V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..........TRISH BIRO trish@rpm-mag.com E-MAGAZINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR................................IAN RAE ian@rpm-mag.com EVENT MEDIA DIRECTOR...........................RAYMOND KNIGHT events@rpm-mag.com EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR.....SHERRIE WEBER sherrie@rpm-mag.com SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR...........................TOBY BROOKS toby.brooks@rpm-mag.com Photographic Contributions: TONY WEBER, TIM LEWIS, BRIAN HANSEN, PETE “BOOMER” ORES, PAUL SCHMITZ, LOGAN WEBER, MARK goDragRacing.org, TOMMY LEE BYRD, STEVEN BUNKER, GEORGE PICH, TOBY BROOKS Editorial Contributions: IAN RAE, TONY WEBER, TIM LEWIS, CHUCK SCOTT, TOMMY LEE BYRD, BRIAN HANSEN, BEN STRADER, MARK goDragRacing.org, RAYMOND KNIGHT, CHUCK GREEN, STEVEN BUNKER, GEORGE KLASS, GEORGE PICH, TOBY BROOKS, BRIAN WOOD, PAT McGOWAN Technical Writing Contribution: CHUCK SCOTT, BEN STRADER, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TOMMY LEE BYRD
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TRISH BIRO .............519.752.3705.......trish@rpm-mag.com Art & Graphics Director: Toby Brooks Special Events Managers: Chris Biro, Raymond Knight events@rpm-mag.com Special Events Sales: Trish Biro: 519-752-3705 trish@rpm-mag.com Subscriptions/Address Changes: Circulation circulation@rpm-mag.com General Inquiries: 519.752.3705 info@rpm-mag.com
MEET THE RPM TEAM
EDITOR IN CHIEF.........................................................CHRIS BIRO editor@rpm-mag.com
RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed in 34 countries and can be found on popular newsstands in the USA, Canada and select newsstands in the UK. If you cannot find a copy near you please call 519-752-3705 or email circulation@rpm-mag.com To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpm-mag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519-752-3705. 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, Musclecars, 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 regards to design and power! RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.
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EDITOR’S RANT
by
Chris Biro
because...
MORE RPM IS ALWAYS BETTER!
I
n our continuing effort to support the automotive performance and race industries, we’re once again offering a chance for related companies to take advantage of our “Industry Distribution Program” which sees FREE copies of RPM Magazine sent to performance & racing related businesses in the USA and Canada. So, if you own, operate, or manage any type of performance or race business (ie: speed shop, performance, race or chassis shop, manufacturing firm, installation facility, warehouse, etc.), you need to sign up for your FREE subscription to RPM Magazine today!
Simply complete this form and send it in along with your business card and you’ll start getting your complimentary copy of RPM, right to your business door each and every month. Because MORE RPM is ALWAYS better, we also offer an enhanced program that enables you to order MORE copies of RPM for an incredibly low price to either give away free to your best customers or sell on your magazine rack. Industry Distribution Program info can also be found at www.rpm-mag.com and completed online! Or by simply emailing trish@rpm-mag.com. Do it today!
COMING NEXT MONTH:
Billet Insanity.....................................................
Visner Engine Development designs a trick 16-injector all-billet intake and billet valve covers for Project aPocalypse Horse
Exclusive features................................................................
RPM Quick Tech: We cool down an overheating IROC Z with a new AFCO radiator and fan system PLUS more wild street machines and doorslammer drag cars you’ll ONLY FIND IN RPM!
4
THIS AND MORE IN THE NEXT RPM!
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
ADVERTISER INDEX ACC Performance................... 50 Accufab Inc............................ 35 Aeromotive........................... 98 AFCO..................................... 29 Alan Johnson Performance (AJPE)................................. 11 Alston Race Cars.................... 49 Applied Racing Components (ARC).................................. 93 ARP....................................... 20 ATI Performance Products..... 16 Auburn Gear.......................... 85 Autoglym.............................. 81 AVAK/Ridgegate Tools........... 89 Baer Brakes......................10, 83 BES Racing Engines............... 62 Bill Mitchell Products.......34, 79 Blower Shop............................ 5 Borla................................... 108 Browell Bellhousing.............. 26 BTE Racing.......................... 101 C&C MotorSports................... 96 Calvert Racing Suspensions... 33 Canton Racing Products........ 24 CFE Racing Products.............. 13 Chassis Engineering...........8, 62 CN Blocks.............................. 24 CNC Motorsports................... 40 Coan Engineering.............64 ,91 Competition Products......... 104 COMP Cams......................... 112 Crower.................................. 44 CVR Products......................... 67 DART..................................... 18 DEEZ Performance................. 79 Design Engineering............... 23 Diamond Pistons................... 21 DIY Auto Tune/MegaSquirt EFI..................................... 50 Drive Train Specialists (DTS)... 83 Dynotech Engineering........... 86 Earl’s Performance Plumbing.57 Ed Quay Race Cars................. 96 Edelbrock.............................. 37 Energy Suspension................ 51 Engine Research & Development (ERD)........... 77 Erson Cams............................ 63 Fuel Air Spark Technology (FAST)............................. 105 FastMotorsports.................... 43 Fast Times Motorworks......... 58 G Force Racing Transmissions.30 Greyhound Package Expresss.27 GZ Motorsports..................... 50 Harland Sharp......................... 9 Holcomb Motorsports........... 59 HoleShot Wheels................... 78 Holley...............................18, 31 Howard’s Cams...................... 84 Induction Solutions............... 39 Innovate Motorsports.......... 113 JE Pistons.............................. 43 JE Pro Seal Gaskets.............. 102 Jesel...................................... 57 JET Performance................... 79 J&K Converters...................... 58 Jon Kaase Racing Engines... 105 LenTech Automatics.............. 47 Lokar Performance Products. 95
LUCAS Oil Products.................. 2 Lunati.................................... 42 Magnuson Superchargers.... 109 MAHLE Clevite Inc............... 111 Manton Pushrods.................. 63 MAV-TV............................... 103 Meziere Precision Mfg............. 8 Mickey Thompson Tires...... 7,13 Mile High Crankshafts........... 12 Miska Trailers........................ 80 MSD Ignition......................... 15 Neal Chance Converters......... 32 New Century Performance.... 15 Nitrous Express...................... 98 Nitrous Pro Flow.................... 93 Nitrous Supply...................... 45 Parts Pro Perf Centers.......... 116 PBM Performance Products... 47 Performance Improvements.. 10 Perf. Plus Connection.......11, 56 Powermaster Performance.... 86 Precision Turbo/ProInjectors.. 97 ProCharger............................ 90 Proformance Racing Trans..... 34 Pro Systems Carburetors... 27,48 Philadelphia Racing Products (PRP).................................. 14 PTC........................................ 86 Quick Fuel Technology........... 91 Quik-Latch Products.............. 76 Racecraft............................... 65 Racepak................................ 46 Racequip............................. 110 Racing Radios.......................... 7 RAM Clutches........................ 60 Renegade Racing Fuels........... 9 Rev-X Oil Products..........61, 106 Ross Racing Pistons................. 5 RPM Magazine Subscribe!.114 S&W Race Cars...................... 36 Scorpion Racing Prods......30, 76 Shafiroff Racing Engines..12, 20 Shakedown at the Summit.... 87 SM Race Cars....................... 100 Smith Racecraft..................... 82 Steve Morris Racing Engines. 25 Strange Engineering............. 41 Summit Racing Equipment. 115 Taylor Cable Products............ 84 TCI Automotive...................... 78 Ti64..................................... 109 Tom’s Upholstery................... 77 Trick Flow.............................. 17 TRZ Motorsports.................... 79 VP Racing Fuels................19, 38 WASP Cam.......................... 100 Weinle Motorsports.............. 56 Weldon High Performance.... 99 World Products..................... 47
CLASSICS . MUSCLE CARS . COMPETITION ROSS IS YOUR #1 PISTON CONNECTION! STROKERS • NITROUS • TURBOS • BLOWERS • N/A HUNDREDS OF PROVEN RACE WINNING DOMESTIC AND SPORT COMPACT PISTON DESIGNS AVAILABLE TO FIT ANY ENGINE COMBINATION. WE CAN CUSTOM DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE PISTONS FOR ANY APPLICATION!
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www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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september 2015
Be sure to check out our Performance Directory on page 68!
Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 16 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Racing 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!
HOT
EVENTS
THE SO Much Horsepower Packed Into One Place... That Place IS RPM Magazine!
RIDES
COVER CAR
WAR By the Shore..............................................32 The War brings exciting non-stop fast doorslammer action to Ohio
PowerFest.....................................................................66
A car show turned street festival
Love at First Bite....................................52
Ever since Jim Sciortino first laid eyes on a plum crazy Barracuda back in 1970, he knew he’d someday have one of his own
Kool Cars in Auburn.................................................83
The Kavalcade of Kool, directed by the Auburn Shifters Car Club and presented by ScottieDTV descends on the Auctions America Park
Their First Car................................................................ 8 This 1968 Torino GT has been a part of the Chillik Family for nearly half a century!
