February 2024 RPM Magazine by RPMMAG

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RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed online.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.............................................................. CHRIS BIRO EDITOR@RPMMAG.COM V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..................TRISH BIRO TRISH@RPMMAG.COM EVENT MEDIA..................................................EVENTS@RPMMAG.COM EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR...........SHERRIE WEBER SHERRIE@RPMMAG.COM ART DIRECTOR............................................................ JIM MCHARG PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS: MARK GODRAGRACING. ORG, GEORGE PICH, MATT WOODS, LOUIS FRONKIER, BLAKE FARNAN, JERRY GARRISON, NEIL ZIMBALDI, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, STEVEN TAYLOR, DAVID GATES, AND ANDREW RADIOTIS EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: CHUCK SCOTT, MARK GODRAGRACING.ORG, TIM BIRO, STAN SMITH, GEORGE PICH, JAY MISENER, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, AND SCOTT FORBES TECHNICAL WRITING CONTRIBUTION: CHUCK SCOTT, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TIM BIRO AND JAY MISENER

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT TRISH BIRO...........................519.752.3705....... TRISH@RPMMAG.COM

SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER: CHRIS BIRO EVENTS@RPMMAG.COM SPECIAL EVENTS SALES: TRISH BIRO: 519-752-3705 TRISH@RPMMAG.COM SUBSCRIPTIONS/ADDRESS CHANGES: CIRCULATION CIRCULATION@RPMMAG.COM GENERAL INQUIRIES: 519.752.3705 INFO@RPMMAG.COM

To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpmmag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519752-3705. The focus of RPM is to bring a diverse mix of high performance street and race automobiles to life within its pages including race cars, muscle cars, hot rods and street legal machines with an emphasis on the “EXTREME,” including fast doorslammer and outlaw forms of drag racing. Not familiar with these types of cars? They are considered to be the top-shelf of the industry and are on the edge with regard to design, performance, and power! RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.

RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 24 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, along with contributing writers and photojournalists worldwide. If you have a story that may fit within the focus and scope of RPM Magazine’s coverage, please email our Editor In Chief at editor@rpmmag.com. Submission of an article does not guarantee that it will be published. Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. (RPM) / RPM Magazine IS NOT responsible for errors or omissions in ANY advertisement or article. Advertisements may be rearranged or altered at the sole discretion of RPM to allow the ad to fit in the space purchased by the advertiser. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADVERTISING WHICH WE CONSIDER TO CONTAIN MISLEADING, OFFENSIVE OR FALSE INFORMATION. REPRODUCTION OF ANY INFORMATION HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

editor’s

RANT

Chris Biro

YOU ARE RPM! We’ve been here 25 years to serve you, the performance and race industry, and in case you haven’t noticed, just like the first issue of RPM, we still believe that every car has a story of both the car and it’s owner. We still believe that horsepower is something you build within your budget...and your budget is constantly changing and growing. We still believe that RPM is about you, not us. Listen, I don’t have a very big ego that needs to be constantly massaged, I care about giving you the exposure and press you deserve and strive to make you proud of what you have accomplished by showing your car off to the world and telling your story. At RPM, you are the stars! Hundreds of people ask me every single year if I watched this IH or that NH race etc. and I give them all the same answer; badass street and strip doorslammers are what gets me going. That is what I grew up with, that is what I know and that is what I and RPM readers identify with. Sure, we’ll throw some Pro Mod and Nitro eye candy in RPM MAG now and then, because they are supercool and great to read about, but we have done our homework and listen to our readers around the world, and they want wild, big power door-cars that run the strip, street or both, plain and simple. We are still owned and operated by the SAME hardcore horsepower lovin’ family! We still do not support one single race organization, group, track or brand but rather try to include cars from them all. We still do not let our own likes or dislikes dictate what goes in the pag-

es of RPM MAG...because it’s your magazine. The level of a build or a persons name does not secure a feature in RPM, we carefully consider each RPM feature car on an individual basis. RPM MAG was in print for 22 years straight with print subscribers in 36 countries and 7,000 newsstands in the US alone carrying it until Covid shut down our printers, made it difficult to get paper and caused 65% of advertisers to pull their ads. Because we’d been online since 2008, we poured enormous resources into the digital platforms for RPM and we can proudly say that our digital magazine subscriptions have exceeded precovid print and digital subscriptions numbers combined! We also still do print a limited number of magazines each month that can be special ordered by contacting RPM directly, and we continue to work with our industry partners to host their ads in RPM and help our industry sustain itself well in to the future. RPM has been copied by numerous people and magazines over the years and most are gone, and those that are still kickin’ are a shell of their former selves or have moved towards what they think gets them attention and dollars. That said, I am sure many more will come and go....but as long as I am at the helm RPM Mag will remain your magazine! We truly appreciate you all! Chris Biro RPM MAG Editor In Chief for 25 Years of Smoke & Gears!

February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

ACC Performance............. 97 AED Competition............. 68 AFR: Air Flow Research.............. 5,25,79 AJE Racing....................... 86 American Racing Headers........................... 24 Baer Brakes............10,103 BES Racing Engines......... 19 Billet Specialties.............. 60 Bill Mitchell Products................... 11,66 Browell Bellhousings...... 53 Burns Stainless................ 96 Callies Performance Products.......................... 68 Calvert Racing Suspensions.................... 99 Canton Racing Products.......................... 56 Chassis Engineering........ 81 Clearshot Customs........... 94 C & S Specialties.............. 84 Deez Performance........... 18 Derale............................. 61 Design Engineering......... 57 E3 Spark Plugs................. 70 ECAM Racing Engines...... 19 Engineered Racing Services..................21,100 Erson Cams...................... 80 Flex-A-Lite...................... 27 GoDragRacing.org.........112 GRP Connecting Rods...... 77 Harland Sharp................. 12 Hitman Hot Rods...........110 Holeshot Performance Wheels............................ 46 Hughes Performance.......... 7 Ian Hill Racing........71,112 Induction Solutions......... 51 Jesel..............................114 Joe Van O......................... 78 JW Racing Transmissions..................... 5 Kinsler Fuel Injection................... 13,70 Lentech Automatics.............43,102 Liberty's Gears................ 46

Lokar Performance Products.......................... 79 Lutz Race Cars................. 79 Magnaflow...................... 53 Magnafuel....................110 Manton Pushrods..........114 Maxima Racing Oils............ 2 Meziere Enterprises......... 76 Misener Motorsports....... 85 Moroso............................ 83 Moser Engineering.17,109 Neal Chance Converters....................... 64 Parts Pro................73,116 Paul Silva Performance.................109 PBM Performance Products.......................... 70 PowerTubeTV.................. 55 Pro-Filer Performance..... 43 PRW - USA...................... 78 Rage Wraps..................... 19 RAM Clutches.................. 33 RCD Engineering............. 78 RM Racing Lubricants...... 43 Ross Racing Pistons..... 7,84 RPM Subscribe ................26,52,94,115 RPM Video Extra.............. 49 Summit Racing Equipment......18,29,107 T&D Machine................... 83 Thermo-Tec..................... 18 The Supercharger Store.............................111 Ti64.com......................... 60 Total Seal Rings.............109 Trailer Alarms.com.......... 52 TREMEC........................... 25 Trick Flow................. 15,52 Ultimate Headers............ 86 VFN Fiberglass Inc........... 53 Vortech.................... 67,85 VP Racing Fuels............... 59 World Products............... 86 Advertising Info: Contact Trish Biro 519.752.3705 trish@rpmmag.co

AFR: Air Flow Research

JW Racing Transmissions

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

February

2024

Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 25 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Cars WORLDWIDE! Don’t Settle For Less! We DELIVER Insane Fast Cars and Bring You NO POLITICS... JUST ACTION! Your ONLY “Real Time” “Real World” Car Mag...PERIOD!

Long Haul............................................................... 62 Roy Greenawalt’s wicked blown Chevelle is a lifelong build!

