three basic categories: How quick your car is (elapsed time), how fast your car is (trap speed), and what specific modifications you’ve made (things like adding an aftermarket supercharger, turbo, or nitrous system). The main criteria is elapsed time, and for each level of required equipment, you’ll see a break point for both quarter mile and eighth mile ET. The rules are divided up that way in order to make sure that cars running the shorter track length but accelerate just as hard as their quarter mile cousins have similar levels of safety equipment. Each level builds on the previous requirements unless otherwise noted, and please keep in mind that this isn’t the ultimate authority to what’s allowed or required – consult the NHRA rules and your local track officials if you’re in doubt

All Vehicles

In general, your car needs to not be leaking any fuel, oil, or coolant. Your battery needs to be properly secured with a real hold down clamp (no zip ties, shoelaces, or other janky fixes), and you will have to have a radiator overflow catch reservoir. Your tires should be in good condition, and you can’t have any broken wheel studs or missing lug nuts. Factory seatbelts are another necessity, and you will be required to wear a shirt, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. Finally, you’ll need a valid driver’s license or NHRA/IHRA competition license.

Plain old DOT-rated motorcycle helmets do not meet this requirement, so don’t grab the chrome-plastic skullcap you wear on your Harley and presume you are good to go.

Some tracks will have specific additional rules – in some places, all drivers will be required to wear a helmet, no matter how slow their car is, and you may also find tracks that prohibit anything but plain water in your cooling system, so check if you aren’t sure.

13.99 and Quicker (8.59 ⅛ mile)

• Approved helmet – this will need to have either a Snell or SFI rating sticker from within the last 10 years (for example, in 2019, the oldest acceptable Snell-rated helmet would be a M2010 or SA2010). Plain old DOT-rated motorcycle helmets do not meet this requirement, so don’t grab the chrome-plastic skullcap you wear on your Harley and presume you are good to go.

13.49 and Quicker (8.25 ⅛ mile)

• Convertibles only – an approved roll bar, and SFI-rated seat belts. Be aware of the fact that there are specific design requirements for drag racing roll bars that are different from those required for road racing or track days, so consult the rulebook if you are unsure whether yours meets the specification.
• Rotaries only – SFI certified clutch and flywheel plus flywheel shield.

11.49 and Quicker (7.35 ⅛ mile)

• Approved 6-point roll bar (see above)
• SFI-rated seat belts – this includes an ‘anti-submarine’ strap (making it a 5-point restraint) and it has to be either manufactured or recertified by the manufacturer in the last two years, as shown on the tag attached to the belt. As an aside, this is often a cause of grumbling among racers who think that recertification every two years is excessive, or even a way to force people to buy new belts they don’t need. The reality is that next to helmets, belts are the most important personal safety item in your car, and they’re easily damaged by sunlight, heat, and abrasion. If you’re putting together a car that will need SFI 16.1 belts, do yourself a favor and wait until you are completely done and ready to run the car before you buy them so that you get the most use out of them as possible before they need recertification. If you don’t want to go to the hassle of sending them back to the manufacturer for inspection after two years and just want to replace them, check out your local off-road forums to sell your old ones, because harnesses that are out of date but still serviceable are popular with ‘wheelers who aren’t concerned about high speed crashes.
• Manual-transmission cars – SFI certified clutch and flywheel plus flywheel shield.
• Rear-wheel-drive cars – Driveshaft loop.
• Jacket meeting SFI Spec 3.2A/1.

10.99 to 10.00 (6.99 to 6.40 ⅛ mile)

• Automatic Transmission – SFI-rated transmission shield and locking dipstick tube. The transmission shield can be either rigid or blanket-type, as long as it meets SFI 4.1 specifications.
• Rear-wheel-drive cars – Aftermarket axles and axle retainers.
• SFI-spec harmonic balancer.

9.99 and Quicker (6.39 ⅛ mile)

Single-digit timeslips are a big break-point for safety rules, where a whole bunch of new requirements kick in, including a competition license for the driver. Cars this quick are beyond the scope of this article, and by the time you’ve built one capable of running under a 10-flat quarter mile, you will already be well-acquainted with the safety requirements.

Trap Speed Safety Requirements

Note that these requirements apply to both quarter- and eighth-mile trap speeds, but generally speaking if you are going fast enough to trigger them, you’re already way past needing our advice…

• 135 MPH – SFI-spec padding anywhere the driver’s helmet may come in contact with roll bar or cage components.
• 135 MPH – All the same requirements as a car running faster than 10.00, regardless of actual elapsed time.
• 150 MPH – Parachute.

Modification-Related Safety Requirements

On the other hand, if you show up in your HEMI Challenger with a big aftermarket supercharger strapped to the top, all bets are off.

Here’s the part that trips people up; once you start modifying your car with speed parts, an eagle-eyed tech inspector may find certain changes trigger additional safety rules. For the most part, as factory cars have gotten quicker and quicker over the years, drag racing sanctioning bodies have been pretty lenient about allowing them to run in unmodified form even if they are technically past the ET limits for some requirements. This allows cars like late model ZR1 and Z06 Corvettes, Nissan GT-Rs, Shelby Mustangs, and Dodge Hellcats and Demons to pass tech.

On the other hand, if you show up in your HEMI Challenger with a big aftermarket supercharger strapped to the top, all bets are off. Here are some examples of safety regulations that are triggered by modifications made to your car, regardless of what elapsed time you are running:

• Non-OEM turbo, nitrous, or supercharger – SFI 3.2A/1 jacket for the driver.
• Water/Methanol Injection – The tank, pump, and lines can’t be in the passenger compartment, and if the tank is in the trunk, a solid bulkhead of .024-inch steel or .032-inch aluminum is required to isolate it from the driver.
• Nitrous Oxide – If the bottle is in the passenger compartment, it must be equipped with a “blow down” tube that vents the pressure relief valve outside the vehicle. No matter where it’s located, it must be “permanently mounted”; hose clamps and tie wraps aren’t acceptable, and you can’t just stuff it in the back seat footwell and run the passenger seat all the way back to jam it in place.

• Drag Slicks – If you’re running quicker than 14-flat in a RWD car and running slicks, you’ll need a driveshaft loop. Tires with DOT approval for street use don’t trigger this requirement until you go quicker than 11.50, as mentioned above.

• Spool – RWD cars with a “locked” differential need aftermarket axles and axle retention devices to go with, regardless of ET.
• Relocated Battery – If you’ve moved the battery from the stock location to the trunk, a master electrical cutoff mounted at the rear of the car and accessible from outside is required.

Preparation is the Key

We’ve covered the major points of required safety equipment here, but this article isn’t intended to be the final authority on the subject. Our goal is to give you an overview of what you’ll need to pass tech and have a safe, enjoyable day at the dragstrip. For most street-driven cars, the safety requirements are very easy to meet; first-timers are often wildly optimistic when estimating just how quick their whip actually is, so chances are that a good helmet and a car that isn’t dripping oil or antifreeze is all you will need.

Your First Dragstrip Pass: Heads Up or Handicapped?

Or, “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dial-In”

One of the great things about drag racing is that, in the words of legendary broadcaster Dave Despain, “It’s racing that you do, not racing that you watch.” Most motorsports have a high barrier to entry—in order to be competitive at even the lowest levels, you need a dedicated race car, a trailer and something to tow it with, and a fair amount of disposable income.

Of course, if your dream is to be the next John Force, you’ll need a dump truck full of money to reach that goal, but drag racing has always been about run-what-ya-brung competition going all the way back to its origins in the 1950s, and it’s definitely possible to have a lot of fun (and win some races) on a budget. It comes down to the difference between “heads up” competition and handicapped racing, and today we’re going to break down how these two broad categories work.

Heads Up Racing

Conceptually, heads up competition is the simplest form of drag racing, but in practice, things get a lot more complicated. Two cars line up, and both get the green light at the same time. First past the finish line wins, barring a “red light” start where one (or both) drivers jump the gun and leave the line before getting the green. In order to keep things fair, a set of class rules defines which cars run against each other, based on power, weight, and traction (or a combination of all three).

Power can be equalized by limits on engine displacement, which power adders are allowed, and even the type of fuel used. It’s common to see heads-up classes where cars powered by large-displacement naturally aspirated engines compete against others with smaller boosted engines (which are also limited in turbocharger or supercharger size) and nitrous-fed combinations that are restricted by the number of “stages” and nitrous jet size.

Weight is another way to try to make things fair; some combinations may be required to run a higher minimum weight across the scales at the end of a run than others in order to balance things out. Traction is the final piece of the puzzle—by limiting the size or type of tire, a heads up class can level the playing field, and by restricting the modifications allowed to a car’s suspension, another way of evening out the difference between combinations is introduced.

…A set of class rules defines which cars run against each other, based on power, weight, and traction.

Balancing all these factors is one of the hardest things a race series has to do, and it’s critical to how successful that organization’s races are in terms of the number of competitors. Nobody wants to build a car to the limit of the rules, then be uncompetitive because of a mid-season change that nerfs their combination, but it’s equally crucial to make sure that there isn’t a runaway escalation that turns the class into “pay to win.” As a result, even “entry level” heads up classes tend to be expensive, since they require a car that’s built to take full advantage of the rules if you want to be a frontrunner.

Handicapped Racing

Fortunately, a very long time ago drag racers figured out a way to let cars with vastly different speed potential compete against one another on a level playing field. Handicapped-start drag races, most commonly seen in the form of “bracket” racing, reward consistency and driver skill over raw speed. Here’s how it works:

Let’s say you have a moderately-quick street car. When you bring it out to test and tune night at your local drag strip, you typically run mid-13-second quarter mile passes, run after run. Your buddy has a car that’s got more power and more tire, and he’s running high tens. If you lined up against each other and started at the same time, you’d lose every race.

But you’ve street raced a bit, and so you know that to make things fair, you can negotiate a head start. On some rural two-lane, that might be getting a couple of car lengths, or having your buddy wait until you move before he does, but at the track, you can build that handicap into the timing system.

The beauty of handicapped-start drag racing is that literally anyone in any car can run against anyone else on a level playing field

If you know your car runs 13.50 in the quarter mile, and he knows his car runs 10.75, these predicted elapsed times can be “dialed-in” to the timing system. Because your car is slower, your side of the tree will show you a green light 2.75 seconds before your buddy, so if both of you have the same reaction time and run exactly on your predicted elapsed time, you’ll reach the finish line at the same instant. Just like that, a race that wouldn’t be a fair fight comes down to who reacts quicker.

“But wait!” you say. “Can’t I just sandbag and say my car is slower than it really is, and give myself a huge head start?” You certainly could, but that’s where the “breakout” rule comes into play.

In a bracket race, if you run quicker than your predicted elapsed time, you “break out” of your bracket and lose the race, unless your opponent did the same thing but by a greater margin. If you dialed in 13.50 and ran 13.48 while your buddy ran 10.78 on his 10.75 dial, you may cross the finish line first but still lose the race.

The beauty of handicapped-start drag racing is that literally anyone in any car can run against anyone else on a level playing field, but consistent success requires you to be able to very accurately predict your car’s elapsed time, and cut a quick reaction time. It’s a true test of how well you know your equipment and your driving skill.
Some drag racers will disparage bracket racing as being inferior to running a heads-up class, but it’s the easiest way to get on the dragstrip and build your experience and skill. Running your 13.50 street car down the track every Friday night beats sitting around in the stands and running your mouth about how you’re going to have a fast heads-up car “someday, when I can afford it” every time.

’71 Dodge Dart Demon Pro Touring Restomod

As far back as their July 1989 issue—that’s 30 years—HOT ROD Magazine has been saying to its readers: “Dare To Be Different”, meaning look outside the box and don’t keep modifying the same old cars. Well, the car builders took notice and over the past three decades, builders have modified everything from AMC Gremlins to Jeep Wagoneers and to great effect.

One car that you might never think about modifying is the 1971 Dodge Dart Demon—heck, you might never have even seen or heard of a Dodge Dart Demon. The Demon came about because in 1970 sister group Chrysler-Plymouth had the Valiant Duster, a uni-body two-door coupe built on the A-body platform. With sales topping a quarter-million units, Dodge wanted a slice of the pie and got the Demon complete with small but controversial devil decals that were soon axed.