PROJECTS TECH
Only the Strong Survive....................................... 88
Inaugural Rocky Mountain Race Week concludes brutal five-day trek of road and strip action
THE
AND
Ultra Street Ready.........................................................96
We dump 60 pounds of nitrous on the floor testing the latest goodies from Nitrous Express so you don’t have to
Project Back on Track...................................................104 We add water/meth, start the fuel system and more on our third-gen Camaro project car
The Red Warrior................................................... 23 Grant Hodgson’s 1973 Ford Falcon is what Max would have built in a happier world
READ COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG ONLINE AT WWW.RPM-MAG.COM
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
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story by
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“I
’m one of those guys who grew up loving drag racing.” That simple statement is how Dennis Chillik would describe himself. Nothing overly spectacular about that statement, right? Unless of course you know what a love like that can mean!
photos by
Johnboy Photography
Dennis served in the U.S. Air Force, and in November of 1967 while stationed at Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda, Michigan, the young Airman and his new bride, Carol decided it was time for their first new car purchase. Together they decided on a Torino GT and special ordered one brand new for $3,160.
It is easy to make a playful reference that they must have felt like new parents awaiting the arrival of their first child as they did not take delivery of the Torino until June of 1968. Fast forward 47 years and that car is still very much a part of the Chillik family, so the reference may not be so far off.
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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THEIR FIRST CAR OL’ RED Dennis Chillik’s first car, this 1968 Torino GT has transformed into a potent warrior on the drag strip.
The Torino spent its first couple years as the couple’s daily driver, devoted to all the transportation needs of both Dennis and Carol. But in 1970, when Dennis was discharged from the USAF, the Torino’s role in their lives became less about necessity and more about fun. Hardworking fun but fun just the same! Over the next seven years the Torino would become a weekend warrior, towing the family’s camper and flat towing Dennis’ younger brothers ’55 Chevy to the track so they could drag race it. It also transported
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some very precious cargo in those early years. Three of Dennis and Carol’s four children were brought safely home from the hospital in that Torino. By 1977, life was changing for the Chillik family. The children were growing and his work schedule had become very demanding, so priorities had to change. Dennis built a new garage and the Torino would go into hibernation, spending the next 15 years quietly nestled in the corner, awaiting the day they would come calling again. Dennis’ lifelong love of cars and of drag racing was
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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TUBBED-RINO GT Big wheel tubs, a fuel cell and battery now fill the large confines of the Torino’s trunk. something he instilled in his two sons, Brian and Tim, now in their early 20s. It was the boys’ turn to take their dad down a path where a simple love becomes an all-out passion. For starters, they felt it was time to awaken the Torino from her 15-year slumber. Dad gave in to the boys’ wishes and the car came
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
THEIR FIRST CAR RED MEANS GO The factory Ford Candy Red color with white stripes was retained in the latest restoration of the bigbodied Ford. All the original steel remains intact, and the only fiberglass on the car is the hood scoop.
NO POWER ADDER REQUIRED A cleanly detailed 572-inch big block Ford mill topped with Trick Flow heads takes up the massive underhood cavity. Dennis runs the 9.90 Index class with the naturally aspirated bullet. out of hiding, but it would be a little while yet before it would see the quarter-mile. Around 1993, the Chilliks finally began venturing out to Dragway 42 with the car. All three Chillik men would load up in the Torino with race tires in the trunk, drive to the track, swap them out, go racing, swap them back, and drive home. Many a race day was spent this way until one day Dennis borrowed a trailer from a friend, and there was just no going back. He pur-
RULE THE
chased his first open trailer shortly thereafter. The Torino was now experiencing what it was like to be a true racecar and the battle scars that come with it. In 1994, the car’s original engine said enough is enough and called it quits. Adding insult to injury, the 4-speed transmission had already broken twice, as well. Overtime came calling for Dennis once again, so with the Torino now armed with Tim’s 406 FE and a new C6 tranny, he gladly took over
STRIP
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THEIR FIRST CAR FAAAST BACK Few and far between are examples of these fastbacks from the late ’60s and early ’70s. A similar version of the body style saw popularity in the 2014 Need for Speed movie.
FAMILY SCUFFLE Dennis goes head to head with son Tim in 9.90 action.
behind the wheel for the next few years. In 1996, Tim ran in the NHRA Craftsman Tools ET series at Dragway 42, where he made the bracket finals team and the Torino was off to Indy. The team placed second by just one point. Despite the loss it was a great time for the family and a very proud moment for Dennis. The adventure lasted almost a decade, but in 2000 the old girl
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
LS PERFORMANCE
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HANGIN’ THE HOOPS Watching the lengthy Torino launch is a thrill as it defies gravity and lifts the heavy front end every pass. needed a time-out, having blown up a second motor—a 428 Cobra Jet engine built during the time Tim’s engine had been on loan. The Torino would once again go into storage and
Tim’s project car would come out. Over the next few years the boys worked on Tim’s Mustang and once it was race ready, it was again time to focus on an old friend. In 2005, the
Torino emerged from this shorter five-year slumber. After 37 years of hard work and dedication the old girl was due for a makeover, and a makeover she would get! It was
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
15
THEIR FIRST CAR
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT A cool interior is still a reminder of the Torino’s production car roots. Of course the requirements of a fulltime racecar have been added to the mix. time for the Torino to become a dedicated drag car. The Chilliks gutted the car down to the shell and sent it to a friend, Fred Brady of Wadsworth, OH, who builds racecars part time. The car was then back-halved with a narrowed 9-inch rearend and ladder bar suspension with stretched wheel openings and big wheeltubs. The shock towers were removed from the frontend and tubular A-arms
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
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Intake Flow CFM 78
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Tests conducted at 28" of water (pressure). Bore size: 4.600"; exhaust with 2" pipe. To view more airflow charts, go to TrickFlow.com and type the part number you want to see into the Search box and then click “Search.”
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www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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Some parts are not legal for sale or use on any pollution-controlled motor vehicles.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
Power is transferred to the massive Goodyear tires via a braced 9-inch Ford rear filled with Strange goodies and suspended by ladder bars and adjustable coilover shocks. Lots of rubber can be found on the tinwork behind those big tires. and coil-over shocks with rack and pinion steering were installed, allowing for plenty of room for the 572 BBF engine. A 12 point mild steel cage was also installed and certified to run 8.50 in the quarter. In 2006 the car was taken to Scott Pry’s Body Shop in Massillon, Ohio. The body was completely stripped and all original metal used. Pry painted the car its original candy apple red color. While the paint took over a year to complete, by Chillik’s admission it was because he did not give Pry a specific deadline to meet and was happy to allow the car to be worked in between other projects.
THEIR FIRST CAR
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DENNIS CHILLIK’S 1968 FORD TORINO GT Chassis type & mods: Back half rear with large wheel tubs and stretched fender wells. Suspension: FRONT: Shock towers removed and tubular A-arms and coilover shocks and springs added outside the engine compartment. Rack & Pinion steering. REAR: Narrowed 9-inch coilover shocks and ladder bars. 14-inch wide rear wheels with 32x14-15 Goodyear slicks. Chassis work was done by Fred Brady of Wadsworth Ohio. Body & Paint: Body is all original metal with the hood scoop being the only fiberglass piece on the car. Body was completely stripped and redone in 2008 by Scott Pry of Massillon, Ohio. Rearend: 9-inch Ford with Strange 4.56 gears, spool, and carrier. Engine: 572 big block Ford with Trick Flow A-460 heads and intake. Bullet solid roller camshaft, Crower lifters and rockers, Jomar Performance stud girdle, Peterson single stage wet sump/vacuum pump. Crower billet 4 1/2-inch stroker crank, Oliver billet steel rods, Venolia 14.2:1 compression dome pistons. Induction: APD 1150 alchohol carb. Electronics: MSD 7AL-2 box with two-step. Transmission & Converter: Rossler TH400 Terminator 3 with 9-inch Quick Draw converter. Performance (quarter mile): 9.16 ET at 148 MPH Other Important Information: Car has been painted back to its original candy apple red with white stripes.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
THEIR FIRST CAR
Dennis with his and wife Carol’s first car. In the meantime, the Chilliks were busy assembling the 572 big block Ford that would now power the car. The engine features a Crower billet crank and Venolia 14.2:1 pistons, a Bullet solid roller bumpstick, Trick Flow A-460 heads and intake, Crower lifters and rockers with a Jomar Performance stud girdle and is run naturally aspirated on alcohol with an APD 1150 alcohol carb. The car’s rebuild was officially complete in the summer of 2008 and it
was time to go racing. Dennis is honestly at the track with his boys anytime he can be. Brian races a small block Chevy dragster and Tim still races his small block Ford-powered Mustang in UMTR and also alongside Dennis in the Renegade Racing Association 9.90 Index class. Pro-tree racing can be wickedly intense off the line, so it didn’t take long for Dennis to upgrade to a Rossler TH400 Terminator 3 to ensure he had every advantage when it
came to cutting down that .400 tree. Dennis Chillik may be just one of those guys who grew up loving drag racing, but he’s also a man who is strong in his beliefs and in his commitments—something that tends to be rare nowadays. He married his wife Carol 48 years ago, bought his Torino GT 47 years ago, and recently retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company after 44 years of employment. Interestingly, Dennis spent his last 29 years at
Goodyear building race tires. The tires are all stickered with the name of the employee who built them and at one point, all four Goodyear tires on the Torino were personally built by Dennis…not many people can say that! At 68 years old Dennis and Carol are happily retired, but retirement for them of course means more time for family and it also means more time to race their ’68 Torino GT! “I want thank John Slikkerveer from Goodyear and Rick Gable from
Gable Engine for all their help,” added Dennis. “But most of all my sons Brian and Tim Chillik for their help and support on this project and others throughout the years. Without them I probably wouldn’t have ever taken on a project of this magnitude. I also want to thank my wife Carol for her continued support and for tolerating our family racing. She goes to as many of the races as possible and enjoys watching racing on TV as well, who could ask for more?”