Double The Fun......................................................................................... 8

Rob Horton’s Turbo/Nitrous Camaro WILL get the drop on you!

Sublime Cat........................................................................................... 92

This wild blown Hellcat is a true 8-second street driven warrior

RPM EXTRAS

............................................................................................................................. From February 2014: Pat Spangenberg’s “Alley Cat”- it’s rough, tough and one potent Poncho!

Thunder..................................................................................................... 40 Welding Exhaust Systems - Pt. 5.................................... 90 Don Erwin’s Glidden Tribute T-Bird packs a big block nitrous’d punch!

Welding Your Header

Read COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG online at www.rpmmag.com 6

February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

CUSTOM IN STOCK PISTONS

Ross Racing Pistons

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Hughes Performance

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

As a Mechanic by trade, Rob Horton knows cars very well, but we all know that making one go fast and stay together is another whole ball game, and Horton is very good at that, too!

Story: Jack Dubois Photos: James Cummins

“It all started with this car…” says Rob, referring to his love of horsepower. “When my dad purchased this car it was totally original and it was built the same month and year as I was born.” So as you can see, this particular 1998 Chevy Camaro SS has a whole bunch of sentimental value to Horton, along with being crazy-fast! The Camaro is a legit numbered SLP car signed by Scott Settlemire (the GM Camaro Product Manager known as Fbodfather), which is pretty cool.

Baer Brakes

February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ If we showed you a picture of Rob Horton’s Camaro and told you it is a legit drive-tothe-track 7-second hitter, would you believe us? If not... mission accomplished!

Bill Mitchell Products

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Harland Sharp

February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ Rob’s Camaro is a legit numbered SLP car signed by Scott Settlemire (the GM Camaro Product Manager known as Fbodfather). On top of that, it was built the same month and year as Rob was born.

Kinsler Fuel Injection

As a kid, Rob has fond memories of starting to customize the Camaro with his father and the pair just kept going, at one point building it into a “talking” show car that they took to various events, complete with TV monitors and huge audio system. Eventually, the feel of adding horsepower overtook everything else, and they found themselves starting to worry about things like making the car lighter in order to go faster.

Out came all the subwoofers, 4 TV monitors, mobile satellite system and everything else associated with the audio and show scene and the pair concentrated on building power. They did, however, keep the power locks and windows and even the air conditioning until the car hit the 9-second zone and then some of that had to go, too. If we showed you a picture of Rob Horton’s Camaro and told you it is a legit drive-to-the-track 7-second hitter, would you believe us? If not, mission accomplished! Make no mistake though, this car is still street driven and it does run sevens!

■ It’s very considerate of Rob to let other drivers know he’s running a nitroused LSX…yes it sure is…bahahaha, if they only knew! Horton chose to mount the rad and cooling fans under the rear of the car which are just visible in this shot.

14 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Yesterday’s Looks, Today’s Horsepower. Trick Flow’s DHC™ 200 aluminum cylinder heads for small block Chevy feature exterior touches like straight spark plug holes and raised markings on the ends just like the legendary OE double hump heads. On the inside though, it’s all modern CNC-ported goodness. New 64cc CNC-profiled combustion chambers and 2.055" intake valves combined with Trick Flow’s CNC Street Porting process deliver big increases in high-RPM power and torque. You even get to choose if you want drilled accessory holes or not for the correct classic Chevy look!

Airflow Results

Dyno Results DHC 200

Test Engine: 10.2:1 compression 384 c.i.d. with Trick Flow DHC™ 200 cylinder heads (TFS-30210003-C00), Trick Flow Track Max™ hydraulic roller camshaft (TFS-31402002), 1.6 ratio roller rocker arms, Trick Flow chromoly pushrods, Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake manifold, 750 cfm carburetor, Hooker Super Competition headers with 1¾" primaries, 3" dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers. Trick Flow

DHC 200

Lift Value

Intake Flow CFM

Exhaust Flow CFM

.100"

.200"

140

109

.300"

200

148

.400"

244

180

.500"

275

204

.600"

286

217

.700"

290

227

Tests conducted at 28" of water (pressure). Bore size: 4.030"; exhaust with 17⁄8" pipe.

Your Formula for Small Block Chevy Performance!

New heads are just one element of the horsepower formula. To make it complete, you’re going to need some other components.

Track Max® Camshafts Give your small Chevy an even bigger power boost with a Track Max camshaft. Available in several flat tappet and roller designs up to 246°/254° duration and .555"/.555" of lift, they are dyno proven to produce significant power increases over the entire RPM range.

Retro-Fit Hydraulic Roller Lifters These affordable retro-fit roller lifters permit roller camshaft conversions to be made in engines originally equipped with hydraulic flat tappet cams. The lifters are manufactured to factory tolerances for an exact fit and to provide precise oil control to keep your engine running smoothly. Sold in sets of 16.

Roller Rocker Arms Finish off the horsepower recipe with aluminum roller rocker arms. Each set includes lightweight aluminum CNC machined rocker arm bodies with premium needle-bearing fulcrums and roller tips to reduce valvetrain weight and friction.

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Some parts are not legal for sale or use on any pollution-controlled motor vehicles.

...I enjoy just being able to drive a 7-second car to work, or even take my wife and kids for a cruise... R O B

H O R TO N

February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ Horton wanted to keep his car as “real” as possible, so the body is still factory steel except for the pin-on composite Sunoco style hood.

Moser Engineering

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

■ If you know horsepower, then you will appreciate the engineering and painstaking work that went into this twin power adder combination.

Summit Racing Equipment Thermo-Tec

February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Deez Performance

■ The wow factor starts with the realization that this thing has a turbo and nitrous and ends with the towering Hi-Ram intake and slick Shearer Fabrications Intake Mounted Intercooler.

Chassis wise, a 10 point cage fills the interior and Rob installed every part possible from UMI Performance, including their K-member, torque arm, upper/lower control arms and transmission mount. Santhuff fully adjustable front and rear coilovers were also used. A Ford 9 inch with big bearing aluminum center section, Moser 35 spline axles and spool and Motive Pro gear sends power outward to 28x10.5 (NOT W) Mickey Thompson Bracket Radials beadlocked on Race Star polished wheels.

ECAM Racing Engines

BES Racing Engines

Rage Wraps

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Horton wanted to keep his car as “real” as possible, so the body is still factory steel except for the pin-on composite Sunoco style hood. Paint is navy blue metallic. The cars sit perfectly, with a slight rake and the factory rear deck lid spoiler is complemented by the (necessary) parachute and the slick “N20 LSX” license plate. Now that might cause onlookers to think that Horton’s Camaro is running nitrous, and it is, however, that’s on top of another not so little surprise under the hood, and we’ll get to that shortly.

■ The turbo inlet is barely visible behind the low front grill area of the Camaro.

20 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Engine Research Solutions

Rob Horton’s Turbocharged Nitrous Injected 1998 SLP Chevy Camaro SS ■ Body & Paint: All stock steel body except for the hood. Navy blue metallic paint.

■ Chassis & Suspension Modifications: 10 point cage. Full UMI chassis equipment including K-member, torque arm, upper/lower control arms trans mount. Santhuff fully adjustable front and rear coilovers.

■ Engine: GM LSX block, 434 cubic inches. Callies crank, Boostline rods, Racetec pistons.

■ Cylinder Heads: AFR Mongoose heads, stock rockers with manton pushrods.

■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: Holley Hi-Ram with a Shearer intercooler sitting in between AUS 2600cc injectors. Motion Raceworks throttle body.

■ Power Adder: Garrett 106mm turbo plus 2 kits of Nitrous Outlet nitrous oxide.

■ Transmission: Reid TH400 case with a 160/131 gearset capable of 1st or 2nd gear leave on the trans brake. All big shaft and billet internals.

■ Rear End: Ford 9 inch. Big bearing aluminum center section with Moser 35 spline axles and Motive Pro gear.