The Demon was to be called the Beaver but for obvious reasons, that name was also option delete. Basically, it was a Dodge Duster with Dart front sheet metal and a few other minor differences. Badge engineering it might have been but under the optional black hood with scoops, you could get the 5.6L 340 ci V8.

The Demon was to be called the Beaver but for obvious reasons, that name was also option delete.

The 340-equipped Demons could accelerate zero-to-60 mph in under 8 seconds. That’s not too shabby for a car almost 50 years old, but what if we took the age-old approach to performance and dropped in a bigger motor?

Incidentally, for those who don’t know, back in the day, Norm Krause, a.k.a. Mr. Norm was running Grand Spaulding Dodge on the northwest side of Chicago. By 1966, they were the largest dealer of high-performance Dodges in the country building hot rod Dodges when the factory couldn’t or wouldn’t deliver. One of Grand Spaulding’s notable efforts was the ’71 GSS Dart to which this car is a tribute.

“Just drop in a bigger motor,” was the instruction owner Bill Sefton gave to builder Mike Staveski of Restomod World in Hudson, Florida. No-need-to-be-told-twice Mike, well-known for his mad Mopar builds and the first to drop a Viper V-10 into a ’70 Challenger, dropped in a new Gen III 6.1L SRT8-derived HEMI that is a little different.

“I was so impressed, I eventually bought the company and this restomod Demon is a fitting tribute to the original ’71 GSS Dart.”Bill Sefton

It’s topped off with an Imagine Injection Six Pack system (three two-barrel throttle bodies) with a FAST Engine Management System and an original 1971 cast-aluminum GSS Tri-Power air cleaner. The rest of the drivetrain includes a Tremec five-speed manual box with a Hurst shifter and a Moser-built Dana 60 rear end.

To enable the Demon to handle like a modern car, Staveski installed a complete, fully adjustable suspension system with anodized-aluminum coilovers from AFCO Racing ably assisted with Wilwood 12.88-inch four-piston brakes. The wheel and tire combination comprises 19- and 20-inch Modern Muscle Pentastar forged split-rims and Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires: 225/40R19 in the front and 330/30R20 out back.

Like the exterior, the interior was likewise updated but not overstated. Corvette C5 bucket seats were re-upholstered in Year-One materials to afford more lateral support, power windows were fitted, as was Vintage Air air conditioning and a custom ’68 Dart instrument cluster by Red Line Graphics complete with push-button start and remote entry. Finally, a Sony stereo system was installed with a five-channel full-range/subwoofer with two 12-inch Xplod woofers installed in the trunk.

According to owner Sefton, “Mr. Norm’s was one of my regular destinations as a young man growing up in Chicago. I was so impressed, I eventually bought the company and this restomod Demon is a fitting tribute to the original ’71 GSS Dart.”

Never Lift: Bruce Meyer’s Car Collection

Not to be confused with Bruce Meyers, the inventor of the Dune Buggy, Bruce Meyer is a car collector extraordinaire and generally regarded as the man who first saw the historic value in old hot rods and began adding the right cars to his collection more than 30 years ago.

Housed in an anonymous brick building on Los Angeles’ west side, Bruce Meyer’s diverse collection is to die for and includes the first production Cobra CSX2001, the 1962 Greer, Black, Prudhomme Top Fuel dragster, the SO-CAL Speed Shop belly tank lakester, the Doane Spencer and Bob McGee Deuce Roadsters, the 1979 Le Mans-winning Kremer Porsche 935 K3 and several Ferraris. The list goes on.

Few but the fortunate get to see Bruce Meyer’s collection, and passers walking by have no idea what jewels are hidden behind those walls.

Housed in an anonymous brick building on Los Angeles’ west side, the diverse collection is to die for…

However, he is very accommodating when it comes to sharing his vehicles with others having taken them to shows and events all over the world from Goodwood to Pebble Beach. He is even a member of the exclusive Bonneville 200 MPH Club and even drove one of his roadsters at 204 mph.

As a ‘kick off’ to the Petersen Automotive Museum’s 25th Anniversary year-long celebrations, Bruce, who helped found the museum in 1994 with its namesake Robert E. Petersen, was asked to lend his cars to a very special display.

…passers walking by have no idea what jewels are hidden behind those walls.

Titled Winning Numbers: The First, The Fastest, The Famous, the newly opened exhibit features 10 of Bruce Meyer’s groundbreaking racecars:

Winning Numbers will be open until January 19, 2020, so you have plenty of time to visit. For more information, visit petersen.org

Mooneyes Over Yokohama

Anybody who has been around the motorsports industry knows the name Moon or at least the Mooneyes logo, which is one of the world’s most recognized logos. The company was founded right after World War II by Dean Moon who ran moonshine as a teenager and bussed tables in Pop Moon’s Café among the oil rigs of Santa Fe Springs, California.

Like all kids back then, Dean was enamored by automobiles and after a stint in the Air Force as a photographer he opened his own shop and began making parts for the hot rod fraternity. His first products included fuel distribution blocks for multi-carb assemblies, aluminum fuel tanks, gas pedals in the shape of feet and Moon discs that found their way onto racecars from Bonneville to the Indy Brickyard.

Back then, Dean was all about the industry.

The discs, made of spun aluminum and held on with Dzus buttons, or screws, are an aerodynamic aid that actually works—I’ve tested them in a wind tunnel—and they are still the wheel cover choice for land speed racers.

Back then, Dean was all about the industry. The very first Shelby Cobra was built in his shop in 1962. He was one of the founders of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and in 1964, became its second president. He was also instrumental in helping establish European drag racing when he sent his Mooneyes dragster to compete in England in 1963.

Dean passed away in 1987 and the company languished until Japanese enthusiasts Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama purchased it in 1992. Shige and Chico have been exemplary custodians of the Moon brand restoring the original facility in Santa Fe Springs, putting all the original product back into production, developing thousands of new products and hosting some of the best car shows on the calendar.

Now, almost 30 years old, their one-day, yes, one-day Hot Rod & Custom Show in Yokohama’s Pacifico Exhibit Hall is Japan’s largest indoor car show attracting car builders from around the world including Indonesia, Korea, and the U.S.

“There are no lines to divide us or define us, simply a great appreciation for the custom culture of any time and place.”Bobby Green, Old Crow Speed Shop

At the most recent event celebrities included bike builders Roland Sands, Shinya Kimura, Ryan Gossman, Hawke Lawshe, ‘Dynamite’ Joe Kerivan and many others. Car builders included Bobby Green of Old Crow Speed Shop, Victor ‘Reno’ Sevilla, Coby Gewertz, and Jack Fields and Edgar Hernandez of Starlite Rod & Kustom.

As you would expect, besides a huge array of cars and motorcycles there’s a wide range of entertainment from live bands such as the El Caminos, The Minnesota Voodoomen and Jackie and the Cedrics. New this time was a Pinup Girl contest that proved very popular along with the annual pinstripe extravaganza where artists were asked to decorate frying pans. It’s a little different from a skateboard and therefore all the more challenging.

There are parties galore from welcoming parties to the farewell “Thank You” bar-b-que. And I’ve never met anybody who went who didn’t have a great time. Indeed, Bobby Green said, “The Mooneyes Hot Rod & Custom Show is so much more than its name implies. There are no lines to divide us or define us, simply a great appreciation for the custom culture of any time and place.”

Besides the big, one-day bash in Yokohama, Mooneyes also host a lot of other shows both in Japan and the U.S. For more information on the Japanese shows visit: https://www.mooneyes.co.jp

For information about the U.S. Shows such as their Xmas party at Irwindale Speedway visit: www.mooneyesusa.com

Halo Camaro

According to car builder extraordinaire Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design, Simi Valley, California, “A ‘Halo Car’ is an automobile model that lends prestige or attractiveness to the brands and other models of its manufacturer,” or to put it another way, “A unique automobile designed to draw attention to the brand.”

Steve is always very good at concocting the “back story” to his builds and is well known for his creativity when it comes to halo cars; if you visit his website you can see a number of them both past and present—cars like the “Anvil Mustang”, the “Martini T-5R Mustang”, and the “TT Camaro”. This second-gen ’72 Camaro was actually Pure Vision’s first Camaro project and the owner’s brief to Steve was to, “Build the baddest interstate flyer that is a comfortable long hauler that can cruise from SoCal to Vegas at a moment’s notice, keep a blistering pace, and do it in style.”

The required “blistering pace” is provided by a 427-cubic inch, cast-iron small-block Chevy V8 built by Tom Nelson Racing Engines in Chatsworth, California—and with twin “mirror image” NRE turbos, a billet, 16-injector “Alien” intake, and stainless steel headers by Aaron Cranford it produces a “throat clearing” 1,320 horsepower. Incidentally, the engine is set back 3 inches while the Ron Davis radiator is pushed forward 3.5 inches—and that heat shielding? That’s 24 kt. gold-plated shielding as used by McLaren.

“Build the baddest interstate flyer that is a comfortable long hauler that can cruise from SoCal to Vegas at a moment’s notice, keep a blistering pace, and do it in style.”

Backing up the power plant is a McLeod clutch and a double-overdrive, 6-speed, close-ratio Tremec Magnum transmission Cryogenic treated and massaged by the folks at Modern Driveline in Caldwell, Idaho, to withstand the staggering horsepower loads.

Power is put to the ground courtesy of a Jim Meyer Racing sub-frame in front and Ride Tech four-link in the rear with JRi Shocks coil-overs. Up front, Steve chose to go with coils from Hyper Coils. Stopping the Pirelli Corsa tires mounted on 18- and 19-inch HRE Wheels rims are 6S calipers and 13-inch rotors from Baer Brakes.

With the engineering work complete, the Camaro was shipped over to Steve’s collaborator Mick Jenkins at Mick’s Paint in Pomona, California. Mick and Steve have worked together on a number of award-winning projects and the Camaro was to be no different.

There are no cutting corners at Mick’s and the Camaro was stripped to bare metal before Anvil carbon fiber panels were installed to replace the stock fenders, inner fenders, nose, front spoiler, deck lid, rear spoiler, and hood that features Ringbrothers billet hinges and custom, built-in heat extractors. The carbon bumpers are from Custom Works Products. Meanwhile, the stock door handles were replaced with Aston Martin flip-out handles. After some extremely careful prep and masking, the car was shot in Aston Martin Tungsten Silver.

“Your interior is where you enjoy the driving experience. Don’t treat it as an afterthought.”Steve Strope, Pure Vision Design

The interior is luxury personified and built to the owner in the style of an Aston Martin with acres of Aston Martin Bitter Chocolate leather and Alcantara suede-like material expertly French-stitched by Eric Thorsen Custom Upholstery in Agoura Hills, California. According to Steve, “Your interior is where you enjoy the driving experience. Don’t treat it as an afterthought.” Incidentally, the TT Camaro’s air conditioning was upgraded with Vintage Air, the shifter and knob are customs made, meanwhile, Steve completely redesigned the instruments using AutoMeter movements.

The bezels were machined at White Rhino Industries in Simi Valley, and the faces were tech’d at Redline Gauge Works in Santa Clarita, California. The shortened column is from Flaming River. There is also a touch-screen control panel from ISIS that enables you to control functions such as unlocking doors, turning on lights, activating windows or controlling accessories wirelessly from a mobile device such as an Apple iPhone^®, the iPad^®, or the iPod touch^®.

Proof that the TT Camaro is one rad ride is that it won the prestigious GM Design Best Vehicle of the Show Award at the SEMA Show and it doesn’t get much better than that.

Bruce Canepa’s Top 10

Scotts Valley is a small city of 11,000 people six miles north of Santa Cruz, California, and to the south of what is now known as Silicon Valley. Of course, that term was barely in general use when Bruce Canepa opened his first business in 1982.

Bruce’s family owned a Ford dealership in the beach/college town of Santa Cruz where he learned all things mechanical and cut his driving teeth on a Model A Ford circa 1963. He began racing as soon as he was able driving quarter midgets and Go-Karts before progressing to super modifieds and sprint cars.

Bruce tried it all and excelled at most and was awarded consecutive “Rookie of the Year” and “Most Improved Driver” in three different race categories: Sportsman, Modified, and Sprint Cars.