With Pro Line Racing Engines and Diamond pistons, Q80 Racing team resets quarter-mile doorslammer record at 5.46 seconds and 272mph “Diamond’s contributions have been invaluable.” Doug Patton, Pro Line Racing Engines
Diamond’s turbo pistons make big power and combat heat and pressure. • Forged from 2618 aluminum with Herculean pin bosses that accomodate tough TP-1 or H13 tool steel piston pins • Lower skirt rigidity maintained by full-circumference designs that boast the strongest-known stiffening ribs • Hard-coat anodizing, ceramic crowns, and moly skirt coatings available • Fastest turnaround time on custom pistons Questions? Knowledgeable Tech Support: M-F, 9AM-5PM EST
Call today: 586.792.6620 or visit diamondracing.net www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
21
FEATURE CAR
I
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n an era before The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner, and any host of the myriad of other dystopian flicks of today, there was the cult classic late-70s action flick Mad Max. And unlike those movies of today that are filled with a grim depiction of society melded with a healthy dose of technology, the Australian-made Mad Max had little to offer in the way of hi-tech. However, for whatever it lacked in bio-engineering and cloned and modified killer insects, the
dark film had one thing going for it that resonates to this day with most car guys and gals: a wild Ford Falcon with a blower poking through the hood. At first glance, Perth, Australia native Grant Hodgson’s gorgeous red 1973 XA Falcon coupe doesn’t share much in common with the sinister black ride in the iconic film. However, on closer inspection, it is a fitting tribute to the Falcon in the film and likely reflective of the car Mel Gibson
might have built and driven had the world not grown to be such a nasty place. A mechanic by trade, Hodgson grew up wrenching on dirt bikes before turning to four-wheeled pursuits in early adulthood including a number of Mad Max replicas and a Batman Tumbler replica. Other ventures have included a Convoy Mack truck replica and a 173-foot long triple trailer Road
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
Train Hodgson drove himself. However, the car seen here is perhaps the creation of which he is proudest and has enjoyed the most thoroughly. The project began in 1999 when the car—not running but already treated to a pristine paint job— was purchased in the hopes of equipping it
as a high-tech tribute car with a functional alternative to the bogus switch on/ switch off blower seen in the Mad Max films. Paint and body chores were handled by King Road Smash in Bunbury, Western Australia. The miles-deep, stop-inyour-tracks Glasurit Guards Red hue
>> Grant Hodgson’s 1973 Ford Falcon is what Max would have built in a happier world
shows no evidence of its 16 years since completion. A number of trim items have been replaced and updated to make the ’73 XA Falcon look like a ’77 XC Falcon for a more contemstory & photos by
Toby Brooks ®
porary look. The Dragway wheels—15 x 8 in front and 15 x 10 in rear—have been fitted with 235/50x15s and 295/50x15s tires front and rear respectively. Stance is courtesy of Lovel drop springs and Koni adjustable shocks all around. Similarly, factory Ford discs provide the whoa on all four corners. With paint, wheels, and stance addressed, Hodgson turned his attention to the powerplant of the classic Aussie musclecar. Starting with a 351 Ford iron block, a forged Ford crank and rods and TRW 9.2:1 blower pistons were installed. ARP studs and fasteners were used throughout the build, and a Crane
F238 solid roller cam was selected. Ford cast iron four-valve open chamber heads were fitted with Crane roller rockers actuated by one-piece pushrods. Ignition is handled by a FAST distributor that has been cut down by two inches to provide added clearance for the supercharger. Other go-fast goodies include a high volume oil pump with a deep sump 7-liter pan (remember… he’s Australian) and a Pete Jackson gear drive. PaceMaker headers send the spent gases rearward to a pair of Lukey mufflers. Backing the small block is a Ford 4-speed Bull Nose top loader transmission pulled from a
NATS-TASTIC Hodgson’s Falcon was a hit at the DuQuoin Street Machine Nationals where the Aussie easily snagged the Long Distance award.
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www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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RIGHT HAND DRIVEN Although the Falcon sat in storage for just over a decade, Hodgson managed to get it going in time for a busy summer of 2015, logging more than 5,000 miles on his ride as a part of the Power Tour Long Haul Gang, attending the Street Machine Nationals, and hitting several local and regional cruises.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
RED WARRIOR Boss 429. The PBR 11-inch clutch provides the bite when Hodgson drops the hammer. A 3-inch steel Drive Shafts Australia shaft sends the power rearward to the Ford 9-inch diff that has been fitted with a Motive 3.00 gear. Inside, the first thing noticeable is that the steering wheel is on the wrong side, a point debatable with the affable Aussie. The all black right-handdrive cockpit has
been equipped with SAAS cloth seats, critical for cruising comfort on long drives like the Power Tour. The Ford Falcon XC gauges provide the info about the blue oval’s critical functions, while a Ford X4 GT shifter is used to row through the gears. A head unit and speakers pulled from a BMW E39 provide the tunes. The combo is good for a very cool cruiser; however, the induction system on
the car is where the real ingenuity and innovation of the build shows through. “The engine is a functional blown version with EFI of the Mad Max Interceptor,” Hodgson said. “ I built it basically to prove that it could be done while still being drivable on the street,” he added. The biggest hurdle to that drivability existed in the fuel delivery system. The ’60s-era Scott super slot injector
TIMELESS STREET MACHINE The 6/71 supercharger has been topped with an authentic Scott injector hat, but fuel is actually delivered beneath the blower through a custom port injection system. Dragway wheels with staggered fitment provide the perfect stance.
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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COULD YOU DRIVE IT? The black interior features plush SAAS seats, a Mercedes factory audio system, a Grant GT wheel, and a Ford X4 GT shifter that is operated with the left hand in the right-hand drive configuration.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
RED WARRIOR
LONG HAULIN’ Hodgson and friend Colin Gobby completed the entire Power Tour after having the car running for just a few days.
hat so critical to the Mad Max look was never intended to run as a part of a computer-controlled electronic fuel injection system. Making matters worse, its small size meant no fabricated system would fit concealed beneath the unit, and outboard plumbing and injectors would kill the look. Hodgson’s solution was to go low. “The GM 6/71 superchargers are typically run wet by hot rodders, and everyone told me I couldn’t put the injectors down in the
manifold without damaging the blower,” he said. “However, the diesel engines that the GM blowers were originally designed for used them without passing fuel through, so I was convinced it would work,” he added. Hodgson started with a Weiand tunnel ram manifold with the top milled away. A custom mounting base complete with built-in fuel rails and injector bungs was then machined from billet stock before being welded to the base. An EFI
controller was added to control the injection system before the big polished blower was mounted up top. Crowned with the authentic Scott hat, the end result has all the cool good looks of the classic movie car without any of the problems associated with running mechanical injection on the street. Almost. With the car completed the first time (“Cars are never finished!” Hodgson says) in 2005, it was shipped via container to the U.S. in order to participate in the
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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RED WARRIOR
Here you can get a good look at the innovative blower manifold that was created using a Weiand tunnel ram lower plenum along with a custom machined top. Not only does the top mate the supercharger to the engine, it also provides port fuel injection bosses and integrated fuel rails.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING... The personalized Western Australia plate stands for “One Awesome Aussie...Cleveland 351.”
LONG HAULING: FOR REAL Prior to completing the Falcon, Hodgson built this Convoy “Rubber Duck” replica Mack truck and drove the monstrous 173-foot long road train himself. Grant Hodgson photo provided.
Grant Hodgson photo
Hot Rod Power Tour. However, after being haunted by EFI gremlins, the car was only able to complete the first leg of the event before being placed into storage…for the next decade. “The car was in storage for ten years before we decided to pull it out and fully sort it this summer in order to do the long haul and attend other events in the States,” he said. The car was treated to new cylinder heads by KBs Workshop in Phoenix and a new Motec EFI controller tuned by Dan at Finish Line Performance (FLP) in Chicago. After just a few days of freshening up thanks to friend and Mad Max replica builder Jim Martino, Hodgson departed for the 3,000+ mile Power Tour, completing the fun/grueling (depending on who you ask) event in one week then driving on to Du Quoin for the Street Machine Nationals just two weeks later. Hodgson hasn’t stopped there, either. With sidekick Colin
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RED WARRIOR NICE SHIRT... Although Hodgson has put more than 5,000 miles on the car this summer on the open roads of the U.S., he is hesitant to take it back home. The blown street machine isn’t legal for street duty in Australia in its current configuration.