■ Tires & Wheels: Racestar wheels front and rear.

22 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ Interior: Holley dash, Motion steering wheel, driver/passenger race seats and full fire suppression inside an out. Motion air shifter with flow control CO2 on board.

■ ET & MPH: 5.0 @ 146mph in the 1/8 and 7 seconds in the ¼ and it is still 100% a street car.

■ Most Unique Feature(s): The ability to withstand multiple wheelstand drops and still go straight down the track. And just being able to drive a 7 sec car to work or even take my wife and kids for a drive. I actually can.

■ Reason For The Build: It was my father’s car and I wanted to continue building and racing as he would do.

■ Build Timeline: A long time, it’s been a work in progress for decades!

■ Most Memorable Experience With The Car: Driving up to the lanes with my wife and son in the car with me, then making my personal best pass!

■ Thanks To: There are way too many to start listing them and I’d hate to open up that can of worms, just in case I forgot someone.

■ It’s a GM LSX-based mill GLASGOW

totalling 434 cubic inches and is assisted by a single 106mm turbo and 2.. yes 2 stages of nitrous!

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

■ The interior of the Camaro still has a bunch of factory parts despite the numerous different builds it has seen over the years. Some trim panels had to be replaced when the massive amounts of audio video equipment was removed following the car’s show phase.

American Racing Headers

The interior stayed mostly factory, too, with race parts installed as necessary. A Holley EFI dash was carefully built into the factory gauge area and a Motion Raceworks column and quick release steering wheel are ready for duty in front of Rob, while to his left, their air-shifted billet shifter commands the Turbo 400 through the gears. When Rob lifts the hood, jaws usually drop and questions start flying. The bump in that Sunoco hood isn’t just for show, it’s actually covering the absolutely wild Shearer intercooler and Holley Hi-Ram intake. Which could only mean one thing; on top of nitrous, this Camaro is boosted!

24 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ Rob with his wife and son who are part of everything he does with the Camaro.

AFR: Air Flow Research TREMEC

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

RPM Subscribe

26 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Flex-A-Lite

Underhood intimidation is the best way to describe what you see here. That being said, driving around without the hood on would cause a pileup! If you know horsepower, then you will appreciate the engineering and painstaking work that went into this twin power adder combination. A forged Callies crank, Boostline rods and Racetec pistons rotate inside a GM LSX block and the package works out to 434 cubic inches. A killer set of AFR Mongoose cylinder heads were studded in place and the HiRam is also fitted with 2600cc fuel injectors. www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

■ The hatch area is taken up by a large single tank with three compartments for multiple purposes, including fuel.

A Garrett 106mm turbo creates enough boost to plant your head firmly in the seat and 2 kits of direct-port Nitrous Outlet nitrous oxide keeps it there. Not surprisingly, there are photos of Horton’s Camaro floating around the web showing it pointed sky-high with all 4 tires off the ground. A Reid-cased TH400 trans with billet internals and 160/131 gearset that is capable of 1st or 2nd gear leaves on the trans brake backs the mammoth power this heavyweight contender is capable of producing, and to date Rob has turned 5.0 at 146mph in the 1/8 and 7s in the 1/4, with more to come. 28 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

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30 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ The kind of extreme wheels up launch that makes drivers cringe...but the fans love aerobatics.

Robert Grace Photo www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

32 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ Starting with his wife dumping some water down on a hot day, Rob runs the car through a solid burnout – Watch the video in this article for a much better take on it!

For Rob, bringing the build to this level was all about family. It started with taking his father’s car and continuing to build and race it just as he would do, and continues when he is able to drive up the staging lanes with his wife and son in the car and then make his personal best pass… and then afterwards head out for some ice cream!

RAM Clutches

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Pat Spangenberg’s 1962 Pontiac Catalina From the pages of RPM Magazine, February 2014

at Spang e nb e r g l i k e s big cars. He’s owned a bunch of them over the years and they all have one thing in common… they’re wicked fast street and strip machines. Sure, the full-size cars weigh more than a Camaro, Mustang or one of the other lighter models that are so prevalent at the drag strip these days, but he would rather take the path least traveled and continue campaigning Impala’s, Biscayne’s and the Catalina featured in this article. Continue on Pat, and thanks for daring to be different! Wanna race? While we’re sure there are a few that think it’s all just smoke and mirrors, with a parachute, mammoth mufflers and a stance like that Pat doesn’t get many challengers lining up next to him wanting to take a shot at the big Poncho.

34 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Pat Spangenberg’s “Alley Cat”… it’s rough, tough and one potent Poncho!

Photos: Pete Ores

Pat takes the big Poncho for a spin. It’s tradition in Wisconsin to take your hot rod out cruising as much as possible when the leaves start falling in October since a long cold Winter is just around the corner.

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Nestled between the frame rails of the Catalina is a 598 ci aluminum big block with Dart “Big Chief” 14 degree cylinder heads.

36 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

The Holley Dominator was not even around when these Super Duty hood scoops came out in the early 1960’s, but man does it look right at home under the timeless hood scoop. It even works pretty well as Pat has tested it without the hood and the car actually went faster with the SD scoop!

Nothing fancy here… just factory upper and lower control arms with some bolt-on disc brakes.

Helping the Big Chief headed big block get rid of the spent gasses are a set of 2 ¼ step to 2 3/8 primary tube headers with 4” collectors, a 4” X-pipe and 4” Flowmaster 2-chamber “Shootout” mufflers. This thing sounds flat out nasty, but isn’t nearly as obnoxious as an open header car.

Engine Short Block: Dart Iron (10.2 deck height), Callies forges crank, Callies connecting rods, Diamond 14.0:1 forged pistons, Cam Motion camshaft Induction: 14 degree Dart “Big Chief” Pro-Stock Pontiac cylinder heads filled with titanium valves and topped off with a Dart intake and 1150 cfm Dominator by Chuck Nuytten Engine Management: “A heavy Right Foot” Data Acquisition: “Time slips” Power Adder: None! Ignition: MSD 7AL3 Transmission: T.S.I. TH400 with a “mystery” 9-inch torque converter Suspension/Chassis: Stock Fuel System: Weldon Wheels & Tires: Holeshot Wheels (15” X 8” rear) wrapped in Hoosier 9X30” Drag Radial Slicks Weight: 3,600 pounds w/o Driver Exhaust: 4” diameter to “Shootout” Mufflers Horsepower: 1,100 (estimated) Torque : 900 ft lbs (estimated) Performance: 9.21 @ 147 MPH in the ¼-mile 60’ Time: 1.28 seconds Special Thanks Pat was quick to point out that without help from Mel at C&S Performance Engines (Butler, Wisconsin) who built the engine, Don Stanley at TSI Transmissions, Paul Tadin and all the guys that hang out at Rod & Comp, he could have never accomplished what he did with the Catalina. A special thanks also goes out to his girlfriend Cheryl Tesch for putting up with his racing addiction over the years! www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Super Duty Catalina History 1962 Catalinas have become highly sought after by collectors and racers alike in recent years. Considered to be one of the early “ Muscle Cars” of the 1960’s thanks to the optional 421 SD (Super Duty) performance package, these full-size Pontiac’s wreaked havoc at drag strips all over the country at the hands of legendary drag racers like Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick, Arlene Vanke, Don Gay, Gene Hinson and Harold Ramsey. Pontiac had been offering some pretty stout performance engine options starting in 1960, including the 389 that was available with Tri-power carburetion, but they were only produced in limited numbers and you usually needed to know someone to get your hands on one of these cars. In 1962 NHRA required manu-

factures to produce Super Stock legal cars at the factory so Pontiac stepped up to the plate and offered the Super Duty 421 in the Catalina. In a recent interview with Arnie Beswick he explained, “Unlike 1961 when the Super Duty package came as a ‘kit’ and was delivered in the trunk of the car, the 1962 Super Duty package was already installed when we took delivery of our cars from the factory. It’s kind of a funny story but I didn’t actually get my ‘62 Catalina until late in May because of a ‘misunderstanding’ with the big wigs at Pontiac. My previous cars in 1960 and 1961 were delivered in dark Bristol Blue and since I liked that color I ordered my 62’ Catalina the same. Shortly after ordering it I was notified that Bristol Blue was discontinued and told that I needed to

choose another color. Since I really liked that color, and everyone got used to seeing my cars in the Bristol Blue, I told them that I really wanted the car in it or I’d have to seriously consider racing for another manufacturer. They stood their ground claiming that there was no way to get a Catalina in Bristol Blue, so I contacted Chevrolet and ordered a 409/409hp Impala. I took delivery of it and raced the car for a few months before Pontiac caught wind of the fact that I went to Chevrolet. Shortly thereafter they called me that a Bristol Blue 62’ Super Duty 421 Catalina was on its way from the factory. I took delivery of that car in May and promptly sold the Chevy to a friend of mine. From that point forward I have never raced anything but a Pontiac!”