In 1978, Bruce moved into racing sports cars in both the IMSA and Trans-Am series and in 1979 formed his own team to campaign a Porsche 934 at the grueling Daytona 24 hour sports car race. Teamed with Rick Mears and Monte Shelton, they finished an incredible third overall.

The Porsche factory was so impressed by the privateering effort, they provided him a brand new 935 for the rest of that season thus cementing Bruce’s continuing passion and loyalty to the brand.

He tried it all and excelled at most…

In 1980 and ’81, Bruce returned to Daytona with Gianpiero Moretti in the famous MOMO team Porsche 935. They also raced at Mid Ohio and Riverside. Bruce tried his hand at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with his own design twin-turbo-powered open wheeler—he qualified first and finished an amazing second overall.

The following year, Bruce was back at Daytona teamed with Bobby Rahal and Jim Trueman in the very first March GTP “Ground Effects” Prototype. He also opened Bruce Canepa Motorcars handling Audi, BMW, Lamborghini, Maserati and of course, Porsche automobiles.

Bruce has always been good at seeing a niche in the market and in ’82 he opened Canepa Design. The following year he began redesigning Kenworth big rigs that led, in 1985, to his purchase of Concept Transporters. That year he also drove the Eletrodyne Lola T600 at the Riverside 6 Hours.

With Group B rallying dominating the European racing scene in the mid-eighties, Porsche introduced the phenomenal 959 in 1986. It was quickly and rightly regarded as the ultimate sports car, however, the car was not legal to import into the U.S.

Enamored of the 959, Bruce and perhaps even Microsoft’s Bill Gates worked at enabling the car to be legally imported. Meanwhile, the American scene was all about SUVs and Chevy/GMC trucks and Canepa subsequently built more than 1,500 custom vehicles to Bruce’s design.

After ten years of working on the legalization of the 959, Bruce was finally able to deliver the first Canepa 959 in 2000 and the first California-compliant version in 2003. Despite all this work, Bruce continued to race and returned to Colorado’s Pikes Peak setting the course record for tandem-axle big rigs in 2000, 2001, and in 2002 he crossed the line in 13:57.800—a record that still stands on the 156-turn, 12.42-mile mountain course.

Racing oil runs in his veins and his current ride of choice is a McLaren P1 GTR.

Bruce Canepa moved into his current 70,000 sq. ft. Scotts Valley facility in 2006 and for any petrolhead, it’s Nirvana and showcases some of the raddest cars in Petroldom. There is so much to see that we asked Bruce to choose his Top 10 from all the cars on display and they are presented here: everything from the famed So-Cal Speed Shop Coupe that ran both at Bonneville and the drags in the very early fifties to the Porsche 917/10 of 1972 and the 1985 Rothmans Porsche 962C. It’s an amazing to-die-for, must-see collection.

Canepa is not just a showroom though, or even a museum, its also houses one of the world’s most respected restoration shops that not only meticulously restores historic racecars but also offers setup and race support, meanwhile, Bruce still does all the final testing. Well, he would wouldn’t he?  Racing oil runs in Bruce’s veins and his current ride of choice is a McLaren P1 GTR.

Hot Rod Wagon:  Classically Modified 1955 Chevy Nomad

It’s a dream of many hot rod enthusiasts: to have a wicked looking Nomad Wagon. It is the staple of rare but “cool” to modify vehicles and Brian Hill of Hill’s Rod and Custom used his expertise to create this beautiful utility rodder out of his own 1955 model.

If there was one show and actor that helped cement the Nomad for modern hot rodders it was Tim Allen and his show, Home Improvement. That car is even listed as the 19th of the top 50 TV cars by Rod Authority back in 2016. It was owned by Allen and the 1956 Nomad was tied to the main character, Tim Taylor, but canonically the car was the daily driver of his on-screen wife, Jill.

However, it would be the episode titled “Don’t Tell Momma” that would cause every Nomad and Bel Air enthusiasts’ hearts to collectively sink when the car was “crushed” on accident. Fortunately, the stunt car was a four-door Bel Air with a wagon roof added, rear doors welded and smoothed enough for the shot, and crushed on-screen while the real 1956 Nomad wasn’t harmed.

…it’s not a proper looking Nomad if the top isn’t its signature pristine white…

He even pulled the car on set to show it was still around to the live audience for that show’s taping. It would eventually be sold for Ebay’s “Auction for America” on October 4^th, 2001 to benefit victims of the September 11^th attacks just a few weeks earlier.

Fortunately for Hill’s Rod and Custom in Pleasant Hill, CA, this 1955 model wasn’t crushed or destroyed but was still put through a full, frame-off restoration before it was modified. Brian Hill pulled every piece and part off to strip, bang, straighten and finally repaint his in the Lamborghini Orange Pearl. However, it’s not a proper looking Nomad if the top isn’t its signature pristine white for that classic two-tone look.

All the glass was then replaced with new reproduction versions with modern weather-stripping for a noise-free ride. This was done to make sure the Vintage Air heating and air-conditioning system didn’t leak the cool interior air to the Bay Area’s hot atmosphere.

…a 1955 Nomad that’s worthy of television stardom.

That’s even as this Nomad makes its own atmosphere when it arrives. The interior is a fully-custom leather that carefully compliments that Lambo orange and chrome touches throughout. New, but classic gauges complete the classic looks of the Tri-Five dashboard.

Those new gauges are designed to work with the TurnKey Engine Supply LS1 crate engine, a 5.7-liter displacement that makes 410-horsepower and 420-torque to the crank with its 10.25:1 compression. Inside, the rotating assembly is lead by a set of Mahle forged pistons and squeeze fuel and air into cathedral port GM heads.

It’s designed to be installed and ran as it included everything, even the throttle pedal for the LS1 electronic throttle body but its ECM is calibrated with a TurnKey tune so it doesn’t need a GM PATS key. The only change was the addition of “Nomad” script emblems on the engine covers and painting the intake to match the Lambo orange of the body. Its power is then sent to a GM 6L80E six-speed automatic transmission.

We certainly wouldn’t mind being caught in it.

To control sway and pitch as Brian drives his Nomad, a modern set of coilovers were installed up front but the rear retains its leaf spring design. It’s not a race car and you’ll be able to haul more utilitarian loads thanks to the leafs if you desire or need it.

It’s fitted with a set of 17-inch American Racing VN508 Super Nova 5 in a mirror chrome finish and wrapped in Milestar MS932 Sport tires in 205/50R17 front and 225/60R17 rear.

Brian Hill and Hill’s Rod and Custom have certainly designed a 1955 Nomad that’s worthy of television stardom. Thankfully, it doesn’t come with the usual headaches fame brings but instead gives its driver the comforts of modern cars with the looks of a great classic Tri-Five. We certainly wouldn’t mind being caught in it.

Challenging ’69 Charger

J. P. Miller’s Restoration of His 1969 Dodge Charger R/T Super Track Pack

We’re always told about stories of people who finally get their hero car and it often turns out to be so much work it gets abandoned. For J. P. Miller, he knew he had something special once this 1969 Dodge Charger R/T arrived, but it wasn’t ready for anything close to street duty when it did.

“It was a barn find out of Moscow, Idaho,” J. P. Miller began his recollection of when he first heard about this 1969 Charger. “A friend of mine and father of my Goddaughter, who also would end up doing the paintwork, found it in a ‘Penny Saver’ magazine in Spokane, Washington.”

J. P., like a lot of us, was a huge fan of the “Dukes of Hazzard” and its hero car Charger and often seen as a character itself, General Lee. His friend knew he was looking for a 1969 model to match it as J. P. wanted to build a General Lee replica. So, they contacted the owner in Idaho and that’s when the story turned into something more than just a remake of a classic cult car.

“It turned out he was basically holding a silent auction for the car,” said Miller, “so, it totally caught us off guard and basically he have people look at the car and what it was coming with, write their offer on a paper and folded it in an envelope, and then at the end of the week pull the offers out of it and award it to the highest bidder.”

…you won’t find any Bondo on this Charger…

So, Miller went with Price is Right rules and bid $10,001.01 to ensure that he at least was the highest he could predict. At the end of the week, he got a call from an Idaho number to tell him he had won and could pick up the car and all the parts that came with it.

Randy Scheurer then drove a rollback from Spokane to Moscow, Idaho and back with everything on and in it. From there, it was a ten-year process of stripping the car down and restoring it back to what you see before you. It was loaded on to a rotisserie and torn down to its bare chassis. After that, it was media blasted and acid dipped before taking it over to Doug Standerfer of Spokane Valley, Washington for the sheet metal work.

Very extensive sheet metal work as the quarter panels and taillight panel needed to be replaced but the rear window metal work and pillars were able to be repaired by Doug. However, you won’t find any Bondo on this Charger as the metal work included leading for a proper, time-proven repair.

The rear quarter panels and taillight surround all had to be remade and were some of the first stamped sheets from Auto Metal Direct (AMD) for the 1969 Charger. While brand new stamped panels aren’t too hard to find now, back in 2005 they and Year One were the only ones making them and the process was only beginning for AMD.

…these are bumps you must anticipate, and patience, as well as understanding, is required.

Their molds had yet to be tweaked from the car they created their bucks from, and the panels wouldn’t fit correctly right away due to the gauge of metal used wasn’t exactly factory original, either. When you’re this early in the game for a restoration of a car like this, these are bumps you must anticipate, and patience, as well as understanding, is required. J. P. knew the hurry-up-and-wait game would be worth it after researching the car.

In between all the restoration work, Miller decided to dig into the history of this car and found out it was an original R/T Super Track Pack with a 440-cubic-inch V8, four-speed transmission, and radio delete. Someone bought this with the intention of racing it and looking into the engine, which was blown apart from a track thrashing before being parked, it showed.

While J. P. wasn’t the only owner, he did a VIN track and contacted the third owner of the car. Needless to say, the former Air Force serviceman was blown away to know the car was not only still around but in the process of being restored back to its former glory, too. Especially in the state, he showed him at the time.

Yes, you read that correctly. The engine block was in pieces as some time in the 1980s a rod went through it. However, the entire car was numbers matching and that included that original 440 big block Mopar that would have been considered destroyed by other builders.

Miller took it to an engine shop in California that specialized “lost cause blocks.” He took a look at the block and found that, while there was a large hole in it, the webbing was intact and could be repaired. Other than a standard rebuild and putting the block back together again, the engine is factory original.

…far greater, much rarer, and a hero car to lust over in its own right.

At this point, it was now April of 2012, the metal work was done, the paint was factory matched, and the 1969 Dodge Charger R/T Super Track Pack was ready for final assembly. All of the key parts were sourced from Ed Wogulis’ The Mopar Shop in Madera, California while other parts and assembly help was done by Dave La Marche of Concord, California.

The car is as original as you can get, even the wheels are a Mopar set you would find under it, but it does sit on modern Milestar StreetSteel tires with raised white lettering for that proper 1969 street car look with contemporary grip and wear.

From the work J. P. Miller did, this has been one incredible restoration job. It’s possibly one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. While he wanted a General Lee, we feel that he’s come out with something far greater, much rarer, and a hero car to lust over in its own right.

Cowboy Cadillac: ’68 El Camino

Tim Clancy’s 1968 El Camino Has the Heart of a CTS-V

These days, it’s not uncommon to see pickups used as daily drivers, decked out with luxurious interiors more suited to a limousine than a work truck, and optioned out to the point where the additional features double the sticker price. But back in the muscle car era, pickups were seen as utilitarian tools, not status symbols. Ford, always looking to create new market segments, launched the Ranchero in the 1957 model year, and foreshadowing what would happen with the Mustang and Camaro a few years later, Chevy got into the game with their own El Camino in 1959.

Built on two-door station wagon platforms, these two original “utility coupes” were originally aimed at the Gentleman Farmer, with a bed large enough to carry a useful payload, but a car-like driving experience that the wife wouldn’t object to for weekend trips into town for shopping and Sunday services at First Baptist.

…business up front, party in the back…

While the Ranchero enjoyed a successful run, it was the El Camino that launched a “business up front, party in the back” fanbase that continues to this day, with intermittent pleas for General Motors to import the Holden Ute to the US like they had done with the Commodore (which was rebadged as the Pontiac GTO).