Gobby riding shotgun (on the driver’s side, no less!), the pair has travelled all over the Midwest this summer, logging more than 5,000 miles in the bright red Ford. One thing Hodgson has yet to do again is take it for another pass down the drag strip, something he intends to do at some point in the future. “I have attempted the quarter mile only once so far,” Hodgson said. The result was less
than spectacular. “It ran the quarter in 31 seconds,” he said with a hearty laugh. A snapped axle resulted in a slow crawl down the track until the car broke the beams in just over 0.5 minutes. “We’ve got plans for the near future of getting the car to 600 rwhp on pump, including a new accessory drive system, improved tune, and a beefed-up transmission with a stronger clutch,” Gobby added. After
those upgrades, the car will certainly be ready to improve on that time. In the meantime, it will continue to be a glossy red fuel injected example of what might have been if a younger, happier Mel Gibson had lived in a world of sunshine, smiles, and rainbows instead of dusty desert and crazed sweaty villains with odd haircuts dressed in copious amounts of black leather: a true road warrior, only in red!
Grant Hodgson photo
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EXTREME EVENTS
>>The War brings exciting non-stop fast doorslammer action to Ohio story by
Stan Smith
photos by
Johnboy Photography
JULY W 24-25
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AR…A crusade, campaign, struggle, battle, fight, clash, engagement, encounter, or an attack. No matter how you define it, the title for the first ever RPM Magazine/Lucas Oil WAR BY THE SHORE truly embodied everything that not only led up to, but took place on the asphalt
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
of Thompson Raceway Park on July 25th 2015. The event, created by Kristal Cowle, was built around a combination of her Renegade Racing Association Index classes mixed with various heads-up classes, and even added a fast doorslammer show element in the form of the Ohio Outlaw AA/Gassers. Front and center though was a
new exciting class, Real Street Showdown that would see 32 “street type” vehicles battle it out in heads-up eighth-mile action to qualify for a 16 car final field. What made this event different from others was that the 32-car lineup was chosen by event officials from over sixty applicants, which ensured a diverse field of killer street-type hot rods.
DART AIMED AT VICTORY The Real Street Showdown was the most anticipated part of the War By The Shore event and Bob Romano in his wedge powered Dart made history by leading the pack in qualifying. dream of my own.” Taking over the RRA wasn’t without its struggles for Cowle. Not only is she a woman in a very male dominant sport, but she was not a racer and had limited knowledge of drag racing. “Even though I have never been down the track, it didn’t stop me from falling in love with the allure of it all from day one. Failure was not an option when stepping into
“During my late husband Tommy’s brave battle with ALS, it was drag racing that kept his mind sharp. His body may have been under attack, but his heart and soul remained untouched and 100% race driven!” explained Cowle. “Near the end he made me promise to stand by his Renegade Racing Association (RRA) racers, but little did I know at the time that this promise would eventually turn into a
Tommy’s shoes, even with the loss of another founding member of the series that very same year, Chris Klink,” she added. Fast forward a few years to a chance meeting with RPM Editor-In-Chief Chris Biro though an article on an RRA racer in RPM Magazine. Looking to expand their Extreme Events schedule in 2015, RPM chose to back her organization for a single
PASSING GAS(SERS) The Ohio Outlaw AA Gassers brought their wild straight axle, blown & injected nostalgic machines to the War. Mickey Hale (far lane) took the win!
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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WAR BY THE SHORE
ISN’T THAT SPECIAL
ANGRY LITTLE AMERICAN
Guest announcer and our RPM Editor-In-Chief Chris Biro nicknamed Tom Hersch’s incredible 525 big block nitrous 1969 Chevelle “Saturday Night Special.” First, because if it was not for the chute and wheelie bars you’d mistake this car for a Saturday night cruiser, and secondly because once we all saw it go we knew it was a deadly weapon! Hersch qualified #2 but got knocked out in second round by the Nau AMC (right).
The Nau family American Motor Corp (AMC) Gremlin powered by a nitroused 470 cube AMC mill is a hardcore street car. So much so that although we can’t tell you the exact numbers, they almost took out event winner Mike Martyn in the semi-finals. Here is the bottom line; Nau had the quicker ET but a slightly slower start (six one hundreths of a second…give or take) cost them the race!
event. And from that one event Cowle, along with the support of the magazine and their event partners, would set off on a yearlong campaign that came to a climax just a few short weeks ago when the racers of the RPM Magazine/Lucas Oil Products WAR By The SHORE took to the asphalt.
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Kicking off the show was featured guests the Ohio Outlaw AA/Gassers presented by ScottRods and of course accompanied by their lovely backup girls in short skirts and gogo boots. The Gassers were running Chicago Style eliminations, where all eight featured cars, with straight axles,
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
blowers, huge smoky burnouts, and rolling idles wowed the crowd to the finals that came down to Brian Spotts piloting the supercharged, injected big block-powered “It’s Crazy” ’48 Anglia versus Micky Hale’s “Warlock” 1948 Austin. Hale, following a massive burnout, got in the groove and drove
straight down Broadway for the win with a 5.46 to Spotts’ out of shape 5.77. The event within the event that everyone was waiting for was up next— the Mickey Thompson Real Street Showdown presented by Harland Sharp and FireCore Performance Products. Excitement is an under-
statement as even in the days and weeks leading up to the race this class proved to be a true war…a war of attrition. By race day, the 32-car invitational lineup was sitting at twenty eight in the house at Thompson Raceway Park, and from there was whittled down by virtue of rules and further break-
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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WAR BY THE SHORE age in testing, but those who battled to qualify for the final sixteen weren’t holding anything back! With five different states and two countries represented, they were gunning not just to make the show but also for one of the coveted top eight qualifying spots and the 2016 Gold Cards that came with them allowing free entry into the 2016 RSS event. From there, in an attempt to keep the event more like real street racing, each round was randomly paired by drawing names out of a hat. When it came to lane choice, drivers chose to leave that fate to the simple flip of a coin. Showing only the win light on the scoreboards and not the elapsed times took some getting used to for fans, but once they knew that in doing so it made the
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racers run every race as their best race, it wasn’t long before the energy of heads-up no-time drag racing took over and the bets were on! There was upset after upset and rumors were flying between rounds, but probably one of the biggest twists came in round three when number one qualifier Bob Romano, who set a first in mixed street car drags by driving his badass 540inch ProCharged Dart to the number one qualifying position, got taken out by Mike Martyn on a holeshot. Martyn’s single turbo’d 427-cube small block Ford got off the starting line just hundreths of a second before Romano, and despite running a slightly quicker ET, Romano took a hard loss. “I figured I had enough for Mike,” said
Romano after the race, “I got my info crossed though and thought I was up against Gentiluomo in the Camaro. When I got to the lanes I was paired with Mike and was sure that he had more in the Mustang than what he had shown so far. I came with a tune-up in the Dart to run the Camaro… so we’ll have to wait until next year!” Another first in mixed heads-up street car drags was seeing an AMC-powered Gremlin not only make the cut, but blast through the field wheels-up all the way to the semi-finals. The Robert Nau-owned nitroused
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
GOLD DIGGER One of RPM’s “badass rides” pick of the event was this incredible 1980 Ford F 100 owned by Jack Brown sporting a nasty 521 cu in big bock Ford mill with NO power adder. Jack took the 9.90 Index win.
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN.... Jenna Fisher was the only female piloting the only sport compact in RSS and despite showing some huge potential got put on the trailer by the DiSalvo Chevelle.
The top 16 qualifiers in Mickey Thompson Real Street Showdown presented by Harland Sharp and FireCore Performance Products:
TOP 8 FOR 2016 GOLD CARD:
Bob Romano Tom Hersh Al DiSalvo Nate Inbody Ian Hill Barry Ginter Al Matuska Joe Gentiluomo
REMAINING RACERS ROUNDING OUT THE 16 CAR FIELD:
DON’T FORGET THE SYRUP The lone Canadian to make the cut in Real Street was Ian Hill. Hill only got the car together a week prior and had barely enough time to work the bugs out of the 1,700 horsepower ProCharged big block small tire Camaro to qualify #4. Unfortunately, in a battle of third-gens in round one, Hill overpowered the track and Gentiluomo sent him home for some back bacon and hockey…eh!
Ben Nau Mike Martyn Larry Reese Rob Meisch Jenna Fischer Dan Marvin Chad Pokopatz Brandon Janes
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www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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Bracket “No Box” class winner Jeff Jacko with his winning Mopar, cool award and envelope of cash!
BIG APPLE BIG BLOCK Al DiSalvo’s amazing 1970 565 big block nitrous Chevelle wheeled by Ed McGuinn is a show stopper that qualified third in Real Street.
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WAR BY THE SHORE BOWTIED PONY Brandon Janes readies his turbocharged Chevy LS-powered 2000 Mustang in the Real Street lanes.