Drag Racing Legend Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick’s 1962 Catalina was one of the most feared Super Stockers back in the day. Powered by the potent dual-quad 421 Super Duty engine and backed by a 4-speed transmission, the Passionate Poncho could cover the ¼-mile in under 12 seconds on the mandated tiny 7”-inch Casler “pie-cutter” cheater slicks. Arnie’s friendly demeanor, competitive spirit and winning racing record created a legion of fans that follow his racing career that is still going strong today!

38 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

The red and white “candy cane” interior is an exercise in functionality. If the shifter is not in an optimal location, build a bracket to get it right in the sweet spot. Carpet… who needs it!

Wearing much of its original white paint, the Catalina isn’t going to win a “best paint” award any time soon. Pat’s fine with that and has been quoted saying, “Pretty paint doesn’t make the car go faster!” And anyone who knows Spangenberg is well aware of his passion for having his own designs look underrated, and then over-performing to the surprise of his opponents! Let’s just say that Pat takes the term “sleeper” very seriously. www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

42 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Story: George Pich Photos: Steven Taylor

Don Erwin has been in the game for a lot of years and has a stable full Ford cars and trucks, but this Gliddentribute T-Bird holds a special place.

hen he started drag racing back in 1973, he never dreamed he would be where he is today, and still going strong. In 2016, the 13 time track Champion at Ozark Raceway Park was inducted into the Southwest Missouri Hall of Fame. On top of that, he held or holds several track “firsts” and records, and the icing on the cake was in 2023 when his home track held a race to honor him; The Don “Showtime” Erwin Living Legend Independence Day Shootout.

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44 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Don built the Thunderbird to be different, and that started with the 1987 Bob Glidden Motorcraft paint scheme. To anyone who followed the sport over the years, Glidden was a super star in the Pro Stock class with 10 championships and dozens of others accomplishments during the heyday of the class.

“That was my most memorable day in drag racing with this car,” Erwin said. This 1985 Thunderbird was originally bought in 1999 by Don. He found it while flipping through the classified ads in Na-

tional Dragster, and it was advertised to be the fastest naturally aspirated small block Ford in the States at the time. Once home, Erwin played with the car for a bit but ended up selling it as a rolling chassis to a friend.

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About 8 years back, though, he heard the car was up for sale and decided to buy it back and do something special with it. “Special”, as in paint it the legendary 1987 Bob Glidden Motorcraft paint scheme and slide a big block Ford with 2 stages of direct port nitrous between the frame rails. Yep, we agree Don, that’s pretty special alright! The tube frame chas-

sis and suspension work was completed by Mark Werdehausen of the now defunct Tydo Race Cars. It’s a chromoly piece with Funny Car style cage. A 4-link coilover setup out back suspends a Ford 9-inch with 35 spline axles and 4.30 gear, while a custom coilover strut front with rack and pinion steering keep things on the straight and narrow.

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46 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

The roof and rear ¼ panels remain factory steel while the rest has been swapped out in favor of fiberglass. The car’s stance is low with a slight rake and the paint scheme picks up the Thunderbird’s bodylines and just works. Many fans say this was their favorite Glidden paint scheme on a particular car, Don Erwin included.

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

48 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Don installed original headlight and taillight assemblies on the T-Bird and used the tinted headlight covers that were hugely popular in the eighties and nineties on the front recessed headlight area.

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Our photo shoot was on a typical damp dark fall day in Missouri with rain beading up on the T-Bird’s polished paint.

50 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Induction Solutions

This is where the Pro Stock tribute ended. Instead of fighting (and paying) for every ounce of horsepower in a heavily ruled naturally aspirated engine setup, Don chose an aluminum-blocked big block Ford mill complemented by 2 stages of Induction Solutions nitrous oxide. That said, horsepower production is rumored to be in the neighborhood of 1,200.

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52 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Dewayne Williams painted the car E4 Ford Red in the 1987 Bob Glidden Motorcraft paint scheme and vinyl graphics work was completed by Tony Crumrien. The rear main body of the car, including roof and quarter panels, is OE steel but the rest has been replaced with fiberglass. If you like the color red, there’s lots for you to like inside the T-Bird; the floor panels, rear tubs, cage, fiberglass dash, the nitrous bottles and holders, and even the seat and belts are all red.

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Don Erwin’s Nitrous Big Block 1985 Ford Thunderbird (1987 Bob Glidden paint scheme) ■ Body & Paint: Dewayne Williams painted the car E4 Ford Red in the 1987 Bob Glidden Motorcraft paint scheme. Vinyl graphics by Tony Crumrien. ■ Chassis & Suspension /Modifications: Tube frame chassis with 4-link rear. Mark Werdehausen Tydo Race Cars Chromoly chassis with Funny Car cage, custom Tydo one-off headers. coilover strut front suspension. ■ Engine: Aluminum RDI Ford block, Bryant crankshaft, GRP rods, JE pistons, topped with Ford "C" aluminum heads. Sheet metal intake. ■ Induction: Two 1200cfm BRE Dominator style carburetors. ■ Power Adder: 2 stages of Induction Solutions direct port nitrous system. ■ Transmission & Converter: Powerglide with 1.69 first gear and Neal Chance aluminum NXS converter. ■ Rear Differential: 9-inch with 35 spline axles and 4.30 gear.

54 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

■ Tires & Wheels: Draglite wheels with 33x16.50x15 rear slicks. ■ Interior: Fiberglass dash, Computech readout, Hurst 1/4 stick shifter and race seat. ■ Best ET & MPH: Best 1/8 mile to date is 4.48 at 165MPH. ■ Most Unique Feature(s): It has to be the paint along with the big block Ford power. This is one of the cars that helped me get inducted into Southwest Missouri Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2016. ■ Special Reason For Build: I built his car to have something different. ■ Most Memorable Experience: Ozark Raceway Park hosted a shootout in my name in 2023. ■ Thanks To: Dewayne Williams (paint), Mark Werdehausen (chassis), Christine Erwin (wife of 51 years) Danny Rose (crew), Stephen Taylor (photographer).

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Red...and lots of it!

Don had the entire interior finished in bright red. A decal simulating period-correct analogue gauges takes up the “factory style” dash face, while a Computech DataMaxx dash relays actual information to the driver. A Hurst Quarter Stick shifter commands gear changes of the Powerglide and a bead-rolled panel secures electronics to the passenger side firewall.

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56 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

The dash is filled with an array of “simulated” traditional analogue gauges – it is actually a decal Don had made up – with a Computech DataMaxx dash now relaying actual information to him. A Hurst Quarter Stick shifter commands gear changes of the ’Glide and a bead-rolled panel secures electronics to the passenger side firewall.