Unfortunately, with both Ford Australia and Holden out of the business of building vehicles, it’s unlikely that we will see the return of a domestic branded “utility coupe” to showrooms any time soon, but that doesn’t mean that things are hopeless for those desiring a Ute with modern power. Case in point: Tim Clancy’s 1968 Chevy El Camino.

“I’ve had it for about 24 years,” Clancy explains. “I paid 2,500 bucks for it. I drove it for a long time with the original 396 and Muncie 4-speed, and I just drove it until it started smoking so much that I had to stop driving it.”

Now, they say that old cars don’t die—people just run out of money to keep them going. But Clancy knew what he had, and didn’t want to part with it just yet. “About five years ago I started back in on it, doing some simple bodywork, and I got it painted and rechromed everything,” he recalls.

Now, they say that old cars don’t die—people just run out of money to keep them going.

Of course, the cosmetic fixes didn’t address the main reason why he parked it in the first place, and a quick rebuild of the big-block might have gotten his ElCo back on the road right away, but Tim had bigger plans in mind. Much bigger.

“It still had the 396 in it, so it sat for a while until I finally decided to pull the trigger and bought that LSA motor.” By which he is referring to the 6.2 liter supercharged LSA crate engine, derived from the 2009-2015 Cadillac CTS-V and 5th Gen Camaro ZL1, that currently resides between the front fenders of his El Camino.

“It was a hell of a deal,” he says, but writing the check payable to Chevrolet Performance was only the first step. “We had to refabricate everything in the engine compartment to move it all—all the reservoirs, cooling for the blower—it was quite an ordeal and a lot of work. Everything is essentially upgraded to 2017 standards,” he reveals.

Rated at 556 crank horsepower, with a little expert attention the true potential of the factory-stock crate engine was unlocked. Per Clancy, “I had it dyno tuned to around 605 horsepower, and eventually, we are going to upgrade it to about 850. But I am waiting for the warranty to run out—as long as there is that three-year warranty, I am going to hang with it.”

Backing the LSA is a T-56 manual transmission feeding power to a Mark Williams rear end stuffed with premium components including a NASCAR gearset. “it has a 5-link suspension with coilovers, but it is still light in the rear end, and when you reach the limit it wants to come around,” he admits. To fight that tendency, Clancy knew he needed high-performance rubber, but he didn’t want to sacrifice the look of the El Camino with a modern-style “pro touring” low profile wheel and tire combination.

Clancy says, “I could have gone with the normal ‘nostalgia’ radials on it, but I’d just end up dead in a ditch. I wanted the look but I needed tires that handle well. I’m just not willing to compromise on that.” The Chevy rolls on 15-inch “Rally” style wheels wrapped in Milestar Streetsteel radial all-season high-performance tires, which are designed specifically for muscle cars, hot rods, and classics. These tires blend current technology and timeless raised-white-letter styling to provide traction and handling that would seem like black magic back in ‘68.

600-plus rear wheel horsepower demands respect, especially considering that this Chevy is going to be handed down to the next generation. “I don’t sell cars,” Clancy explains. “When I do, I always regret it. I’ll keep all my cars and give them to my kid, and he’s also a serious gearhead.” With a modern drivetrain transplant, suspension upgrades, an interior refresh that kept things looking original, and tires that are up to the task, his 1968 El Camino is ready for whatever the next 50 years have in store.

“I have six other fast cars in the garage, but this is what I drive every day. I just really enjoy it. You can drive it hard and not worry about breaking it.”

The Big 70

As Mark Twain once famously quipped, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” The same can be said of hot rods and custom cars if the recent Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) was any indicator. Now celebrating its 70th anniversary, the 2019 GNRS, held annually at the Fairplex Pomona, was huge, very well attended and a great show.

There are literally hundreds of vehicles of every shape and size on display but the coveted award is for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and this year there were no less than 14—yes—14 cars competing for the 9-foot trophy. In 2018, the big trophy went to the Martin Special built for Dave Martin by Scott Bonoski’s Hot Rods and Hobbies in Signal Hill, California.

…there were no less than 14—yes—14 cars competing for the 9-foot trophy.

No show rod, this handcrafted roadster was based on a ’31 Ford which competed in the 2017 Silver State Classic, averaging more than 100 miles per hour for more than an hour. After the GNRS, it was shipped to Europe where Octane magazine road tested it before it went on to compete in the Bernina Mountain Climb outside St. Moritz, Switzerland. If that’s not a hot rod then I don’t know what is.

This year’s winner was a very different roadster but nonetheless a stunning example of amazing craftsmanship. Based on a 1936 Ford Roadster, the so-called  ‘3 Penny Roadster’ was built for rodder and land speed racer George Poteet, Memphis, Tennessee, by Eric Peratt’s Pinkee’s Rod Shop, Windsor, Colorado. Incidentally, George is one of the world’s fastest men having gone over 450 mph in his ‘Speed Demon’ land speed racer.

George is one of the world’s fastest men having gone over 450 mph in his ‘Speed Demon’ land speed racer.

Another well-known name in the world of hot rodding is that of Chip Foose of TV’s “Overhaulin’’ who was honored at this year’s GNRS with the ‘Builder of the Decade’ award. Chip had half a dozen of his most famous cars on display including his rear-engined “Hemisfear.”

Over in Building 9, there was a fantastic display of more than 100 Model A Fords celebrating the car’s 90th anniversary. To some a 90-year-old Model A Ford might appear archaic nevertheless, watching them all drive out of the building was magical.

…the trend is slowly shifting away from early Ford-based hot rods to muscle cars…

Finally, as you would expect because the trend is slowly shifting away from early Ford-based hot rods to muscle cars, the show floor was littered with muscle cars of every shape and size. Two of the most interesting were the ’69 Nova fitted with ’69 Camaro fenders from Steve Strope’s Pure Vision Design and the Dodge Charger of Speedkore Performance Group that had a complete carbon fiber body.

The GNRS has something for everybody and this year did not disappoint. For more info on this and other shows go to www.rodshows.com

Hip to be Square: 1974 Chevy Cheyenne

GM’s “Square Body” pickups are red hot these days, but Raymond Ernandez’s Cheyenne bucks the trend of pro touring over-restoration

Just like the muscle car is something that could only be invented in the USA, the pickup truck as a personal vehicle (and not just a farm implement or tradesman’s workhorse) is a uniquely American thing. Combine a two-door cab with a short bed and you have a vehicle with the intimate passenger compartment of a sports car and the practicality to haul a half-dozen beer kegs or a weekend’s worth of gear for the deer camp, should the need arise. It didn’t take much rationalization to talk yourself into one instead of a station wagon or four-door sedan, in the same way people convince themselves that a “crossover” SUV is a better answer to their needs than a minivan today. The single-cab short bed pickup perfectly occupied that space on the Venn diagram where coolness and practicality overlapped.

Between the 1973 and 1987 model year, General Motors built an absolute metric buttload of C/K series third-gen full-size pickups to this formula, and they proved to be popular, reliable, and to most people, disposable. Anyone who thought at the time they’d be sought-after rides thirty-five years down the line would be considered insane, but they’d also be right. Today, these “square body” pickups have a huge following, and you can’t do an online search for them without coming across a plethora of lovingly restored examples and scores of immaculate pro-touring builds.

The truck you see here is neither.

…perfectly occupied that space on the Venn diagram where coolness and practicality overlapped.

In Corvette-speak, it would be called a “survivor,” but a better term for Raymond Ernandez’ 1974 Chevy Cheyenne Super Custom Fleetside would be “honest.” Per Raymond, “I’ve always been a fan of the square-bodies, and when I spotted it, I knew it was a diamond in the rough.” Bought just over a year ago in (mostly) factory-original condition, this Spanish Yellow truck shows the years and the miles but has the kind of authenticity and honesty many enthusiasts try to restore away. Under the hood is the original 454 big block, topped by an anonymous chrome open element air filter perched on the 4-barrel and strapped with tubular headers of unknown origin, just like every Chevy V8 pickup wore back in the day.

“It’s currently a work in progress,” he admits, with only a few changes made since he obtained the truck. Three-inch drop spindles in front and a flip kit in back give the Cheyenne a modern stance, but the real key to the retro-cool look is the combination of 15-inch Rally wheels (8 inches wide up front, 10 in back) with Milestar Streetsteel tires in 245/60 and 295/50 profile front and rear. Tire technology has come a long way since the square-body trucks last left the assembly line, and these tires incorporate modern engineering with classic styling, including a contemporary all-season tread design and a timeless raised white letter sidewall. It’s the perfect combination of the right look for this truck with the performance that nothing from that era could touch.

…they proved to be popular, reliable, and to most people, disposable.

Raymond has a few different cars and trucks in his garage, but the Cheyenne gets the nod for both practical pickup duty and weekend outings. “I mainly take it to local truck shows and cruises where I can take my little boys along,” he explains. “They’re growing up to enjoy the truck and classic car scene.” While the C10 might have been unappreciated as more than just a working truck in its day, it’s great to see people like Raymond Ernandez passing the love of these once-overlooked mainstays of American automotive culture down to the next generation.

Living the Dream: The Impala SS

Raymond Ernandez’s 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS is the Fulfillment of Childhood Desire

Cars have inspired songwriters for decades, from the ‘30 Ford Woody in Jan & Dean’s Surf City to the epic battle between Ford and Cadillac Chuck Berry sang about in Maybelline, and of course Prince’s eponymous Little Red Corvette. But if you had to think of a song inspired by an engine, there’s only one that comes to mind: the Beach Boys’ 409. Chevy’s original big block V8 in its 409 cubic inch version didn’t just earn its reputation through displacement alone; it was rated at one horsepower per cube, the magic number for engine output in that era. Tonawanda built more than 15,000 of them in 1962, and they found their way into a select few factory performance packages, including the 1962 Impala SS.

That big Chevy with its now-iconic styling loomed large in Raymond Ernandez’s imagination as a child, and as an adult, owning a ‘62 Impala (and in particular, one with a 409) became an aspiration that had to be fulfilled. “As a young man, I grew up around Impalas,” he explains. “It was always one of my favorite cars and I always hoped to someday own one.” Fast forward to ten years ago, and the opportunity presented itself, but Raymond almost let it slip away.

“The guy who had it had a whole bunch of muscle cars, and he was doing some resto-mod stuff with them, putting in new engines and suspensions,” he explains. “We talked about the car, and I thought he wanted too much money because I didn’t really know what these cars were worth. I was interested, but I told him it wasn’t in my budget,” he recalls with a chuckle.

“With that motor, though, it was really worth what he was asking. So I just left it alone, but he ended up calling me back.” Eventually, a deal was struck, and Ernandez ended up acquiring the Impala for a relative bargain price. “Years went by and I worked on it, did the disc brakes and things, but until I started taking it to car shows where people recognized the car I didn’t really appreciate that motor. I had thought about putting in a 350 crate motor, and the guy at the shop I took it to just said, ‘I don’t want to pull this motor out…’”

That was definitely a wise choice, as the 409 under the hood wears the correct stamp for the car, adding to the authenticity of the big-block Impala. Due to issues with producing a transmission that could endure the 409’s torque, 1962 cars that were so equipped were only available with four-speed manual transmissions or the bulletproof Powerglide two speed automatic, but Ernandez’s SS has been tastefully upgraded with a TH400 built to handle the power. Other small changes have all been made with the goal of maintaining as much of the original car without over-restoring it, but still making it a practical, reliable, fun-to-drive classic.

A big part of that formula is the rolling stock — 17-inch five spoke wheels from Coys wrapped in Milestar MS932 Sport tires. These high-performance all-season radials are designed for a well-balanced response, excellent tread life, and superior all-weather traction, not that the Impala sees a lot of wet pavement, of course. A competent, comfortable touring tire like the MS932 Sport makes perfect sense on a car that’s intended to be driven, not just looked at, and the low-profile tires and retro-mod wheels are the perfect finishing touch to this Impala’s stance.

“It’s not like a perfect build, and it’s an older build,” Ernandez attests. “I don’t take it to big national shows, but I like going to local shows, and it’s won a lot of best-of-show.” Imperfect or not, in the end, the Impala is doing exactly what it should – making a kid’s dream come true every time the key is turned.