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Gremlin piloted by Ben Nau had fans going wild as one by one it laid waste to formidable opponents big and small (block). Eventually the wild machine succumbed to the turbo power of Mike Martyn on a holeshot start, but not without putting up one hell of fight! As proof positive that the RSS class format was a big hit, the final came down to #8 qualifier, new York’s Joe Gentiluomo in the wicked-fast nitroused 618 big block ’88 Camaro, taking on the #10 qualifier, Mike Martyn. When the smoke settled, Martyn claimed the title of the Fastest Real Street Car at the WAR by the SHORE! So what did he do immediately after taking the win? Pretty much what you can expect to see Mike Martyn do on any given day in his street driven Stang: he
dropped the top and loaded his family up for a ride. Only this time instead of going for ice cream they all headed to the winners’ circle where they could see Dad collect his trophy and five-grand in cash! Mike also received a set of Mickey Thompson tires and earned a FASTEST REAL STREET CAR jacket. “This weekend’s race was a fantastic event. We had a blast! Thank you to all of the generous sponsors who put together such an awesome collection of amazing race cars; RPM Magazine, Lucas Oil, Harland Sharp, and FireCore Performance Products. An extra special thank you also goes to Kristal Cowle with Renegade Racing Association and Jim Curtis with Thompson Raceway Park for having a phenomenal showing with excellent track conditions. Can’t wait until next year’s
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event.” Martyn said following the win. In Baldor Outlaw Limited Street presented by Stainless Works and ChassisFab Performance, long time small tire street car racer Jaime Stanton was running in the 4s, actually 4.71 @ 155 mph to be #1 qualifier for the event and set the track record at Thompson for the fastest OLS pass ever… now say that track didn’t have teeth, go ahead we dare ya! Stanton struggled in round two of qualifying but got back on the horse to go 4.96 at 149 mph on his bye run in round one of eliminations, only to have problems right off the line in the next round. Number 2 qualifier Keith Sletvold in his beautiful 706-inch nitroused big block powered 1968 Camaro has been running OLS at TRP for years. Sletvold has never missed
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www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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WAR BY THE SHORE
THE REAL DEAL Joe Gentiluomo and his crew were as funny to chat with as they are fast‌.these guys are a blast and true street car racers. Joe was one of the first to sign up for the RSS class and battled his way to a runner-up finish!
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
ON THE DOT IN THE DROP TOP... (Top) Mike Martyn launches hard in the Real Street Showdown finals against Gentiluomo...(bottom) then collects his spoils with his family and crew in the winner’s circle from FireCore Performance Products’ Rick Gorski. an RRA race when they hosted the class and proved the TRP track had grip for the War when he ran his first 4-second pass at the facility: a 4.93 at 150 mph. However, problems with the car on the starting line in the semi-finals thwarted his efforts to advance to the big
show. In the end, Kyle Ehorn put up a 4.99 @ 158 mph in round #1 run to advance and ended up in the finals to face Scotty Guiler (AKA “Scotty G”) in his 1981 big block nitrous assisted Olds 442. Ehorn had some major difficulties on the starting line forcing the single run while Scotty got off the line hard to run through for the win. “We had a vision to offer an Outlaw 4.80 class at the War given the buzz about it online for a while,” said Cowle of the Rossler Transmissions Outlaw 4.80 Index. “The 4.80 cars are
fast and exciting to watch, and while our field was smaller than anticipated, those who supported the class definitely put on a great show.” Overshadowing the Outlaw 4.80 field was the loud and proud 1965 Dodge Coronet of Don Martik. Built around a Pro Mod chassis, the mean machine sports 2500 horsepower courtesy a 540-inch blown Hemi built by Bob George Racing. While he struggled to get it down the track, Martik’s burnouts and the earsplitting sound coming from the wild machine would literally blow you off the starting line. By first round of eliminations he had the Mopar in-tune but broke out of the 4.80 index with a 4.78 at 148 mph. The Outlaw 4.80 finals came down to Jeff Melnick, Jr. who ran through the field with consistency in his ultra-nice home built Top Sportsman Dodge Avenger, showing he was
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GASSED VETTE
no stranger to fast doorslammer action. “It’s good to see this type of class at the event, and while we had to make a few changes to the car to run it here, we feel we have everything sorted out,” Melnick said prior to the race. He would meet Rob Harvischak in his Davis Race Cars built show-quality Yenko tribute 1969 Camaro in the finals where he would get the slight jump off the line but give it away at the top end when he went under the index with 4.79 to Harvischak’s winning 4.81. The Renegade Racing Association
quarter-mile Index class line-up would help provide fans with almost non-stop drag race action on Saturday. These index classes are a favorite in drag racing among both fans and racers. For fans, as opposed to bracket racing, the index cars leave the starting at the same time, so it’s much easier to follow. For racers, the only major limiting factor is the class index which helps level out the playing field and takes the “deepest pocket” factor out of the equation as in pure heads-up
RPM staff and fans alike loved the blown, injected “Crazy Grandpa” ’57 Vette of Bob and Pam Cook running with the Ohio Outlaw AA/Gassers. This car started life as a real street machine before being transformed into this 1,050 horsepower straight axle warrior!
ANGRY ’BIRD classes. Rossler Transmissions 8.90 Index presented by Batteries for Everything is the class that started it all for the RRA
back in 2010 and was out of the gate first. The RPM Magazine good luck charm? We’re not sure such a thing actually exists but
the racers of the 8.90 class may feel differently. Eric Tuuri’s ’66 Charger was the first to be chosen to specifically represent the RRA in RPM
This beautiful 1968 Firebird in Outlaw Limited Street is owned by Mark Shasko with engine builder Ray Galvin at the controls. Power comes via a Galvin-built 540 cubic inch traditional Pontiac mill.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
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WAR BY THE SHORE FOURTH GEN...UNPLUGGED Jamie Stanton’s Outlaw Limited Street 2002 Camaro is powered by a 582 BBC with one stage of nitrous. Stanton, the number one qualifier, couldn’t get the car to fire in the lanes for round two and came to find a connector for the computer wasn’t plugged in all the way and came loose. Magazine in the spring of 2014. At the time of the article the car had yet to crack into the 8’s but Eric and his crew chief/son Neil Tuuri were in a two-year battle to get it there. It was actually at the RRA August 2014 RPM Magazine-backed race that Neil, Eric, and that battle tank they call a race car (weighing in at 3650 lbs) claimed their first 8.90 pass and the #1 qualifier spot for the event. Sadly though, that event was rained out before
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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WAR BY THE SHORE WORK THAT (G)-BODY Scotty G took the G-body to the win in Outlaw Limited Street. The 81 Olds 442 is powered by a 525 Donovan BBC nitrous motor backed by a Rossler powerglide trans. eliminations. Almost a year to the day later, here they were at WAR by the SHORE, and when the dust settled at the end of the night there sat that ’66 Charger in the Winner’s Circle. Eric’s excitement was honestly electrifying
and his whole family was right there with him. He had officially claimed his first-ever win in the 8.90 class, and not only that, but had his fastest pass to date since he defeated Bill Benson in a double breakout final round with an
8.88 to Benson’s 8.87. In the 2 Fast Garage 9.90 Index, the final round came down to two racers who made it there with the odds stacked against them. Chris Hyatt arrived late to the event and went into the race with no
qualifiers, while on the other side of the ladder Jack Brown —who chose to dual enter into both 9.90 and no-box bracket—found himself being towed off the starting line with mechanical failure. With major thrashing in
the pits, Brown was able to get it back together in time for the next round of 9.90 eliminations and came away from the final round claiming his first-ever Renegade 8.90 win. After many trips to the finals, Jack was due a
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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WAR BY THE SHORE
ACCURATE GROUND SPEED REGARDLESS OF WHEEL SPIN OR WHEEL STAND
YE SHALL BE AVENGED In the War Outlaw 4.80 class runner-up Jeff Melnick Jr. lights up the hides on his wicked homebuilt 2002 Dodge Avenger with an APD-built 615-inch motor. Jeff built the car with his dad when he was 21 years old in their garage.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
trip to the winners circle. Another “first” that went down at the War! Chumley Motorsports 10.50 Index presented by Batteries For Everything proved that when you face a crossroads, the path you take can and will change everything. And that’s exactly what happened for Dan Addair. New to the RRA in 2015, up until WAR by the SHORE Dan was competing in the 11.50 class and
had hopes of being a strong competitor for the Championship title. He was struggling to slow the car down to 11.50 but had not run as quick as 10.50 either, so he had a choice to make of which class to enter. “Dan sent me a long email, literally titled ‘at a crossroads’,” explained Cowle. “He was unsure what to do and my advice was that racing should be more about fun than anything else,
so just have fun with it.” The RRA 10.50 class boasts some of the toughest competition within the entire series and Addair’s decision to run in it saw him fight through five rounds of fierce competition to face Mike Carroll in the finals, a two-time 10.50 champion and current defending champion. “Mike Carroll is always a force to be reckoned with,” continued Cowle. “And I do believe the racers
FLYING SOLO Outlaw Limited Street runner-up Kyle Ehorn in his awesome ’69 Camaro could only sit and watch the final as he dropped a cylinder in the burnout and didn’t want to risk further damage.