Design Engineering

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

The big block Ford of an undisclosed displacement started life as an aluminum RDI Ford block. From there, a Bryant crankshaft, GRP rods and JE pistons were installed and Ford "C" aluminum heads were studded in place. A custom high rise sheet metal intake was port matched to the heads and topped with twin 1200cfm BRE Dominator style carburetors. 58 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

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One of Don’s many wins at Ozark was captured in this photo collage. A newspaper clipping [below] from 2007 marks the weekend when Don was the first 4-second 1/8 mile pass at Ozak.

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Headers were custom made by Tydo Race Cars. Once the motor was up and running, two stages of Induction Solutions direct-port nitrous oxide were then plumbed into the mix. A 2-speed Powerglide trans with 1.69 first gear and Neal Chance aluminum NXS converter sends power

from the juiced big block back to the 9-inch then out to the massive 33x16.50x15 slicks. The car rolls on a nostalgic set of Weld Draglites; these wheels were legendary back in the eighties and nineties and opened the door to the hundreds of new and innovative wheel designs we see today. All four

are wrapped in Hoosier rubber. The combination is good for solid 4.48 elapsed times at 165 miles per hour in the 1/8 mile, and Don credits the Thunderbird with helping him achieve what he has over his lengthy career in drag racing. “This is one of the cars that helped me get inducted into Hall of Fame,” he added.

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Story: George Pich Photos: Jerry Garrison

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64 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

“You’ll never finish that car.” The famous phrase said by the naysaying glass-half-empty element of the world, a problem made worse with the internet providing a platform for loudmouths and snipers to more easily spew their garbage… and Roy Greenawalt is a guy who proudly proved them wrong!

“We’ve worked on this car since 1988, and have no plans of stopping anytime soon. Even though it is finished, it is never finished,” Greenawalt said of the build. “The journey of building this car has been a personal dream to prove that I could do it myself, in my garage when a lot of people said it couldn’t be done.” Roy wanted his Chevelle to be built not bought and understood that would be no small task.

Greenawalt grew up around fast cars. His dad street raced a ’65 GTO and also sand dragged a Pontiac powered Jeep and 3 wheelers, so it’s safe to say horsepower was part of his everyday life. By 1982, during his high school years, Roy was street racing his 1972 Vega Wagon that his dad put a small block in. The following year, Roy would take his car down the strip at Orange County International Raceway, and was instantly hooked.

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The Vega was sold for a Nova that was a planned big tire build, that is until his dad suggested they go check out a 1970 Chevelle. And ever since that day, the Chevelle has been the center of his attention through thick and thin. “Honestly, the Chevelle was ugly, painted white with a white vinyl top, a small tire

66 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

and 383 small block cruiser motor,” Greenawalt said. Before long, though, he had it painted black and figured out how to back-half it himself. The now ladder bar/coilover big tire Chevelle hit the 10.05-second zone in the 1/4 with a 406 SBC, after which it was retooled into a bright red all-out show car that still saw track duty.

Roy Greenawalt’s supercharged big block 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle is drop dead gorgeous! With a low slug stance, tires tucked up deep inside the wheelwells and some serious hardware poking out of the hood, this car has won the race before it starts.

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...I wanted to build a complete tube car, but do it myself... R OY

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68 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

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An Alky iron-headed 555 big block would be next for the Chevelle and Roy and his dad would put over 500 runs on the Chevelle over the span of just a few years, logging a best of 5.31 at 134 in the 1/8. But the car was getting tired and worn out, so in 2000 it was

retired and Greenawalt decided to start from scratch. “I wanted to build a complete tube car, but do it myself,” he continued. “So I built my own jig, cut the car completely up and started on the journey to what the car has become today.”

What’s Old Is New if you haven’t read it yet! Over the coming months we will be hosting some of our past issues of RPM Magazine in this section. If you haven’t read them yet, they are new to you! If you have, maybe there’s a favourite car/story you want to read again….here they are!

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The factory steel body tub was used along with a number of composite parts. Roy did all the mods to install the Glasstek front end, doors, trunk lid and bumpers, as well as shaving the drip rails and door handles and flushing the front and rear windows. The stunning electric blue color is an expertly applied Opulent Indigo Blue wrap with white stripes.

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70 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

Kinsler Fuel Injection

From extensive body mods, to the bullhorn exhaust, bumpers, trim and even emblems (most of which were completed by Greenawalt), workmanship is top-shelf and the Chevelle is as at home on the car show floor as it is on the strip.

For the next 10 years, Roy worked on the car on and off, and then it sat for 5 years in the garage as life took precedent. In 2015 he set out to complete the Chevelle, and it would be the span of another 8 years before he would see his dreams become reality. And the results speak for

themselves. There is little reward without sacrifice, and although over 20 years passed during the build, the additional bonus for Roy is that he is now able to share the experience with a family member. “I do everything on the car with my daughter and it is a passion

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72 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

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that we share together.” The factory steel body tub was used in conjunction with a number of composite parts and Greenawalt did all the mods to install the Glasstek front end, doors, trunk lid and bumpers, as well as shaving the drip rails and door handles and flushing the front and rear windows. For the final install, the rear Optic Armor window is Dzused in place to allow for easier maintenance and cleaning. He also fabricated the rear wing and installed the OEM front headlights and grill. Once he finished the body work, the car was covered in an Opulent Indigo Blue wrap with white

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. . . t l Bui Not ! t h g u o B It's a term Roy uses a lot to describe his journey with the Chevelle. And with over 35 years into bringing the car to this level, we couldn’t agree more. “The journey of fabrication is now being replaced with the journey to get the car as quick as it will go,” Greenawalt said. “…as long as the drive burns in you and you stick with it, anything is possible.”

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76 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

stripes. Using parts he ordered from all the major manufacturers, chassis wise, Roy created a full 25.1 certified round tube double frame rail chromoly skeleton. Out back, an Aveng-

er 4 link/coilover with anti-roll bar and wishbone suspends a fabricated 9-inch rear end heavily fortified with an aluminum thru-bolt case, Pro 4.56 gear and 40 spline spool with gun drilled floater

GRP Connecting Rods

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

A Bowtie Pro Stock block that Roy has owned for over 20 years serves as the foundation for a wicked 522-inch big block Chevrolet. A pair of AFR 385cc heads were studded in place and matched to a Pro-Filer Sniper Dominator-flange intake with 2 inch spacer and topped by a Carb Shop billet blow-thru Dominator style carb. The trick custom billet hat with burst panel was built by IRD Carbs.

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78 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

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www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

A ProCharger F3R 136 centrifugal blower forces copious amounts of compressed air down the throat of the big block, and Greenawalt also has a set of mechanical injector nozzles on the manifold controlled by an NOS fuel solenoid that is turned on by the computer at a predetermined boost level to feed more fuel. The ultra-trick system was setup and is tuned by OJ at the Carb Shop.

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axles. The complete center section assembly was done by longtime friend Craig Reed of Craig’s High Performance. Anything remotely resembling original Chevelle parts inside the car have been replaced by tons of carbon and top-shelf

80 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

race stuff to make sure the Chevelle gets down the dragstrip as fast, and safe, as possible. The fun really starts under the front clip, between the chromoly rails of the car, where Roy has created a 522 big block Chevrolet using a rare Bowtie Pro Stock block that he has owned for over

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Roy Greenawalt’s Supercharged Big Block 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle ■ Body & Paint: Production 1970 Chevelle with Glasstek front end, doors, trunk and bumpers, all owner-fabricated and installed. Bodywork, cowl install, rear wing fabrication by owner. Body mods include: Shaved drip rails and door handles, flushed front and rear windows (rear window is dzused in and can be removed easily to clean the back of the tubs etc.). Owner installed OEM Chevelle grill, headlights and trim rings. Car is wrapped in KPMF Opulent Indigo Blue with 3M white stripes. All the door jambs wrapped and inside of the doors is wrapped with carbon fiber door panels. Optic Armor windows.

■ Chassis Modifications: 25.1 certified round tube chromoly chassis with double frame rail.