The Barrett-Jackson Auctions

If you’re looking for that rare collector car or classic hot rod, you can’t beat the Barrett-Jackson Auctions. What’s more is that you don’t even have to have a collector car to sell at one of their events.

Originally, Russ Jackson and Tom Barrett met over Barrett’s 1933 Cadillac V16 Town Car in Scottsdale, Arizona. It wasn’t about starting a classic car auction or anything, it was just that Cadillac. They hit it off well and then presented a car show for fund-raising in Scottsdale in 1967 called the “Fiesta de Los Autos Elegantes.” Their first official auction was in December of 1971, where the two jointly put on a classic car auction in which they got notoriety for selling two Mercedes-Benz 770K Phaetons that were used by Adolf Hitler’s staff. One of the two set a new auction record and sold for $153,200 and the Barrett-Jackson Auction was born.

Craig Jackson, Russ’ son, took over in 1995, just after Russ died in 1993. On that same year, the auctions began showing live on Speed Channel and internet bidding was allowed for the first time. Just after Tom Barrett died in 2004, the show was renamed to the Barret-Jackson Collector Car Auctions in 2005. From there, the shows have visited Las Vegas, Orange County in California, Reno, Palm Beach, and Uncasville, Connecticut.

Collector cars are always coming across the block, but this is where charities like to sell vehicles for fund-raising, much like how Tom and Russ originally started in 1967. During the 2018 Scottsdale Auction, 10 vehicles were sold for charity and reached $102-million. Another historic first was when Former US President George W. Bush joined in the sale of the first production 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Carbon 65 Edition, a car that sold for $1.4-million during that same show to benefit The George W. Bush Presidential Center’s Military Service Initiative.

While it is a collector car auction, it is still an auction open to selling all types of vehicles like trucks, planes, boats, engines, motorcycles, and even memorabilia. You could sell your own car there, it’s not closed off to just celebrities or cars with historic value. This means cars can range from a Ford Crown Victoria with about 12,000-miles on the odometer to prototype cars that were never produced to a 1926 Ford Model T and everything in between. This also means that these auctions are more than just car sales, they can be the best place to find classic and modified cars to just look at and enjoy for what they are.

That’s what makes a Barrett-Jackson Auction fun for those who don’t have the six- or seven-figure budget to bid on cars. There is more going on besides the selling of classic or collector vehicles. There are vendors, displays, driving exhibitions, and more going on that you wonder if there’s really an auction going on. That is until you hear the cheers and hammer drop after a massive sale.

If you’re in Las Vegas from September 27 to 29 or in Scottsdale, Arizona from January 12 to 20, 2019, just go to the Barrett-Jackson Auction and look around. It’s essentially a car show that happens to have an auction going on at the same time.

Cruisin’ for a Cure

For any automotive enthusiast, a car show loaded with incredible cars is reward enough, but the OCCA’s Cruisin’ for a Cure goes way beyond just a show. The Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California is packed every year with over 3,500 vehicles on display and 200 vendors at the show. With such a huge turnout, it’s a perfect opportunity for the Orange County Cruisin’ Association to support both prostate cancer research—with 100% of the proceeds going to charity—and to administer free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests to screen for cancer.

That’s where Cruisin’ for a Cure stands out. Not only are the cars amazing, but over the past several years, 10,000 men have made their way into the screening area and got a simple blood test to check their PSA levels. As a direct result, hundreds of lives have been saved. Imagine how cool it is to attend as a cancer survivor, knowing your cancer was detected at the show. It is literally a couple of minutes that can save your life so many make Cruisin’ for a Cure the date for their yearly checkup.

Cruisin’ for a Cure is not just for the men. The many cars cruising the fairgrounds are loaded with wives, daughters, and entire families. There were also many seen cruising with their four-legged co-drivers as well. Even if the show didn’t have a higher purpose, it’s always one of the biggest shows of the summer.

The late summer weather in Southern California can’t be beaten; there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and a nice ocean breeze kept the heat from the bright sun at bay. For those who spent hours cleaning and polishing their rides, they could cruise all day with no worries. Those who were sporting patina had the same payoff without all the work. The vehicles on hand spanned that entire range.

Beautifully restored classics, hot rods, all types of customs, rat rods, muscle cars; even super clean daily drivers were all circling the show during the day. If you got hungry or thirsty, plenty of food and drink was available. Show food is typically expensive, but the selection of beers and the quality of the food made the prices tolerable. Once you had your beverage of choice, there are plenty of nice spots along the cruise route to take a load off your feet, and take in the rolling car show.

If you needed a break from the sun, several buildings were packed with things to see. Building 12 was filled with many high-end cars on display. Awed by their pristine condition, I was especially impressed when I witnessed several fire up and took a few laps around the show. They were very nice, but apparently not trailer queens. The Hangar, Building 18, had some Meguiars trophy winners on display and included bikes built by Arlen Ness, some old school hot rods, and a 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix now owned by John D’Agostino with an incredible paint job by Art Himsl.

Building 10 housed several vendors selling custom fire extinguishers, clothing, hot wheels, and model car kits. It is where the model car contest was judged, and where we saw Ed Iskenderian signing books and posing for photos. Other celebrities spotted at the show were Barry Maguire, and Ralph Holguin from the Velocity Channel show, RMD Garage. Ralph was handing out posters at his booth that sat across from the stage in the main mall. The stage was home to the band all day, and then became the place to be as awards were announced and trophies handed out to those who earned them.

It’s always a great day when you can take home some hardware, but the peace of mind from getting tested and the memories formed with friends and family made everyone a winner at Cruisin’ for a Cure.

High School Sweetheart:
A ’70 Chevelle to Remember

When Mike Hegarty was just 17 years old in 1981, he bought a $1000 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle that he was going to flip for his friend, Bob. However, after driving it, he called his buddy to tell him he had good news and bad.

“The good news,” Mike said, “is that I’m in love.” His buddy, not sure what Mike was on about, asked him what the bad news was. “It’s with this car you’re supposed to be buying and you’re not getting it,” he laughed. Bob, though sad was very understandable about the situation. Even at just 11 years old, a 1970 Chevelle was still too hard to pass up. It was a car Mike could never truly part with considering he’s had it for 37 years now.

It’s not the perfect Chevelle, mind. “The engine numbers don’t match,” admits Mike, “but any car that was designed from the factory to beat on wouldn’t be.” His car has even had several engines, transmissions, and rear ends changed two or three times since he’s owned it. “I’ve always treated the car like it was meant to be,” he continued, “It’s a hot rod. I can leave the car sit for a year, get in it and drive it a mile and start side-stepping the clutch and driving it hard.”

That wasn’t its only imperfections. The paint was lacquer checked, also known as crows’ feet, where it starts to crack due to weather exposure. “About two-thirds of the paint is still original with spotting here or there to fix it,” he says. Ironically, when he bought it, a car would have been sanded back down and resprayed to get rid of it, “now, the world has changed, and this look is desirable. It doesn’t need a paint job,” Mike laughed.

The engine currently in it is a 1973 454-cu.in. Big Block Chevy V8, but not much had been done to it. It came out of an old motorhome that his Uncle John had and ran very strong. The motorhome was also the tow vehicle for the Bonneville race car they owned. It was tough enough to outlast the body panels that were slowly being eaten away by the salt. So, when they finally rotted away, Mike pulled that hard running 454 out and put it into his Chevelle.

It still has the four-speed M21 Muncie, but now has a bolt-on Gear Vendors overdrive unit sending power to the rear end that was installed by Broadway Automotive & Transmission in Oakland, CA. “It’s getting tired now,” says Mike, “it’s starting to get a little grey smoke when I start it up in the morning.” The plan is to replace it with a new Chevy Big Block of some sort.

The transmission tunnel had to be modified due to the overdrive unit, so it and the hump in the seats were modified for its fitment. That’s not to say it’s not improved upon. Much like his C-10, this 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle would get option parts from wrecked classics from his dad’s, Ed Hegarty, wrecking yard – Deal Auto Wreckers. For many, many years, his dad, known as “The Deal Father,” and this yard were the source for classic GM and other vintage car parts. He was also a member of the Bonneville 200MPH Club with his partner, Dave Dozier in the Chrysler flat-eight powered Dozier and Hegarty Streamliner. It had a top speed of 233-MPH and went 300-plus-MPH in 1994, the first-ever Hemi-crate engine steamliners to do so.

His Chrysler connections didn’t stop there, either. From 1996 to 2001, Ed supplied Plymouth “Hemi” ‘Cuda Convertibles for the CBS TV show, Nash Bridges. They weren’t the star cars but were the dummy and stunt cars that would get torn up. A few were even six-cylinder powered versions. Probably the prized cars in his collection, however, were the Grand National Roadster Show America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) winning “Deuceari,” a Ferrari 330-powered 1932 Ford highboy and the 1940 Dick Bertolucci/Buddy Ohanesian built 1940 Mercury. A ’40 Mercury convertible sedan turned with a custom hardtop in the 1950s. Sadly, Ed passed away in December of 2012 and Deal Auto Wreckers closed permanently not many years after.

Going back to the Chevelle, the suspension is still the stock suspension as from factory, with only wearing parts replaced not long ago. “Just a year ago,” Mike admitted, “I replaced the worn-out shocks, brakes pads and shoes, and wheel cylinders.” It has “OEM Plus” modifications, just like his C10 but from other GM cars. The seat is a recovered Strato Bench seat, a bench that has a folding center armrest, pulled from a mid-size GM car. Though, it had to have its tunnel reshaped to also fit the overdrive unit just like the transmission tunnel in the floor. The Chevelle also has power windows and brakes and even features the fiber optic headlight monitors on the fenders. The wheels, though, are Halibrands in 15×7 and 15×8 with simulated “knock off” center caps wrapped in classic looking Milestar Streetsteel tires in 245/60 front and 275/60R15 rear.

If you’re surprised by the lack of hot, over-the-top parts, you’re in short company. “You know,” says Mike, “not every car needs to be a show car or even a hot rod.” We can’t help but agree after looking at both of his examples. This 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle is a great example of a car that’s cool just for how original GM it is. Sure, it’s modified but it’s all parts that were available from GM for the Chevelle or any of their other mid-sized cars. Working with factory parts, even NOS parts, means you are getting factory fit and quality. It’s a great lesson on how to build a hot rod without breaking the bank and building with overly expensive and custom parts.

Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum

Located at Fairplex, Pomona, California, about 25 miles east of downtown Los Angeles—conveniently on the same piece of property as the Pomona drag strip and the Pomona Swap Meet—the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum opened in 1998. The 28,500 sq ft Art Deco building houses approximately 80 vehicles along with photographs, trophies, helmets and driving uniforms, artifacts, paintings, and other memorabilia chronicling more than 65 years of American motorsports. While the vehicles on display are primarily drag cars, you can see a smattering of other types including sports cars, customs, hot rods, and land speed cars.

On the first Wednesday of the month from April through December (but not September) the museum hosts a cruise that used to be free but now you have to pay. It runs from 3 until 7 pm but check their website for full details.

One of the best times to visit is on a Sunday of one of the monthly Pomona Swap Meets. You can do the Swap Meet in the morning and then visit the museum when the parking is free. Make sure you visit their website www.pomonaswapmeet.com for dates and times because there are no Swap Meets on the weekends when there are drag races or when the Los Angeles County Fair is on.

The Fairplex itself hosts hundreds of events each year from reptile shows to the LA County Fair. It is well worth checking their website, as there might be something worth a visit: www.fairplex.com

HOURS

The museum is generally open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. However, it is best to check their website or call because hours can change due to other events at Fairplex. Entrance is just $10 for adults, $8 seniors. Children under 5 are free. It is air-conditioned.

GETTING THERE

Driving is the best option. It is possible to get there by public transport but not easy. Trains do run from Los Angeles to Pomona but it’s a 2-mile hike from the station to the museum, you’d have to take a taxi or Uber especially in the summer months when it can be 30°C.

Parking is usually free, however, on special event days such as during the drag races, the Grand National Roadster Show, or the LA County Fair in September, parking can be as much as $25 per car.  There is an adjacent Sheraton hotel but book well in advance if there is a special event on as the hotel does fill up www.sheratonfairplex.com. For further information check the museum’s website at www.nhramuseum.org.