YENKING THE TIRES Outlaw 4.80 winner Rob “Harv” Harvischak takes the win in his incredible Yenko tribute 1969 Camaro powered by a 600-inch injected nitroused big block Chevy.
IT’S EASY TO BE LUCKY WITH POWER LIKE THAT... Eric Tuuri (featured last year in RPM) takes gold in 8.90 with his milelong ’66 Charger powered by a 515 wedge Mopar mill on nitrous. His win started an “RPM Good Luck Charm” rumor! of the 10.50 class have officially taken notice that there is a new player in their sandbox, Dan Addair!” As the years go by the RRA has had more and more ladies stepping up to challenge the boys and Renee Blair was the first female points participant in the RRA when she joined the Jim Clere Me-
morial 11.50 class in 2014, and three more followed her lead in 2015 (one in 8.90 and two in 9.90). Now she has officially become the first woman to make her way to the finals! She didn’t quite have enough to overtake Jimbob Davies who would stop her short of breaking that final barrier of a girl in the Win-
ner’s Circle. Davies, driving his naturally-aspirated 383 small block Chevy powered 1981 AMC Spirit, is a third-generation racer and it shows. He joined in the fun late last season and has proven to be lethal on both ends of the quarter-mile. The WAR also added Box and No Box (referring to
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WAR BY THE SHORE DECISIONS DECISIONS... Dan Addair’s decision to run the 10.50 Index class netted him a big time win against a full field of experienced 10.50 racers! Dan’s 1990 Ford Mustang GT stock block and cam combination makes a dynoed 535 hp and 602 torque to the rear wheels!
MEAN GREEN One of the growing number of females taking the driver’s seat in drag racing, Renee Blair took the 11.50 Index runner-up in her ’90 Camaro.
equipment installed in the race car) bracket classes to the mix with a strong showing from the local racers of Thompson Raceway Park. In Bracket racing the finishline is the only place to be to really appreciate the skill involved in this part of the sport as fractions of a second and inches decide most every race. The Box class Winner was Cameron Adkins, and in No-Box Jeff Jacko took the top prize. A “second
chance” race (for those knocked out in the first rounds of the original classes) was hosted for a combined field of the Index and Bracket classes, and the winner (originally from the NoBox Class) was Jim Zatorske. “Year one of the RPM Magazine/ Lucas Oil Products WAR by the SHORE is officially in the books, and all I can think of is how many days until we do it again!” exclaimed an excited Kristal
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WAR BY THE SHORE
PACKED HOUSE Fans lined both sides of the track fence from start to finish and gathered on the track overpass every time the faster classes came to the lines. Michelle Matuska photos Cowle just hours after her first standalone event. “The Real Street Showdown turned out to be action-packed and exceeded our expectations with the battles and upsets getting the crowd and the internet buzzing with excitement. We’ll tweak the rules a bit based on what
50
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
we learned here, but RSS will definitely be the showcase class again for 2016!” “Thank you to all of the sponsors that played a huge role in making this first event happen. Thank you to Trish and Chris from RPM Magazine for taking a shot on a girl with
SPECIAL THANKS:
Thanks also to M3 Technologies Inc., Scotty G and local Platinum Sponsors - Jason Davis Racecars, Motors by Matthews, Midwest Mine Services, Parrish Brickworks, Jim Clere Family. Gold Sponsors - Batteries For Everything, Tim Frank Septic, Perfect Converter, SKW Motorsports, “Hooker” Hinzman Racing. Silver Sponsors - D & S Color Supply and TDK Graphics.
Kristal’s volunteer event staff were top notch and well organized for registration with a separate line for each class and goodies from RPM and Lucas Oil for all! Michelle Matuska photo
Special thanks to event sponsor M3 Technologies Inc. and Al Matuska for the wild Champion Trophies for each class, they were truly unbelievable. Michelle Matuska photo
a dream. To Jim Curtis and the staff of Thompson Raceway Park for giving us a killer track to race on. To my crew… you are second to none and I hope we are doing this together for years to come. And to all the racers, crew and spectators that joined us this first year… THANK YOU! You are the reason we all strive for drag racing perfection. Keep your ears open and be ready to mark your calendars as we plan to once again wage War By The Shore in 2016!”
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story by
Toby Brooks photos by
Craig Nevelus
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LOVE AT FIRST BITE
F
or some of us, it takes a while to settle on the perfect car for a build. We scour the available targets, consider the pros and cons of each, hunt for a good buy, and eventually we make our choice. But for others like Trumbull, Connecticut’s Jim Sciortino, it is a far simpler choice. “I saw a purple ’Cuda in 1970 when I was 11 years old, and that was it,” the 10/10 Lube Center owner acknowledged.
In 1976, Sciortino bought his first musclecar, an all-original 1970 Dodge T/A 340 Six-Pack, and over the years owned and customized a number of other Pentastar projects including a back-halfed and tunnel-rammed 1971 440 ’Cuda, and a ’68 Barracuda with an Indy-headed 499 mill. However, in 1982, Sciortino purchased a very rough 440/4-speed Dana rear 1970 Barracuda and embarked on what he described as an “on-again/off-again project”
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for the next 20 years. However, in 2000, he decided it was time to get serious about the build and the car was sent to Mark Markow and MRC Racecars in Windsor, Connecticut. After assessing the classic Mopar, MRC started from scratch, constructing a full tube 4130 chromoly chassis with Santhuff struts up front and a custom MRC-constructed 4-link with Koni double-adjustable shocks out back. The MRC-fabricated rear housing
was stuffed with a Strange Ultra center section, 4.10 gears, and 40-spline axles. The car rides on a set of Weld wheels, with 15x3.5s up front and 16x16 double-beadlock rears out back. The super-skinny Mickey Thompson Sportsman fronts provide remarkable contrast for the morbidly obese 34.5x17-16 meats out back. A matched quartet of Strange cross-drilled discs help slow all four corners of the car.
SINISTER FROM ANY ANGLE Sciortino’s wild ’Cuda sits just right thanks to an MRC Racecars full tube chassis and has been bodied with a full custom hand-built fiberglass replica of a 1970 shell. The massive 16x16 Weld wheels and Hoosier meats out back leave no doubt that this fish means business. Coupled with a PSI-supercharged 526 ci Hemi, the lightweight Pentastar has been built to fly.
PURPLE PEOPLE EATER The hand-laid and heavily massaged fiberglass shell has been treated to an incredible House of Kolors purple pearl basecoat by Ron Martin before Robert Gorske laid down one of the most intricate sets of multi-layered marbelized flames you’ve ever seen. Other highly detailed airbrushed accents such as a faux-grille opening and a sinister trio of angry skulls on the car’s nose serve to further set it into the uppermost stratosphere of pro street builds.
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With chassis and rolling stock well sorted, Sciortino turned his attention to the driveline of what was shaping up to be one wild Plymouth. Ray Barton of Ray Barton Racing Engines was charged with putting together a brutal 1,629 horsepower (8,000 rpm) and 1,197 ft./ lbs. (6,600 rpm) monster screwblown Hemi mill. Barton started with a Mopar block bored to 4.310 and fitted it with a 4.500-stroke Callies crank, good for a spacious and glorious 526 cubic inches. 9.6:1 pistons were mated to GRP aluminum rods and the entire rotating assembly was balanced and blueprinted before being
sealed within the confines of a 9-quart fabricated aluminum pan. A solid roller cam pushing 0.850 intake and 0.870 exhaust was placed into position and is spun via a Jesel belt drive. COMP Cams solid roller lifters transfer the valve signals northward through the valvetrain, while a pair of aluminum Stage V Engineering Hemi heads provide unparalleled flow—and when partnered with RBRE valve covers, unsurpassed levels of under-hood awesomeness. A full MSD Digital 7 ignition and MSD distributor both generate and hand out the spark.
PRO MOD WITH PLATES The custom fabricated wheelie bars measure in at just a shade under a mile long, and coupled with the massive read deck spoiler and dual drag chutes, the car looks to be all race. However, the working factory taillamps and legit rear license plate rightly suggest that the ’Cuda is about driving more than just a quarter mile at a time, as Sciortino drives the car regularly on the street.