■ Suspension: Front strut suspension with Chassisworks Vari-strut double adjustable struts and Stiletto rack and pinion. Rear is Avenger 4-link with anti-roll bar and wishbone, Santhuff double adjustable shocks and Low Dollar Motorsports shock sensors. Carbon fiber driveshaft and fabricated single wheel wheelie bar.

■ Engine: 522 cubic inch big block Chevy. 4.560 bore, 4.000 stroke Bowtie Pro Stock block owned for over 20 years. All engine assembly by Craig Reed of Craig’s High Performance in Fullerton Ca. Bullet roller cam with .800 lift. Complete Peterson fluid systems 4 stage dry sump system. Mezier billet flexplate, Jesel belt drive and a Meziere remote water pump.

■ Rotating Assembly: Ohio Crankshaft billet 4.000 stroke crankshaft with a set of LA Enterprises steel rods with Carr bolts and Innovators West balancer.

■ Cylinder Heads: AFR 385cc with titanium intake valves and Inconel exhaust valves. Complete T&D aluminum shaft rockers with Pac Racing dual springs and Manton 3/8th pushrods. Billet valve covers.

■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: Pro-Filer Sniper Dominator-flange manifold port-matched with 2 inch spacer. Carb Shop billet blow-thru Dominator on methanol. Also have a set of mechanical injector nozzles on the manifold controlled by an NOS fuel solenoid and is turned on by the computer at a predetermined boost level to give more fuel in the motor. Set up and tuned by OJ at the Carb Shop. Custom billet hat for the Dominator with burst panel built by IRD Carbs. Enderle dual spur gear fuel pump 22.0 gpm with an Aeromotive 13202 regulator and custom fuel tank with complete Earls plumbing in the entire car.

■ Ignition System & Electronics: Haltech VMS T with traction control and coil near plug with datalogging 30 channels. Firecore plug wires and lots of NGK -11 plugs.

■ Power Adder: ProCharger F3R 136 with 14mm belt drive setup with Jones belts turning the blower. Very conservative right now and making right around 30lbs of boost.

■ Transmission: Transmission was completely hand crafted by Craig Reed at Craig’s High Performance Fullerton CA. Reid case TH400 with all billet internals. Billet pump and billet safe neutral trans brake by Coan, close ratio gearing and Moroso pan. Adjustable bypass unit for converter pressure adjustment. Hughes Performance billet bolt-together torque converter. Also use a remote trans cooler between round to cool transmission.

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■ Rear End: Aluminum thru-bolt case, Pro 4.56 ratio gear and 40 spline spool with gun drilled floater axles and floater spindles. Complete center section assembly was handled by Craig’s High Performance.

■ Tires & Wheels: 17 inch V Series spindle mount front wheels with 26.4.5 M/T ET Fronts. 16x16 Mickey Thompson Pro 5 rear wheels double-beadlocked with 34.5x17x16 rear slicks.

■ Interior & Safety: Air shifted billet clean neutral shifter. Haltech IC7 display, Motion Raceworks steering wheel , aluminum seat, custom head pads, DJ safety systems 20lb fire system. Co2 activated single parachute. Carbon fiber tubs and all interior carbon panels are owner-fabricated. Full Simpson 20 layer fire suit, carbon fiber helmet and head and neck restraint.

■ ET & MPH: To date some easy early shutoff runs netted 4.70 at 142.00 mph in the 1/8 mile, but the Bliss Racing team is looking for low 4s early this year as they power things up a bit.

■ Most Unique Feature(s): It’s a true built, not bought, garage project.

■ Special Reason For Build: The journey of building this car has been a personal dream to prove that I could do it myself in my garage when a lot of people said it couldn’t be done or the famous saying “you will never get it finished”.

■ Build Timeline: I have been working on it since 1988 and have no plans to ever stop evolving the car.

■ Most Memorable Experience: Getting that call from Jerry Garrison to shoot the car for RPM Magazine truly a dream come true to share with your readers.

■ Thanks To: Craig Reed my friend for 30 years for doing the engine, transmission and rear end work, he’s a true craftsman. My daughter Madison Greenawalt for everything that she does to help with the car (especially with the golf cart, chute packing, getting me strapped in and not letting me forget anything) Another friend of 30 years, John Steinhoff, for all his help with the car on race day and support of my program. My mom and dad who have always supported my passion for motorsports.

Tri-Lobe Oil Pumps built in mounting bracket 20 years as the foundation. Craig Reed handled the engine assembly with a 4-inch stroke billet Ohio Crankshaft crank spinning a set of LA Enterprises steel rods with Carr bolts. And word is, the roller camshaft comes in at .800lift! AFR 385cc heads with titanium intake and Inconel exhaust valves were studded in place and fitted with T&D aluminum shaft rockers, Pac Racing dual springs, Manton 3/8th pushrods and topped

Moroso

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Tri-lobe scavenge sections feature individual timing gears to ensure proper clearance at high rpm

Spur Gear pressure sections based off Moroso’s highly successful Billet Wet Sump Pump Design

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www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Ross Racing Pistons

C & S Specialties

84 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

r o t c a f w o w e h T . . . s e u n conti

with billet valve covers. A ProCharger F3R 136 centrifugal blower forces copious amounts of compressed air down the throat of the big block via a Pro-Filer Sniper Dominator-flange manifold portmatched with 2 inch spacer and topped by a Carb Shop billet blow-thru Dominator style carb on methanol and custom billet hat with burst panel built by IRD Carbs. To add to the uniqueness of the build, Greenawalt also has a set of mechanical injector nozzles on the manifold controlled by an NOS fuel

Inside the Chevelle is a generous amount of custom carbon panels throughout. Extensive wiring was meticulously laid out on the passenger side firewall and floor. The 25.1-certified double framerail chromoly cage snakes its way through the interior and Roy receives vital signs via a large Haltech dash interface mounted front and center.

Misener Motorsports

Vortech

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

A bullet-proof fabricated 9-inch with 40 spline floater axles and 4.56 gear hangs from an Avenger 4-link with anti-roll bar, wishbone and double adjustable coilovers. The Fabricated front suspension is a strut design with Chassisworks Vari-strut double adjustable struts and Stiletto rack and pinion steering.

World Products

Ultimate Headers

86 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

AJE Racing

After the extensive chassis work in the trunk area, there’s just enough room for a small tank, the battery and associated wiring.

solenoid that is turned on by the computer at a predetermined boost level. The ultra-trick system was setup and is tuned by OJ at the Carb Shop. As you can see, the Chevelle has a number of tricks up its sleeve and will make a formidable opponent regardless of where it settles in in the world

of drag racing. “The journey of fabrication is now being replaced with the journey to get the car as quick as it will go,” Greenawalt continued. “And learning how to tune it and how to present the car in a professional manner, along with showing my daughter that as long as the drive burns in you and you www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Roy’s personal best to date in the Chevelle is 4.70 at 142.00 mph in the 1/8 mile, but the Bliss Racing team is looking for low 4s early this year as they bump up the boost. “After all these years in the making, we ran the car very conservative last year at right around 30lbs of boost.”

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Roy Greenawalt calls his team “Bliss Racing” and says they are dedicated to “1/8th mile life”. Roy’s daughter Madison is now servicing the car completely between rounds and doing an amazing job!

stick with it, anything is possible.” At this point, with just shakedown runs on the completed package, Greenawalt has only tickled the potential of this beast, running a very conservative 4.70 at 142mph in the 1/8 at just 30 pounds of boost. But rest assured, with their unwavering commitment, this car will only get quicker and faster as Roy Greenawalt and his daughter www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Article By Vince Roman: Burns Stainless

Welding Exhaust Systems – Part 5

Welding Your Header

We have our TIG welder ready to go. We have our header tubes tacked together with perfect fitment. We have properly fit the pipes to the flange and have our back purge system setup. So you may ask, are we ready to weld? Yes, we are finally ready to weld up the header. It is worth repeating that a well fabricated So Here We Go! It is best to weld up each header tube independent of each other. This way you can get good torch access all around the tube. We prefer to hold the tube in a vise. It is usually not possible to weld a tacked joint in one pass. A small moveable bench vise works well as you can move the vice around by hand. If not, you can reposition the tube in a stationary vice. Next, install your back purging dams or stoppers to the tube and make sure that they fit snuggly. You do not want the stopper to come out in the middle of the process.