The Great Labor Day Cruise

Labor Day is our national celebration of the American worker’s contribution to the country, and the automobile has to rank near the top as one of their greatest accomplishments. Auto workers have cranked out millions of cars and trucks which facilitated the growth of our nation. Not only did the automobile help to spur the industrial revolution, but it became synonymous with American culture. The same workhorse that brought transportation to a nation was also a symbol of American ingenuity and freedom. What better way to celebrate the Labor Day holiday than at a car show?

The Orange County Cruisin’ Association’s Labor Day Cruise is a unique event that is a rolling car show. Observing their 36^th annual event, the show brought enthusiasts together from all over the country. Open to American made vehicles to 1987, and new this year, pre-’71 Volkswagen Bugs, pre-’79 VW Busses, All Karmann Ghias, VW Squarebacks, Notchbacks, and Fastbacks, 2018’s event was named “The Great Labor Day Classic Hot Rod & VW Camp“O”Rama.” That’s right, the event also has camping spots available. Their all-inclusive package includes camping space for your RV, trailer, or tent for four nights (Thursday thru Sunday), parking space for your pre-1987 registered event vehicle, entry pass, two participant wristbands, two event mugs, and a commemorative event dash plaque.

That’s a whole lot of bang for your buck. To top it off, the money raised from the show goes to The Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. Their mission is “To be the leading force in assisting, honoring and supporting the military men and women who have so bravely served and sacrificed for our country. We are committed to supporting our warriors in a variety of ways, providing quality-of-life items, support services and transitional housing designed to assist them and their families during recovery.” 

A great venue, great cause, great cars, and great people, all add up to a great time had by all. The endless parade of cruising cars gave you the opportunity to set up a lawn chair or kick back at the many different spots to hang out on the grounds and watch the show go by. You could also have a bite to eat at the Baja Blues Bar and Grill while the cars cruised right past the dining patio. The sound of healthy engines and assorted music coming from the cars added to the incredible sensory experience. With such a huge mix of vehicles, you could hear everything from the rumble of lumpy V8’s to the rap of an inline 6 through a set of glass packs. 

Even though the show was dominated by American made cars, the VW’s in attendance were fine examples of the mark. Many who drive American cars and trucks today had a VW of some type in their past. The simple and unique cars were popular with college students, surfers, offroaders, and hippies for decades. These days, the cars still hold a strong following, and fine examples are skyrocketing in value.

If the cruising, camping, and good food weren’t enough, the show also had a live band, vendor’s booths, and refreshing beverages for everyone. Participants competed for trophies and awards, and many of the vendors had raffles and prize giveaway’s available to anyone in attendance. An observation was made that many of the cars cruising on Sunday were part of a different group than those on Saturday. That means if you hope to see it all, it’s best to attend both days. With the Orange County Swap Meet happening right next door, The Great Labor Day Classic Hot Rod & VW Camp“O”Rama is a great way to spend the Labor Day Holiday in Southern California.

Lasaac Carroll Shelby Tribute & Car Show

Perhaps nobody other than Enzo Ferrari commands as much loyalty as American racer Carroll Shelby. Unlike Ferrari, Shelby switched allegiances depending on the prevailing climate. In the 1950s, he raced for Allard, Aston-Martin, Healey and even Ferrari. He even raced Formula 1 in 1958 and ’59 before launching his own car in 1962. Even then he switched from Ford to Chrysler/Dodge to GM’s Oldsmobile as the business climate shifted. However, it is the Cobra and associated vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT500 that are logged in our memory chips as iconic performance cars.

The Cobra came about because Shelby had learned to like American-powered, lightweight European sports cars with the Cadillac-powered Allards. When the time came to build his own sports car he planned to combine the lightweight, aluminum-bodied British AC Ace chassis with a Ford V8. The AC had an aging Bristol 4-cylinder that was underpowered and outdated. In 1962, the Ford V8 was as modern as it got.

Sans engine and paint, an Ace was shipped to Dean Moon’s hot rod shop in Santa Fe Springs, California. There, a small group of rodders including Phil Remington, Roy Gammell and his son Doyle installed a 260-cubic-inch, small-block Ford and had hot rodder Dean Jeffries paint it yellow for the 1962 New York Auto Show. The rest, as they say, is history. Incidentally, that first Cobra, now painted blue, sold in 2016 for $13.75 million.

Hugely successful on the race track but less so in the showroom—only 654 small-block Cobras and 350 big-block cars were sold—the Shelby Cobra is possibly the world’s best-known sports car and its legacy continues to this day with related car clubs, clothing lines, and continuation cars—the Cobra being possibly the most copied car on the planet. They say there are probably more Cobras now than there ever were ever built originally and I don’t doubt it.

There are also numerous events such as the recent Los Angeles Shelby American Automobile Club (LASAAC) Carroll Shelby Tribute and Car Show at the Shelby headquarters in Gardena, California. This huge facility is now home to a small museum of Shelby’s vehicles, an event space, and OVC Mustangs, but more of that in a future story. The show is an annual free event open to the public. The several hundred cars on display can be anything relating to Shelby automobiles, from Ford-powered Sunbeam Tigers and De Tomaso Panteras to Mickey Thompson’s racecar-hauling ramp truck. And, of course, there’s a huge selection of Cobras and Mustangs. What’s literally very cool is that many of the cars are displayed inside the cavernous building out of the hot sun.

You get the run of the building, get to see Shelby-associated celebrities such as Roy Gammell who worked on Cobra numero uno to Allen Grant who was a key driver in the Shelby American factory racing team. All are approachable and have great stories to tell.

For more information about LASAAC and the Carroll Shelby Tribute Car Show visit: www.lasaac.org

Mooneyes Open House

The Mooneyes Open House was an intimate gathering for those who love nostalgia. Everywhere you looked around the Santa Fe Springs, California shop, you saw incredible cars, motorcycles, and the tools used to manufacture their unique products since Dean Moon opened the location in 1962. You could see the history, feel it, and hear it, thanks to “The Hot Rod Trio” who were jamming rockabilly tunes during the show.

The many traditional hot rods, customs, and 2 wheeled works of art fit right in with the vintage speed parts, and memorabilia that occupy every open space available. It’s amazing to see a working shop that doesn’t use computer-controlled machinery or automated processes. The Mooneyes shop still utilizes manual machine tools and skilled operators like they have for over 60 years.

Founder Dean Moon was right in the thick of the Southern California Hot Rod scene. He and his Brother Buzz built hot rods and worked on customer’s cars from a small garage behind his father’s café. Too young to enlist during World War II, he still spent time in the South Pacific as a Merchant Marine towards the end of the war. Years later he got his chance to serve in the Air Force during the Korean War where he learned photography. He used his photography skills in the many articles he contributed to automotive magazines. His articles helped to spread the word about his products. Dean was also instrumental in helping to form SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association, and served as the second president in 1964. Dean developed several products that addressed fuel delivery, throttle linkage, and ignition systems to make cars go fast. After acquiring Potvin Cams in 1962, the company had many high-performance parts available for racing engines like intake manifolds, valve covers, gear drives, and supercharger accessories.

One Moon product that was just plain cool, was the barefoot gas pedal. Anyone who grew up in the 60’s or 70’s is familiar with the cartoonish gas pedal design that looks like a bare foot. You can find them in hot rods, VW’s, Mini Trucks, even boats. Extremely popular to this day are the spun aluminum wheel covers, and gas tanks that the company produces. They look fantastic but are also strong, and lightweight. The spun aluminum wheel covers were so iconic, that any spun aluminum wheel cover was known as a “Moon Disc.” The smaller covers were called “Baby Moons.” The distinctive Moon logo could be found on everything from speed parts and dress up items to clothing of every type. You could even get Mooneyes fabric by the yard, and make your own clothes. The unique Moon logo was designed for Dean by a Disney commercial artist and became a worldwide sensation. 

The company’s offerings were successful and extremely popular for decades. After Dean’s passing in 1987, the company was in somewhat of a limbo without its leader; that’s when Moon dealer and family friend, Shige Suganuma entered the scene. He purchased the company and changed the name to Mooneyes USA. Suganuma continued to run his locations in Japan and put Chico Kodama in charge of USA operations. Kodama was a great fit. A racer and mechanic, he is a land speed racer with the Eliminators SCTA Club. Together, Suganuma and Kodama have continued to grow the Mooneyes brand; capturing a whole new generation of fans.

The Mooneyes open house demonstrated their mass appeal with fans of the brand from several generations. It looks like the distinctive Moon logo will continue to be an icon in the automotive world for decades to come. The intimate setting at the shop did not allow for many cars, but those on display were stunning. For those who want more, the annual Mooneyes X-Mas Party Show & Drag on Dec. 8th at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California is a much larger venue and will have tons more cars on display.

Elegant Metal

The 25th Rodeo Drive Concours D’Elegance

There is no better way to celebrate Father’s Day than to check out some of the most beautiful cars on the extravagant Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, CA. This year’s “Best of Show” of the 25th Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance went to a 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia and was worthy of that award, indeed.

The Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance is becoming a tradition for fathers and their families to celebrate automotive art in Southern California. When you combine the indulgence of Beverly Hills with some of the most amazing and rarely seen metal on wheels, you create something special. That’s what a Concours d’Elegance is all about, after all.

To bookmark the Concours d’Elegance, 50 silver cars were brought out just for the show to celebrate the 25 years the show has been taking place on the historic road. It wasn’t just Euros and luxury cars, either, as muscle cars and the latest supercars made an appearance in the quarter-century marking color. It was also signified with the largest turnout for both cars and spectators with more than 30,000 people coming out to see what was on display for that blocked off section of Rodeo Drive.

The Best of Show winner was a 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, owned by the Mullin Automotive Museum. It was based off the Hispano-Suiza H6B, a luxury car with a 6.6-liter or 8.0-liter I6 built in the early 20th Century. This car’s historic significance is that it was designed by World War I flying ace, race car driver, and Olympic athlete Andre Dubonnet. He was no stranger to Hispano-Suiza, as he once raced a 1924 H6C with a body that weighed no more than 100-pounds.

This version was built with an independent suspension with an Art Deco-themed body that was hand-built by Jacques Saoutchik, a Russian-born French coachwork builder who started out his career as a cabinet maker before starting his automotive business in 1906. His body work included brands like Bugatti, Delahaye, Pegaso, and even Cadillac.

There were other awards, too. The Mayor’s Award for the Most Elegant went to Vin Di Bona’s 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Coupe. Bruce Meyer’s Chairman’s Award went to a 1964 Porsche 904 owned by Sam Yagi. The Icon Award for a Timeless Classic went Tenney Fairchild’s 1964 Pontiac GTO. The Most Stylish, Rodeo Drive Award went to a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible owned by Kip Cyprus.

 There were many other awards, but the most important award was the funds raised for the Beverly Hills Police Foundation. It’s a non-profit charity that funds officers and their families when the time comes that they need it.

Rodeo Drive is known for being the crossroads of entertainment and fashion. However, for 25 years it has also been the home of some of the most beautiful metal Southern California has ever owned that wasn’t gold. The Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance is more than exotics and luxury, it’s the celebration of automotive history in a place that helped create it.

Is this ’69 Chevy Camaro SS Classically Original?

Curt Hill’s 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS

It’s the dream car for many people around the world and screams absolute “Americana.” The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS is a car that captures the imaginations and romanticization of writers, directors, and car customizers. When you say “Camaro,” Curt Hill’s example will be the exact image people will have pop in their heads.

When it was built, the Camaro was Chevy’s answer to the Pony Car – a small, rear-wheel drive coupe with either an inline-six or V8 and a “live” rear axle. It was based on the F-body platform and it was a long-lived one. The first built in 1967 and ended in 2002 in favor of the Zeta-platform when the Camaro returned in 2010. The F-body was based off the X-body, a compact for its time platform in which the Chevy II and Nova, Buick Apollo and Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega, Pontiac Ventura and Phoenix, and the Canada only Acadian were built on. The only cars that were made with this chassis code were the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird. The first-generation specifically, which is what Curt Hill’s 1969 SS is, was carried over until November of 1969 due to delays in designing the second-generation chassis.