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LOVE AT FIRST BITE
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LOVE AT FIRST BITE
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Induction for the healthy elephant is no less remarkable, with a WAR magnesium intake mated to a massive PSI screw blower overdriven to produce upwards of 20 pounds of boost. As if that wasn’t added power enough, a Jeff Prock 100-hp dual-nozzle direct port nitrous system has been added for good measure. Fuel metering is managed by a pair of 1250 cfm Dominators fed by a Product Engineering electric fuel pump. A shotgun scoop has been added to help keep the heavy-breathing pachyderm adequately oxygenated. Far from a strip-only beast, the Barracuda has been fitted with a Mezeire billet electric water
pump and a massive Griffin aluminum radiator. A Powermaster 160-amp alternator keeps all the electrical systems happily operating north of 12 volts. MRC-fabricated and ceramic-coated headers expel the spent gasses back through a 2.250-inch four-into-one configuration, while matching fabricated and coated 4-inch exhaust tubing makes its way down through a custom side-dump exit, passing through custom Dynatech mufflers en route. Backing the mighty Hemi is an equally gorgeous and bulletproof Jeffco 4-speed transmission. The trans has been fully polished and fitted with an 11-inch
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dual-disc clutch and pressure plate. A Mark Williams SFI-rated driveshaft sends the power rearward. With a full tube chassis, massive rear meats, and a screwblown Hemi in place, Markow suggested bringing fabricator Terry Hall into the project to further set the nasty fish even further into the outer stratosphere of Pro Street stardom. After Markow partnered with Bruce Comboni to construct and tweak an initial plug, Hall created
a mold for a complete 1970 Barracuda fiberglass body. Once the body was complete, it was shipped to Ron’s Auto Madness, where Ron Martin completed all bodywork and prepped the lightweight shell for paint. MRC added a custom fabricated aluminum wing and fit the car with a complete set of Lexan windows. Martin then laid down a flawless House of Kolors purple pearl basecoat before Robert Gorske at Roade Studio added an incred-
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ible set of multi-layered silver airbrushed flames and graphics. The all-business cockpit has been treated to a full complement of Carbon Fiber Series gauges. The pro stockstyle theme is obvious, with a gaggle of Jeffco shift levers proudly and prominently perched atop the polished trans. Twin racing buckets have been threaded with a pair of 5-point harnesses for safety, while a window net and on-board fire system have also been added.
FISH GUTS The spartan interior helps keep the ’Cuda lean and mean, but it also looks killer, too. Whether it is the MRC Racecars full tube chassis, the dashful of Auto Meter gauges, the polished Jeffco trans, or the NX nitrous system, the Plymouth features nothing but the best for performance, looks, and safety.
LOVE AT FIRST BITE
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LOVE AT FIRST BITE
A Grant GT 13-inch wheel and a passenger-side nitrous bottle rounds out the interior touches. Sciortino is quick to give credit where credit is due, freely acknowledging that a build of this caliber takes copious amounts of time, treasure, and talent. As far as time goes, Sciortino says that while he’s been working on the car since he got it back in 1982, the current iteration represents about four solid years of steady work. The “treasure” part of that equation is likely an unholy pile of receipts full of top-shelf parts and labor with long, comma-filled numbers too large and painful for all but the strongest among us to add up. And the talent came in the form of a group of skilled fabricators, artists, and friends who helped the Connecticut business owner’s visions become reality.
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62 september 2015 | RPM Magazine
JIM SCIORTINO’S 1970 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDA PRO STREET
Chassis type & mods: MRC Racecars 4130 chromoly full tube chassis by Mark Markow. Suspension & Brakes: FRONT: Santhuff struts with Strange discs. REAR: Custom fabricated 4-link with Koni double-adjustable shocks and Strange cross-drilled discs. Rearend: Fabricated 9-inch with Strange Ultra center section, 4.10 gears, and 40-spline axles. Tires & Weels: Weld Racing 16x16 double beadlocked rears with 34.5x17-16 tires in rear. Weld 15x3.5 wheels with front runner tires in front. Engine: Ray Barton Racing Engines 526 Hemi. Mopar block with 4.500 stroke Callies crankshaft, 9.6:1 pistons, and GRP connecting rods. Solid roller cam with COMP lifters and Stage V Engineering Hemi heads. Induction: WAR magnesium blower intake with PSI screw blower pushing 20+ pounds of boost. Dual 1,250 CFM Dominator carbs with shotgun scoop. Additional Power Adder: Nitrous Express 100-hp dual nozzle direct port system by Jeff Prock. Electronics & Ignition: MSD Digital 7 box with MSD distributor and Moroso wires. Transmission & Converter: Jeffco 4-speed transmission with 11-inch dual disc clutch. Body & Paint: Custom fiberglass replica body prepped and painted by Ron Martin. House of Kolors purple pearl with Robert Gorske graphics. Performance: 1,629 hp (8,000 rpm) and 1,197 ft./lbs. of torque (6,600 rpm). Special Thanks: Mark Markow, Ray Barton, Ron Martin, Robert Gorske, Millo Bertini, Steve Seifert, Bruce Comboni, and brother Dean Sciortino.
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LOVE AT FIRST BITE “I’m thankful to Mark Markow who did the majority of the fabrication, while Terry Hall built the mold and the body,” he said. “Ray Barton built the engine, while Ron at Auto Madness and Robert Gorske did an incredible job on the paint,” he added. Others such as Millo Bertini who fabricated a number of custom parts on the car, Steve Seifert who assisted with getting the car where it needed to go and when it needed to get there, and friend Bruce Comboni who helped with the bodywork on the plug were all instrumental. “Lastly, my brother Dean who is constantly turning wrenches on all our projects, provided his engine expertise.” With the car all but complete (Sciortino literally finished buttoning it up the
day of our photo shoot), he has not yet had a chance to make any passes down the strip but plans to in the future. However, he has had an opportunity to take it to a few shows as well as a shakedown cruise or two around the neighborhood. “The first time I ever drove the car in my hometown of Trumbull, a police car followed me back to my house to see if the car was properly tagged to drive on public roads,” Sciortino said. “He couldn’t believe it was on the street and all the paperwork was up to date. We had a nice conversation about the car, and I answered about 100,000 questions,” he added with a laugh. That officer might want to be careful, though, because getting too close to this purple ’Cuda is likely to result in the same type of vicious fish bite as Jim Sciortino sustained way back in 1970 at the tender age of 11. Just as rabies can be transmitted through the bite of an infected mammal, we have reason to believe that pro street fever may be transmitted through one bite of this wicked fish!
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POWER
F est
HOT EVENTS
>> A car show turned street festival story by
66
George Pich photos by
Tia Elizabeth
A
Setting up in Brantford’s Harmony Square was chore that started at 6am after a rainy evening that led to clear skies and hot humid temps. In the foreground is Sandra Carter Beal and Chuck Beal’s Top Sportsman Corvette, just one of a diverse lineup of awesome cars and trucks in the Square.
s the Brantford PowerFest Charity Car Show & Street Festival in memory of Brian Heap literally rolled into a mid-sized community in southern Ontario, Canada, the entire Brantford city downtown was closed for a day while an estimated 10,000 people got their fill of not just the cool street machines, high powered race cars, antiques, musclecars and trucks, but also a few things new to the show. The event was originally created by local Brantford car enthusiast and charity fund raiser extraordinaire, Brian Heap. Upon Heap’s passing it had been ran very successfully as the Telephone City Car Show, but when show organiz-
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
ers—headed by Canadian Ford and Shelby guru Jim Hardie—decided to move on after 10 years, a new team moved in to pick up where they left off. “We kept the car show essentially the same, but added a few key elements that would make it more of a downtown family festival for everyone,” said event organizers. “We wanted to include not just the ‘car’ people, but also the moms, dads, kids, grandmas, and grandpas looking to enjoy a fun day with their family. Basically, even if you are not into cars at all, this was still the place to be on July 18th. And once you got a taste of the PowerFest family events, games and music, you couldn’t help but get hooked on the cars!”
With mid-eighties temperatures and mostly clear skies, the event hit one out of the park, and aside from some early morning traffic pains (due to construction on a section of one of the main roads of the downtown used for the show), the event went off pretty much without a hitch. Entry into the show was a two dollar optional donation per person and all the family activities, events and music were completely free.
RPM MAG ALL IN
RPM Magazine picked up the Brantford PowerFest as an Extreme Event for 2015 and not only added some exciting race cars to the lineup, but also provided several volunteers and
HANGIN’ AROUND AT POWERFEST One of the most spectacular displays of the show was that of event sponsor Ken’s Towing. Flexing their towing and recovery prowess they had their massive 2014 Kenworth 40-ton Rotator Tow Rig/Recovery truck with the boom extended and attached to a late model Roush Mustang suspending it in the air!
Luvern Morin photo
Ken’s Towing photo
Ken’s Towing photo
The main street of the show was packed with fans young and old all day long.
Crowds gathered early to see all of the cars and join in on the family fun Brantford’s Harmony Square. Here, the Ant Hill Mob Ford Mustang Funny Car driven by Aidan Heatley-Smith has the body up for fans to enjoy. continued on page 76
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SIZE MATTERS gave away thousands of free magazines for car owners and show goers alike. Lucas Oil also stepped up as did manufacturers such as Holley, Dart, JE Pistons and 3M to kick in extra support with product giveaways and goodie bag goodies, all giving the PowerFest the feel of much more than just your regular local downtown car show…and it was. The local NAPA Auto
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Parts donated a huge industrial pressure washer, and Brantford Music Centre contributed a Fender Squire Strat Electric guitar and amp start-up kit as grand prizes for pre-registered cars. For all cars registered, show organizers compiled a weekend getaway in Brantford with lodging along with great things to see, do and eat. “One thing we noticed right
Added to the new PowerFest format for 2015 were the PowerFest Mega Machines which consisted of big tow rigs, fuel tankers, semi trucks, and first responder vehicles. Everybody loves big trucks, especially the kids!