Figure 1

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header is the result of many hours of diligent planning and preparation. I often get calls from customers who want to fabricate headers who tell me "I can weld stainless." Not to take away from the skills of a good welder, but the welding is only one step of a multi-step process. Next, you want to set the TIG to the proper settings. I get many calls from welders who want to know why their welds do not look like our welds (Figure 01). Many of them are properly back purging and are experienced welding stainless, but they complain that the welds are too dark. In almost every case, I find that they are trying to weld too fast and with too much heat. Slow down, and back-off on the welder amperage! Welding stainless with a TIG torch can actually provide you with a "spiritual" moment, so enjoy it. Your welds will be evidence of your success. As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, a 2%-thoriated tungsten electrode is preferred. When welding thin walled stainless, we Figure 2 use a 3/32" or 1/16" diameter electrode. A sharp

electrode is a must (Figure 02), so sharpen the electrode using a grinding wheel making sure you do not inhale the metal dust as it is radioactive. As for filler rod, the rule of thumb is to use an equal or higher grade of stainless than the material you are welding. Our recommendation is to use 308 rod when welding 304SS. If you are joining a stainless tube to a mild steel flange, use a 309 rod, specially alloyed for dissimilar metals. Welds on 321 require a 347 filler rod. Note that by our rule of thumb, 347 welding rod could also be used to weld 304 for 304 to 321. We recommend 0.030" to 0.035" diameter TIG rod for 18 and 16 gage tubing. Welding stainless requires use of DC current with straight polarity (electrode negative). The parameters for TIG welding are dependent upon tube wall thickness. For our Miller Synchrowave 250 welder, a setting of 35-40 amps works well for 16g or 18g stainless tubing. For 20g, you will want to go down to 30-35 amps. You will want to fine tune the setting for your welder and technique. It is also a good idea to use a gas-diffuser (Figure 02) for the torch to provide a good distribution of shielding gas during welding. Since the header tube needs to be as smooth as possible on the inside surface, we generally do not want 100% weld penetration as is customary in most welding practices. To compensate, weld beads need to be slightly convex to add strength to the weld (Figure 03).

Figure 3

It should be noted that very thin-wall tubes (i.e. 20g or thinner) are often fusion welded. These projects should be left to the "ubër-welder." When you are ready to strike the torch, turn on the shielding gas, both for the torch and the back-purge system. We use a flow-rate of approximately 5 SCFH for the shield and 10 SCFH for the purge. Use good quality welding gloves and welding hood with automatic darkening lens. There are some pretty interesting helmets available (Figure 04). Once the arc is started and the weld pool is formed, carefully add filler rod while keeping an oscillating motion with the torch. For most cases, it is best to keep the torch at approximately 10 degrees off vertical. Add filler rod to the pool with your free hand while modulating the welding current Figure 4 with the foot pedal. If you

can chew gum as well, go for it! It is important to keep a constant speed to assure a good weld. When you come to the end of the weld, it is important to hold the torch on the weld after you have stopped the welding current. Your TIG shielding gas should continue to flow for a few seconds after releasing the foot pedal. This will help cool the weld in a controlled fashion. You will notice that the weld will be dark and dull and more apt to "crater" at the end if you skip this step. Cratering should be eliminated as it will be a stress riser and may lead to cracking. If you find that there is a crater in the weld, it is a good idea to do another pass near the crater. It is best to do this right-away while the metal is still hot. Continue welding all the joints in similar fashion. Remember, when you come to the last weld on a tube, you will want to stop the purge gas before welding. The combination of heating the gas and closing up the last "leak" could cause the stopper to blowoff, sometimes with a bang. After you have welded all the primaries, it is time to fit them to the flange and weld. You may find when fitting the tubes into their jig that they may not fit the same way as they did when they were tacked together. This is because during the weld process, the tubes "moved." If you did a good job with your fitment, a little minor "encouragement" is all that is needed. If not, you will have to do a bit of "snake-charming." When you have fit up the tubes and the collector, tack them together and fit them to the car, or mock-up to make sure everything fits. It will be a lot easier to correct any misalignments before they are completely welded. Last month, we discussed the proper welding technique at the flange. Again, the thing to remember is not too much heat, especially when using stainless flanges. It is easy to warp a stainless flange by overheating. You will find that the tubes will "walk" due to flange warpage again requiring your "snake-charming" skills. Mild steel is much more forgiving in this respect, and many racing fabricators prefer to use a mild steel flange. Only the best welders get away without any warpage, so it is a good idea to "face" the flange on a disc grinder after welding to assure it is true. I hope that you have enjoyed this series of articles on header fabrication, and maybe even found it helpful. The staff at Burns Stainless is here to assist you with your exhaust fabrications needs. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on one of your projects. Source: Burns Stainless Click on the image(s) to follow the series from the beginning

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

I Story & Photos: Wes Taylor

Sublime: “Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty it inspires great admiration or awe” -orSub-Lime: “A green color so bright and powerful, you’re gonna need shades!” …this wicked 2015 Challenger has both!

bsession is part of our car culture and has been since the wheels of the first motorized vehicle hit the road. Take Don Keller for instance. Don started his obsession with cars in the 80s with bracket racing, honing some basic skills that he would pass on to his kids 15 years later as they entered into the world of Junior Dragsters for the next 8 years. Once his kids moved on, Keller took another short hiatus until 2017, when he came across a Sublime 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

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THE WORLD OF EXTREME HORSEPOWER IS A CLICK AWAY

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The only aftermarket addition to the slick stock branding was a “426 Supercharged” badging on the front fenders.

The factory Mopar Sublime Green paint with Black Cat/SRT graphic package is anything but subtle, and Don Keller likes it that way. His 2015 Hellcat Challenger makes a bold statement before you even know what’s under the hood.

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

Burns Stainless

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Dodge hit the nail on the head with the reborn Challenger and Charger; while Ford and Chevy never stopped producing their "pony" cars after the 70s, Dodge killed theirs off. Unless you could afford the high-priced SRT V-10 Viper or a V-10 powered Ram truck appealed to you, the only other legitimate option was the SRT-4 Neon, a turbo four-cylinder manual front-wheel drive small sedan. There was a significant gap in the Dodge offerings, one that they could capture, with the right vehicle.

ACC Performance

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Don pulled the car off the road for 4 years to complete this most recent build. The main goal was to go through the entire motor and build it to withstand increased boost and to also support the new horsepower capabilities with the right transmission, rear end, fuel system and electronics to get the car down the track consistently with minimal issues.

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Enter the 3rd Gen Challenger (we won’t discuss the 2nd Gen catastrophe) sporting its retro yet updated 70s look, and it drove thousands of customers like Don back into the automotive scene. 2011 brought an enlarged 6.4-liter version of the tried and true 5.7-liter Hemi, and in 2015, the Hellcat Challenger hit the lot with 6.2 liters of supercharged Hemi under the hood producing 707 factory warrantied horsepower. Dodge

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set the drag strip on fire with this car. Keller bought his Hellcat simply as a weekend cruiser, but that 707hp couldn't keep him happy for long after one run down the strip, so the modding began. As most people, he started with basic bolt-ons such as exhaust, pulleys, and a ported blower. He roll-raced the car in half-mile events before breaking the blower, which set in motion the first major upgrade.