When the Camaro dropped in 1967, it came with three submodels (not including the base model) and packages upon packages as options for potential owners. You had the RS, which was mostly an “appearance” package that had hidden headlights and different taillights. The backup lights were under the rear bumper and you got RS badging on top of the brighter exterior trim. Then there was the Z/28, a high-performance package to work within the SCCA Trans-Am series rules, meaning it had a solid-lifter 302-cubic inch V8, four-speed manual transmission, power disc brakes, and two wide stripes down the hood and trunk lid.

Then you had what would become the package everyone in high school at the time wanted – the SS or Super Sport. It was the signature that indicated you had the best parts from the General outside of a COPO. You could get it with either a 396-ci V8 or the L48 High Output Chevy 350 V8. The chassis was upgraded to handle better and deal with the bigger power of the 350-High Output and 396. Further distinctions included the non-functional hood inlets, special striping, and that unmistakable SS badging. Before the Camaro, SS-badged cars were a mark of high performance with the Monte Carlo, Nova/Chevy II, El Camino, Chevelle, and Impala all carrying it.

The Camaro just continued to stamp in credits of its legacy, even to this day. In 1969, the final year of the first-generation with its own unique body design, the SS could be ordered as an RS/SS package. However, many laymen have trouble spotting the differences from 1967, ’68, and ’69 Camaros, but the immediate thing to look for in a 1969 is the lack of vent windows in the doors as that tells you it’s at least a 1968 model. The grill also has a deep “V” shape to it over the 67 to 68 as well as the deeper set headlights make the front end distinct to the ’69. The ’69 also looks wider and that’s because it is as the front and rear fenders are pulled out wider than the 67 to 68 and the doors also had to change to match the shape.

Curt’s is a standard SS, one of the 34,932 sold in 1969 and of the 243,085 total Camaros sold that year. His version is the 350 SS with the L48 engine, which came in all SS cars with the 350-ci V8 in 1967 to 1969 where it became available for all of Chevrolet’s car lines that could fit it. It’s a very different engine from the Generation One GM Small Block V8s. This 1969 is original, so it’s the version features a four-bolt main cap block (casting number 010) holding in the crankshaft with cast pistons moving in the 4.00-inch cylinders with 041 or 186 casting heads. Up top is a four-barrel Quadrajet carburetor with a hydraulic lifter system on a matching cam bumping the pushrods up and opening the valves. With a compression ratio of 10.25:1, the 1969 L48 can produce up to 300-horsepower and 380-lb/ft of torque.

The only modifications done to Curt’s engine is the addition of a custom painted carburetor hat (with Hill’s Rod and Custom) with an aluminum intake manifold under that and a set of custom painted valve covers. The only other modification was the addition of a set of trac bars under the leaf springs to help alleviate wheel hop. Other than that, it’s pretty much as he found it. The reason it looks as good as it does is due to it being in storage since 1988. He purchased the car and, other than the carb hat and valve covers, put on a new set of Milestar Streetsteel tires sized in P235/60R15. While these are P-metric sized tires, they are the closest to match the classic look and style of the of the 15×7 Z/28 Rally style wheels while offering modern radial tire construction.

Curt’s car is a barn find if it didn’t get found in a barn. It’s a very original, if a little hotter than OEM, Camaro SS. It certainly would look right at home on the streets of Van Nuys or Pleasant Hill, CA during its original heyday. It looks just as good now as it did when it was stored almost 30 years ago, maybe better now that it’s running around instead of sitting in the dark. We unquestionably enjoyed looking at it for this feature.

LS Fest West 2018

Fans of GM’s All-Conquering V8 Gather in Las Vegas

It’s hard to believe, but 2018 marks the 21st anniversary of the introduction of the original LS1 engine for the 1997 model year. In those two decades, the LS family of V8 engines has become all things to all people and has been swapped into practically everything that moves – not just cars ranging from Mustangs to hot rods, but boats, aircraft, and even helicopters. 

It’s easy to make power with these inexpensive and anvil-tough engines, and if you can’t find the parts you want in a junkyard waiting to be reborn, the aftermarket has you covered with everything you need; blocks, internal components, engine management, and even swap kits to make installation paint-by-numbers simple. 

Recognizing how important the LS engine had become, back in 2010 Holley Performance Products organized their first LS Fest in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and ever since then, the annual event has drawn larger and larger crowds, with participants coming from all corners of the continent. It’s more than a car show, though – there’s something going on from the time the gates open until they close, on the dragstrip, the drift and autocross circuit, the chassis dyno, or the swap challenge tent. “An assault on the senses” is sort of a cliché, but it’s a totally appropriate description for a day at LS Fest.

In 2017, Holley added a second event to the schedule, the LS Fest West, taking over the sprawling dragstrip and motorsports complex at The Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. May 2018 marked the second annual spring event, and as anticipated, it was even bigger than the inaugural LS Fest West.

“The best way I can put it to you is that LS Fest events are a party,” says Holley’s Blane Burnett. “Sure, there are competitions that take place within the event, but for the most part, everyone is here to enjoy what they’ve built and have a good time.” In case you think that Burnett might just be saying that to earn a paycheck, know this – He’s a True Believer with the cleanest daily-driven (and autocrossed) LS-swapped Nissan S14 you’ve ever seen. 

Speaking of swaps, one of the most striking things about LS Fest West 2018 was the sheer variety and number of LS-powered vehicles on the property. While the event runs three full days, it’s almost not enough time to take it all in, between all the various competitive events including drag racing, drifting, a road course time attack, and even off-road competition, then trying to see everything in the show-n-shine. 

We only got to experience a fraction of everything that was going on this year, but as you can see, if you are a fan of late-model GM performance (no matter what is wrapped around that engine) there’s a compelling reason not to miss LS Fest West 2019.

Behind the Scenes at Currie Enterprises

Currie Enterprises is one of the biggest names in automotive powersports. At their global headquarters in Corona, California, Currie Enterprises builds high-quality components for street rods, muscle cars, and off-road beasts. 

Frank Currie started the business in the late ‘50s, designing and building rearends for specialty equipment such as scissor lifts, tugs, and personnel carriers. In the late ‘70s, the focus moved on to building rearends for Chevy Vegas that had V8 conversions and needed a stronger differential to handle the power in the custom application. 

With the help of Frank’s 3 sons, John, Charlie, and Ray, the company evolved and grew into the powerhouse that it is today. Currie Enterprises now utilizes a 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to build a wide range of differentials, accessories and suspension components. 

Check out the behind the scenes look at the magic happening in the Currie facility and visit www.CurrieEnterprises.com for more information on how they can help you and your performance vehicle.

Various completed street and off-road axles awaiting will call by their purchaser.

Currie keeps off-road vehicle front and rear differential housings in stock to cut down on build and shipping times.

Housings & axles for 30 common street car vehicle platforms are kept in stock so that they may be pulled and shipped immediately.

Where a housing is born! The axle housing tubing rack.

Currie’s frontend housing assembly technician in action.

100% new GM G-body 12-bolt housing in the bracket jig.

F-350/F-450 unit bearings used in Currie 1-ton front-end applications.

Currie has over 30 different axles cores on hand at all times for different applications.

One of three of Currie’s CNC axle splining machines cutting splines.

RockJock 60 & 70 off-road differentials awaiting pickup by their purchasers.

9” 3rd members for large P.O. customers are built in stages.

One of Currie’s 4 gear set-up technicians doing a precise gear set up.

Ready to go! Finished product awaiting the big brown truck.

Ray Currie’s new 2018 Jeep JL Wrangler Rubicon that is equipped with all of Currie’s goodies underneath.

Currie’s over-the-road show rigs. Look for them at a show near you!

Currie holds numerous trademarked names for their famous components.

The Currie Enterprises sales office features Currie family vehicles that get rotated out. The office is currently featuring Frank Currie’s Ford 514 SVO powered ’32 Ford 3 window coupe.

Currie’s world headquarters in Corona, CA.

Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show

The Friends of Steve McQueen car show takes place every June to benefit Boys Republic in Chino Hills, California. There is always a strong showing from several Porsche clubs including the Porsche 356 Club of Southern California, 911 R Gruppe, and the Porsche Club of America, Grand Prix Region. Anyone who has seen the movie Grand Prix, which McQueen starred in, will remember the opening scenes where he drives through the French countryside in a beautiful Porsche 911S. The film also showed McQueen racing a Porsche 917 at LeMans (actually a Lola with the 917 body). The movie contained footage of McQueen driving during the race. Competitors were concerned about having an actor behind the wheel during competition, but once they saw McQueen’s skills behind the wheel, they were no longer concerned. McQueen drove with a broken left leg at Sebring in 1970. He broke the leg on his motorcycle racing at the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix only a week before the race. He and teammate Peter Revson finished second place to Mario Andretti. Grand Prix is an epic film; one of McQueen’s best. It’s no wonder that the Friends of Steve McQueen would include many Porsche fans.

McQueen was Honorary National Della Robbia Campaign Chairman for Boys Republic in 1966, and 1975 but his ties to the organization go back to 1946 when he was sent there as a teenager. Boys Republic was founded in 1907 to rehabilitate troubled teenagers instead of sending them to jail. The Chino Hills facility where the annual car show takes place, became the permanent home for Boys Republic in 1909. The organization has been doing their work for over 100 years, offering teenagers vocational training and building character and personal responsibility through their system of student self-government. Boys Republic was established with a $10,000 dollar grant, and the car show has raised over 2 million dollars since its inception in 2008 by the Porsche 356 Club of Southern California.

Grand Prix was not the only iconic McQueen movie where the actor able to show off his driving talent. The movie Bullitt had what many say are the greatest car chase scenes ever filmed. McQueen chased a pair of assassins driving a Dodge Charger up and down the streets of San Francisco. The scene culminates in the Charger losing control, running off the road into a gas station, and exploding in a ball of fire. The movie has helped Ford sell a ton of Mustangs to this day.

McQueen’s two wheeled skills were put on display in The Great Escape. McQueen rode both street bikes and offroad motorcycles. His first bike was a 1946 Indian Chief. His movie making obligations put an end to his sports car racing, but they could not keep him off his motorcycles. The world famous actor was an avid motorcyclist who would enter races under the name Harvey Mushman in an attempt at anonymity. Featured in the classic Bruce Brown film, On Any Sunday, McQueen was shown finishing 10th overall at the Lake Elsinore GP. He was a legitimate racer who regularly rode with the fastest desert racers of the day like Bud Ekins, and Malcolm Smith.

Just as McQueen’s acting showed amazing diversity, so does the mix of vehicles that show up for the Friends of Steve McQueen show every year. Seen at this year’s event were many Porsches, and Mustangs of course, but also Classics, Sports Cars, Exotics, Military trucks and equipment, Bikes, Race Cars, VWs; even farm implements and vintage travel trailers were on display.

There was something for everyone who appreciates mechanical design at the show. The spectacular Southern California weather and beautiful surroundings at the Boys Republic campus provided a perfect venue to showcase such incredible works of art. The show is a celebration of the great departed actor, and a highly successful fund raising opportunity for the organization that meant so much to McQueen. Those who return every year had a great time, and if you’ve never had a chance to attend, make sure you add the Friends of Steve Mcqueen Car Show to your calendar.

Holley Performance LS Fest West 2018

Who knew you could have so much variety from just one engine design? Holley Performance LS Fest West was the perfect way to show that and celebrate all things GM and LS V8.

LS Fest has been a staple of Holley Performance since 2010 but the West was begging for their own event. So, last year, Holley brought their famed celebration to Las Vegas and with it came a variety of automotive disciplines to show off the amazing LS engine. 2018 brought some changes, improvements, and expansions with two new exhibitions.

One of the substantial changes that came this year was combining the Autocross, 3S Challenge, and Drifting into a single area. This made getting to and from those events and the off-road or drag racing a much shorter trip. Not far from it were the new attractions – the Hoonigan “Thunderdome” and Mr. Chow’s Side Show, a demonstration of the NorCal car stunting culture that normally takes place illegally on city streets. Basically, it’s doing donuts in an enclosed area but doing so legally as compared to what normally happens.

Drag racing and LS engines just go together, so of course The Strip would be open for all three days with the Three Pedals Rumble, Cam Motion True Street, SAM Tech Street King, Vortech Late Model Heads-Up, Earl’s LS Truck 1/8-mile and MSD LS Outlaw 275 1/8-mile classes. For those not looking for compete or just wanting to run for fun, Hooker Headers opened the drag strip to Grudge Racing and Test-and-Tune, as well.