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A 4.5 liter Whipple supercharger was purchased from Dodge experts Nate and Skip at Demon Performance and Don went on to run in the Heavyweight classes. Always wanting more, Don eventually took the Challenger out of service for a substantial overhaul. These cars are big and heavy, and even with the factory 707hp

the suspension needed attention for this next level. The front dual arm suspension now uses Menscer Motorsports adjustable coilovers with custom valving and those same coilovers reside in the independent rear suspension setup along with AAD Performance red anodized control arms and BMR cradle lockouts.

Egineered Racing Systems

www.rpmmag.com | February 2024

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John Reed Motorsports, with many years of experience on his own Challenger, completed all of the suspension trickery, while Kevin Wilson of KevinWilsonSBC set the suspension and alignment up so the Heavy Cat would get up and go straight down the strip without a problem. Although the factory 392ci can make plenty of power, with some people reporting 1100whp-plus on stock ported blower and nitrous motors, Don needed more to keep up with the big dogs of the heavyweight classes.

Lentech Automatics

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Baer Brakes

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Don Keller’s Supercharged 2015 Hellcat Challanger ■ Body & Paint: 2015 Hellcat Challanger Sublime Green.

■ Chassis & Suspension/Modifications: AAD Performance drag -pack billet aluminum control arms anodized red. BMR cradle lockouts. John Reed Motor Sports/ Menscer coilover shocks front and rear. 15" conversion TCE rear drag brake kit and Per4mance Development DIRS rear brakes. Wiles Racing - 4" 1 piece aluminum driveshaft. Kevin Wilson of SamSon Performance, set up the suspension which included a full 4 wheel alignment, ride height, 4 corner scaling and Menscer double adjustable shock settings. The shock valving included in the shocks allows us to tune the front end to come up slowly and under control through the first 60 feet, and the rear shocks keep the radials planted with little to no camber changes on the hit to ensure we keep the tire planted with no wheel speed or shaking.

■ Engine: 426 stroker BGE block. Molnar crank, rods and pistons and Comp cam. Stock cylinder heads. ATI 10% OD lower balance, Metco-billet idler pulley set.

■ Induction & Fuel Delivery: Level 4 Fore triple pump return system and fuel rails, AN-8 fuel lines and ID 1700 fuel injectors.

■ Power Adder: 4.5 Whipple supercharger with 4.5 pulley. Forced Induction Interchiller with custom 1 gallon reservoir.

■ Electronics: HP Tuners, tuned by Dusterhoff Tuning. Gauges are Innovate Ethanol content %, boost, air, fuel, 3 bar map sensors upgraded. Anti gravity battery ATX-30-HD.

■ Transmission: 8HP90 transmission rebuilt by D&B Automotive with a Circle D torque converter.

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■ Rear end: Hemituner Performance billet aluminum rear end 2.62, with Wave Trac unit. 1400HP-rated DSS axles.

■ Tires & Wheels: Rears are S71 beadlock wrapped with MT ET Street R 295/65-15 Fronts are 18x6 Alumastar with Sportsman 28x6 -18

■ Interior: RPM roll cage custom powder coated sublime green to match car. Backseat delete panel with a custom embroidery of a Hellcat. Fire extinguisher mounted to rollcage for safety. 5-point safety harness and racing seat. Parachute with a custom solenoid switch and custom lime green parachute installed by Jeff Miller.

■ ET & MPH: Best to date in ¼ mile is 8.79 at 154.91, 60ft 1.240

■ Most Unique Feature(s): Has to be the color combination.

■ Build Timeline: It has taken 4 years and the build is still ongoing.

■ Thanks To: Ken E Wright. He is a good friend and he helps me at the track. Demon Performance Skip and Nate. I purchased the 4.5 Whipple supercharger from them. I am very appreciative to them always answering the phone when I call with concerns. AJ at Hemituner Performance. I purchased the billet aluminum rearend and Wave Trac from him and appreciate his time and sound advice on the products that I bought from him.

It may look like a factory install, but guess again. To a trained eye, the subtleties of the big blower and associated equipment on the now 426 Hemi are hard to ignore, but the build goes much deeper than that with a completely modified short block to support the added boost

Dodge built their motors with racers in mind – most of the components are beefy from the factory – but Demon Performance took the impressive long block down and prepped it for some more serious upgrades. A Molnar stroker rod and crank package was

matched with a set of their pistons and a Competition Cams blower-spec camshaft completes the short block. Although the Gen 3 Hemi heads aren't the Hemi heads from yesteryear, they are "semihemi" and retain attributes of Dodge’s racing heritage.

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A paint-matched 6-point RPM roll bar protects the driver along with a 5-point cam-lock harness. An embroidered Hellcat panel replaces the backseat, finishing off the interior nicely.

With that being said, they can support more than enough air for the new 426 cubic inches of boosted Mopar muscle planned for this Cat. The 4.5 liter blower stayed, but Keller dropped down a few pulleys for an added boost along with a 10% overdrive ATI balancer. E-85 fuel is fed through

a Fore Innovations triple pump return style system feeding ID1700 injectors. A Forced Induction Interchiller one-gallon tank and Moroso coolant tank keep temperatures in check and Duster Hoff Tuning uses HP Tuners via the factory PCM to tame the now power-enhanced Hellcat.

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Total Seal Rings

Paul Silva Performance

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Magnafuel

Hitman Hot Rods

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Keller removed the factory power seats for some weight savings; aside from the rear seat delete and removing the passenger seat for racing, the Challenger retains all of its factory appointments.

Dodge never offered a manual Hellcat but rather an 8-speed 8HP90 with paddle shifting capabilities and Don had D&B Automotive go through the transmission with a 300M input shaft, clutches, and planetary from Pure Drivetrain Solutions. They also replaced the factory torque converter with a unit spec'd for the new motor. Power transfers through

a massive 4-inch driveshaft into Hemi Tuner Performance's billet aluminum pumpkin. Due to that built 8-speed gearing, the billet casing houses a 2.62 gear and has a Wavetrac for streetabilty.

The Supercharger Store

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FASTEST RADIAL, 10.5 & NO BAR BIKE CLASS DRAG RACING IN CANADA

Ian Hill Racing

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ianhillracing.com 112 February 2024 | 25 Years Of RPM Magazine

This is a true 8-second street car to drive to and from the track. The best run to date in the 1/4 is 8.79 at 154.91 mph with a 1.24 sixty foot time, and the car should have no problem, even at full weight, hitting mid-8s this year

These heavy Challengers love snapping drive and half shafts, and to elevate that Don runs 1400hp-rated Driveshaft Shop axles. Rear brakes were retrofitted to allow a smaller diameter wheel and meatier sidewall drag tires. Bead-locked 15x10 S71s are wrapped in huge 295/65/15 Mickey Thompson ET Street Rs out back and the factory 6-piston Brembos have plenty of room behind 18x6 Alumistars dressed in 28/6/18 ET Street Mickeys out front.

One thing about Dodge is the amount of effort they put into the eye-catching simplicity of the Challenger. With the retro style, they added details like the Black Cat/SRT graphic package on the hood and rear fender and also special emblems and fuel cap. The only aftermarket addition to the slick stock branding was a “426 Supercharged” badging on the front fenders. The Sublime Green paint with black accents makes his Cat pop anywhere it goes.

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Kenny E Wright, and Don Keller

Keller really didn't want to cut the interior of his beloved car, but he could remove the factory power seats for some weight savings; aside from the rear seat delete and removing the passenger seat for racing, the Challenger retains all of its factory appointments. A

paint-matched 6-point RPM roll cage protects the driver along with a 5-point cam-lock harness and an embroidered Hellcat panel replaces the backseat, finishing off the interior nicely. Don Keller had always wanted an 8-second street car to drive to and

Manton Pushrods

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from the track, and after this most recent four year build, he has one. To date, his best run in the 1/4 is 8.79 at 154.91 mph with a 1.24 sixty foot time, and the car should have no problem, even at full weight, hitting mid-8s this year. Now that is truly one Sublime Cat!

Jesel

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