Over on the off-road side, with the Nitto Tires Off-Road Challenge, Loren Healy in the MBRP/Nitto Ultra4 4400 rig took the win. This is his older 4400 that might have seen its last race with him behind the wheel of it. It’s potentially sold and his new Unlimited ready for Ultra4 Racing’s Metal Cloak Stampede at Prairie City SVRA on May 11th and 12th.

For on-road, it was dominance by Rich Willhoff and his 2006 Corvette Z06. On the QA1 Autocross Course, Willhoff set fastest time with a 32.067-second run while on the Super Chevy 3S Challenge, he finished first with a 26.174. The Racepak Road Course Challenge saw him on top for a third time with a 1:22.388 time. The Lucas Oil Drift Challenge brought out the youngest winner so far in LS Fest History with Branden Sorensen taking first place in LS-swapped 212 Performance BMW. Second went to Noah Michaels in his Torqstorm supercharged S13 Nissan 240SX while Ian McDougall took third in his Drift Shop S14 Nissan 240SX Coupe.

That was it from LS Fest West in 2018 and they have promised to come back with even more in 2019. We’ll be there as well and look forward to bringing it to you next May!

Wanderlust: The 1956 Chevy Nomad

Finding A New Home For A 1956 Chevy Nomad

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of driving a Tri-Five (55-57) Chevy, you know how great the view is from behind the wheel. The wide curved glass windshield and the high seating position make the outside world into a panorama, like a widescreen TV that you can drive right through. A Bel Air or 250 is almost the world’s best road trip car. Almost? Enter the Chevy Nomad.  It’s got all the style and chrome of the famous Bel Air, but that station wagon rear makes you want to throw a surfboard on the roof, a friend or five in the back, and spend an entire summer, or maybe a lifetime just traveling the country watching the world over that chrome jet on the hood.

The Nomad name has been on a variety of Chevrolet models over the years, from its inception as a Corvette-based concept in 1954 to full-size Impala wagons, midsize Chevelles, and even on vans before returning to concept car status in 2004. The most famous carriers of the Nomad name though are definitely the Tri-Fives. Say “Nomad” to any car fan and they’ll instantly picture that groundbreaking—nearly hatchback—back end with its era-defining fins and vertical chrome stripes mated to long forward-slanted front fenders and of course, that broad, curving windshield.

Eric Samuels’ High-Line Motorsports two-tone 1956 Nomad is a perfect example of what makes these cars so appealing. First there’s the peachy-gold spear cutting through the midnight-black paint, all surrounded by the sun-catching brightwork that made the high-end, two-door Nomad such a stand-out from base model four-door wagons in the ‘50s. Inside is a tailor’s shop of tweed, covering the rear bench and front bucket seats. It’s the kind of interior that instantly makes you picture yourself, window down, arm on the door frame, heading out for an adventure.

The best part though is the underpinnings beneath all that sheetmetal and trim. Rather than the stock 265ci V8, Eric’s Nomad boasts a GM crate 350 small block backed by a 700R4 automatic transmission. Like any good hot rod, it sends the power back to a Ford 9-inch rear which redirects it to spin a set of aggressively designed billet wheels wrapped in Milestar StreetSteel rubber. “I’ve driven this car to a couple of shows and swap meets,” says Eric. “It drives like a new car because of the late model running gear but with the original look.”

Eric doesn’t plan to keep the Nomad. High-Line is a classic car dealership in Brea, California and if he fell in love with every car that came through his family business over the past 40 years he’d have a bit of a problem finding storage (and paying his bills), but he’s been especially fond of the Nomad and doesn’t think it will be hard to find it a loving home. “Tri-five Chevys are very popular,” he tells us. “People like everything from the Bel Air to the pickups, but especially the Nomad.”

From Zero to Ford Mustang Mach 1 in 17 Years

Dennis McGrath’s Beach-Cruising 1969 Mach 1 Ford Mustang

If you see Dennis McGrath’s Grabber Blue 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 drive by, you’re going to turn your head until it disappears down the road. It’s such an eye-catching a car, you don’t want to lose sight of it. When asked about his small-block powered 1969 ‘Stang, McGrath told us he’s just always liked Mustangs, and who can blame him? Since its introduction, the Ford ponycar has been a winner, both on track and on dealer lots. In 1969, the Mustang got a tough new facelift too, with quad headlights, high-hipped quarterpanel scoops, and a variety of ferocious engine and graphics packages.

For Dennis and Jenny McGrath, there’s no need for stripes or big blocks. Give them a high-revving 351 Cleveland, a shift kit in the C6 transmission, and an empty lane to blast down California’s Pacific Coast Highway, and they’ll give the Pacific Ocean a run for its money as “Most eye-catching view on the California coast.”

Getting the Mustang into beach-cruising shape was a 17-year-long process. Along with hotting-up the 9.5:1 compression 351 V8 with a mild cam and valve job and then topping it with an Edelbrock manifold and 650 carburetor, they upgraded to March pulleys and power steering, and an MSD distributor, box and coil. That improved spark lights off the fuel and the spent gasses take a trip out through Hedman Hedders. The Cleveland keeps its cool thanks to a Mattson aluminum radiator.

Backing the small block is a C6 automatic, beefed up with a hardened shaft, racing servo, shift kit, and 2400-stall B&M torque converter. In the back is a Ford 9-inch limited slip with 3.50 gears. The McGraths wanted the Mustang to handle, so a CPP front sway bar and KYB shocks take on the turns and bounces. To keep the car stable and straight, a Total Control brace counteracts body flex. Additional stiffening comes from Total Control subframe connectors, and in the rear, Scott Drake leaf springs help keep the power squatted down on widened 15-inch Rally 500 wheels wrapped in 255/60-15 Milestar Streetsteel rubber, picked for just the right mix of street performance and that classic muscle car look. In the front, 235/60-15 Milestars point the pony in the right direction. Disc brakes on all four corners bring the Mustang to a quick stop.

Inside the Mustang Mach 1, Dakota digital gauges keep tabs on the temps and TMI leather bucket seats let the McGraths lean back and enjoy tunes through the Sony receiver, JL Audio amps, and 10-inch subwoofer and Focal speakers. So if McGrath’s car catches your eye on the road or at a show, nobody will blame you for keeping an eye on it, it’s just that perfect pony stance, sound, and style.

1970 AMC Javelin: The “Other” Pony Car

In the late 1960’s, the “Pony Car” wars were heating up – the Ford Mustang, debuting in the 1965 model year, defined this class of small, sporty coupes, and inspired General Motors to fire back with the Camaro and Firebird in 1967. Chrysler had their own entry into the fray with the Barracuda, which actually beat the Mustang to dealerships by two weeks in April of 1964. The “Big Three” US automakers were fully committed to these image-leading (and profitable) cars, and battled it out both on the showroom floor and at racetracks across the country.

Meanwhile, America’s “other” domestic manufacturer, AMC, introduced their own pony car for the 1968 model year. The Javelin, designed on a budget, became a dark horse competitor against their much better-funded rivals at the dragstrip and in Trans-Am road racing, and earned a level of respect that exceeded all expectations. With important tweaks for the 1970 model year, Penske Racing took to the track with legendary Roger Penske and Mark Donohue at the wheel in the SCCA Trans-Am Series in AMC Javelins painted with unmistakable red, white, and blue livery, and racked up an impressive record of success.

While AMC might be long gone – acquired thirty years ago by Chrysler – the “other guy” heritage still inspires collectors and enthusiasts to restore, drive, and enjoy their cars built in the heyday of American performance. The 1970 Javelin you see here, decked out in the iconic Penske Racing tri-color paint job, is a perfect example. But it’s not an easy road, compared to being a fan of Chevy, Ford, or even Mopar classics.

“That car has a 400 horsepower 390 in it, and we had a hell of a time trying to source parts to build it,” explains Darin Smith of DWS Classics in Huntington Beach, California. “It took us a couple of months just to find parts. The owner didn’t have an unlimited budget, so we had to send away for parts instead of going to an AMC specialist and just buying a prebuilt motor.”

1970 was a watershed year for the Javelin; the first-gen AMC pony car received updated styling, but more importantly, an improved front suspension layout, lighter safety glass, and new power options. Our feature car captures the essence of the optional “Go Package” with front wheel disc brakes, Magnum 500 wheels, and upgraded tires.

No aspect of automotive performance has come farther since this Javelin left the assembly line than tire technology, but the “pro touring” route, with big wheels and low-profile rubber, isn’t for everyone. To respect the AMC’s heritage while still reaping the benefits of five decades of tire technology progress, this car wears Milestar Streetsteel all-season high performance radials. The look is spot-on with solid raised white lettering and a checkered flag sidewall design, but the original factory rubber couldn’t hold a candle to the Streetsteel’s dry grip, wet performance, steering stability, or all-season traction.

Turns out that getting the tires right was the easy part. Per Smith, “It was tough to source parts for, but it’s a real cool car now that it’s done, and it gets a lot of attention, especially with that paint job. People swarm on that thing.” Despite the challenges of doing it right, Smith says he’s ready to take on the next project involving America’s “other” car company. “I’d gladly do another AMC, especially an AMX, or an SC/Rambler – I’d love to do one of them.”

The end result is a car that’s fun to drive, responsive, and powerful, that won’t be lost in a crowd at the local cruise night or weekend show-and-shine. Smith sums it up: “You can’t be shy, because you are going to get a lot of attention anywhere you go.”

From Show to Go:
1967 Chevrolet Chevelle

The yearly pilgrimage to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA Show draws hundreds of vehicles built specifically for that event, showcasing the latest, newest, and best the automotive aftermarket has to offer. Whether they’re million-dollar concepts from an OEM or a one-off custom put together by a shop with one lift and an open trailer, they’ll get a few short days in the spotlight before fading into history. Many won’t even set a tire tread on asphalt beyond the trip between their transporter and the convention center floor. This 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle isn’t one of them.

The 1967 Chevelle you see here was crafted for the 2013 SEMA Show to highlight TMI Products’ XR interiors for classic cars, but after it had its 15 minutes of fame on the convention center floor, it didn’t suffer the same fate as so many SEMA cars do, relegated to the back corner of a shop or sold to a collector with more time spent with a microfiber cloth in hand than the steering wheel and shifter.

Instead, owner Jimmy Dingwell did the unthinkable – he actually drove it, and drove it a lot. So much so that when we recently caught up with it a few years after its SEMA debut, it was in the hands of Darin Smith at DWS Classics in Huntington Beach, California for a little refreshing.

“Right after SEMA, they got out and drove this puppy. It was in a couple of magazines, and then right afterward they started driving it,” Smith explains. “It came to us needing some maintenance. Even SEMA cars wear out and end up needing some love too, I suppose. When it came in it was making some noise – the exhaust was banging up inside the quarter panel of the car and it had some suspension bushings that were worn out, so we went in and re-bushed it to get rid of some of the thumps and knocks in the car.”

Along with the general TLC, the Chevelle was also in need of new rubber, and Milestar MS932XP ultra-high performance tires were the go-to choice. “It’s got a performance suspension and brakes, and it handles pretty darn well,” says Smith. The W-speed rated MS392 XP, designed specifically for 18, 19, and 20-inch wheels and low-profile applications has the exceptional grip, stability, and comfort to match this Chevy’s top-tier handling capabilities without sacrificing wet traction – an important feature for a car that gets driven in the real world.

“It’s quick, it handles, and it’s a lot of fun to drive,” Smith continues. “It has a manual transmission – a Hurst-prepared 5 speed – and manuals are always more fun.” The Rapp Racing 355ci Chevy small block delivers an estimated 550 horsepower and serves as the only source of audio for this Chevelle. Per Smith, “It handles and stops nice, and it has AC. It just doesn’t have a stereo. It’s nice to hear all that music from the engine…”

With the wear and tear addressed, this former SEMA star is back on the road and ready to be enjoyed once more, the way classic cars should be. “It’s a real nice, clean, well-built car,” Smith concludes. “What more can I say? Everyone who sees you driving it gives you a thumbs up. You can’t be shy in that thing.”