A DIFFERENT KIND OF CAR... The diversity at the show was amazing including this ultra-rare and pristine Saturn Sky. Rumor has it there was also a Lamborghini and Tesla at the show. off the hop was the incredible support from local businesses, the City Of Brantford, all of the local politicians and pretty much everyone we contacted about the show- it was overwhelming,” said RPM Editor Chris Biro who also served as a board member for the event. “We decided to get involved heavily as the PowerFest is a 100% charity event, something you rarely find these days. Every dollar earned aside from show
expenses was going to charity, but more specifically children’s charities.” This year, event proceeds will be donated to help kids with Type I Diabetes through the Canadian Diabetes Association Camp Huronda, children with cancer through Help A Child Smile and children who do not have the means to participate in summer camps through the Salvation Army camp program. “Three very worthy causes,” added Biro.
NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN This awesome 1968 GT40 owned by Ian Clark took the Mayor’s Special Award. Unfortunately the owner was enjoying some local food courtesy one of the downtown eateries and missed the presentation.
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POWERFEST Fat fenders, big wings and the nostalgic look of the downtown meant a trip down memory lane for many and trip into the distant past for these two teens. It was great to see the show enjoyed by people of all ages.
IT’S SHOWTIME
Over 80 vendors of all kinds started arriving at 6:30am and were situated in blocks of five throughout the show. “Putting vendors in among the show cars was one of the things we added to the show this year, and while it was a logistics nightmare in the morning, the end result went over extremely well and people loved it,” said show board member Raymond Knight. “Hundreds of cars started lining up at 7am and had to be let in an hour early to prevent back-ups onto city streets not closed for the event. While that’s not a bad problem to have, we’ll be better prepared for them next year,” he added.
POWERFEST: POLITICAL POWERHOUSE!
The local Member of Provincial Parliament (and also Speaker of The House in Canadian Parliament), Dave Levac started the festival off in the morning, followed by Conservative Member of Parliament Phil McColeman and City Councilor and representative of the local Nelson Mandela Day Festival Task Force John Utley. Brantford Mayor Chris Friel kicked off the awards ceremony later in the day by awarding the Mayor’s Special Award to a fantastic Ford GT40 tribute car. Local New Democratic Party candidate Mark Laferriere was also on hand to present his own award…all
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POWERFEST BarCode the band played three sets during the day. Don’t let their young age fool you these guys blast out rock and more ranging from the sixties to nineties!
Brian Milne photo
SPOIL YOUR APPETITE WITH ALL THIS EYE CANDY
proof positive that the festival managed to attract support from high places. And with tourism dollars becoming increasingly hard to generate, it seems that everyone agrees that the PowerFest can only do good things to help the local economy.
TALENT IN THE SQUARE
Harmony Square in downtown Brantford provided the biggest attraction for both car lovers and families alike with an assortment of awesome street and drag cars, a mini tractor puller, antiques, and even the first truck of local sponsor Bert & Son’s Cartage.
Brian Milne photo
From Mark Palmert’s slammed-to-theweeds black ’61 Chevy pickup (left) to this awesome Marina Blue blown Pro Street Chevy II, the PowerFest had it all when it came to custom street machines.
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POWERFEST Brian Heap’s Local politician sister Cheryl Mark Laferriere Heyes (right) awards his presents the PowerFest medal Brian Heap to Chris Wolak. Memorial Mark chose the award to Ross winner based not Hedden for his just on the vehicle outstanding but the friendly and 1926 Ford welcoming attitude Model T. of the owner.
Jim Hardie (left) is presented with two special awards for his efforts over the past 10 years to keep the show going and for the extensive help he gave to the new folks in charge for 2015.
For over 68 years PowerFest sponsor Bert & Sons Cartage has been servicing Canada and the United States, and here is their very first truck, a 1947 Mercury 1 1/2 ton stake truck.
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Plus, for the kids and adults, the PowerFest had various sports demonstrations, a balloon animal making workshop courtesy professional Balloonist Travis Kruis, a real carnival-style fish pond game from Campbell Amuse-
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
ments, Disney characters wandering the grounds, a Mad Science show and movie in Brantford’s Sanderson Centre, live music throughout the day with local bands BarCode and Bill & Brad, and so much more. But the one thing that
brought fans to pack the square at 1:45pm was the start-up of Paul Arva’s mini tractor puller and the Ant Hill Mob’s funny car!
MORE TO COME
The inaugural PowerFest brought cars and fans from across Ontario, Canada and the northern States, and plans are already in
the works for the 2016 show. Organizers have committed to keeping the great traditional show created many years back by Brian Heap and continue to tweak it with more cars and more free family fun. After all, without the interest and support of families and youth in our car culture, there would be little to no future for it.
ool K
HOT EVENTS
CARS
story and photos by
Brian Wood
>> The Kavalcade of Kool, directed by the Auburn Shifters Car Club and presented by ScottieDTV descends on the Auctions America Park
T
he Kavalcade of Kool, directed by the Auburn Shifters Car Club and presented by ScottieDTV, took place June 12 and 13 at the sprawling Auctions America Auction Park in historic Auburn, Indiana. Predictions of rainy weather in the area threw
a bit of a damper on the first day’s proceedings, but luckily not a drop of rain fell during the two days of the event and all went off without a hitch. Cars of all descriptions—from immaculately restored classics to radical street-driven muscle cars, hot rods, and award-winning show cars were on
AUBURN
IN
display. In addition to the beautiful vehicles, there were lots of things for car owners and show visitors to do. “The vendors came in Thursday night and the folks at La Quinta Inn hosted a hospitality suite for us and Buffalo Wild Wings provided food and drinks,” said Auburn Shift-
ers member John Jinnings. “That was a thank-you to those who pre-registered and also to the vendors who showed up. “Our major sponsor for the weekend was the Glenbrook Auto Group and they did a phenomenal job. They had some awesome cars and trucks on display and they supported us
and underwrote the entire event. I can’t say enough about those guys. “The Auburn Shifters club members did a great job with everything,” Jinnings said. “We had a new PA system this year and had Truckin’ Tim Kelly doing the announcing and playing music. He kept people abreast of every-
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Don & Denise Nickelson’s 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge—”JudgeMENTAL”—is a true tribute to the golden age of muscle cars. The 505 Pontiac mill is equipped with a FAST EFI system and pushes 665 hp, while the custom chassis accomodates the monstrous 20-inch Budnik Gasser billet wheels.
thing and we gave away around 300 door prizes during the weekend.” In addition to all of the cars on display and the full schedule of events, the Sports Car Club of America set up an autocross course and hosted a large
number of participants. The track was busy all weekend long with drivers doing their best to beat the clock while taming the challenging twists and turns of the course. But this was a car show, first and foremost, and there
were some outstanding cars on hand at Auctions America. RPM Magazine selected seven of the very best to receive special recognition at show’s end. Among these was Don Nickelson’s ’69 Pontiac GTO Judge called “Judge-
Amy Himic, of Strawberry Plains, Tenn. is the proud owner of this 1967 Mustang GT fastback. Amy wanted an Eleanor-style Mustang, and builder Larry Burchett and the crew at B Rod & Custom delivered. The flawless Axalta Candy Apple Red Effects paint envelops the custom-built ride that is powered by a 4.6 Ford Cobra engine with a Kenne Bell supercharger.
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KAVALCADE OF KOOL This 1965 Dodge Dart SL is owned by Willie Maise of Glencoe, Alabama. The 620 hp Magnuson supercharged 5.7 Gen Three Hemi is backed by a Tremec six-speed. The car was built by Big Oak Garage and debuted in March at the Autorama in Detroit, it was a Great 8 finalist in voting for the Ridler Award.
This wild 2015 ZL1 Camaro sports a 900+ hp 378 ci LSA and can light up the tires at the drop of a hat. The car runs 10s in the quarter and has been over 200 mph in the measured mile.
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Adam Hodson’s 1973 Z28 is driven daily and has been 9.44 at 144 on the strip. The mostly-stock suspension is Caltrac-equipped.
The 5.3 LS engine runs on E-85 and produces 600+ rwhp with a 55 mm turbo. It is backed by a TH400 trans.
MENTAL,” a beautiful 665-horsepower machine which is not only street driven but a mainstay on autocross courses around the country. The car was built by Don’s brother Darren at Indy Street Rods and Classics. Another RPM choice was Amy Himic’s ’67 Mustang, a beautiful machine built by Larry Burchett of B Rod or Custom in Knoxville, Tennessee. The candy apple red machine was patterned after the Eleanor Mustang of movie fame, but Burchett took the look to an entirely new level. Power comes from a 4.6 Ford Cobra engine with a Kenne Bell supercharger. Perhaps the star of the show was the Dart SL brought to Auburn by the guys at Big Oak Garage in Hokes Bluff, Alabama. This This 1980 ’Vette is owned by Roger Dix of Antwerp, Ohio. The unique paint was applied ten years ago by the late Jay Sanders, and the blown small block Chevy completes the look. Dix plans to treat the car to the full-on pro street look soon, with tubs and a narrowed rearend.
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car was fresh from Autorama in Detroit where it received Great 8 recognition during competition for the prestigious Ridler award. The car and its amazing “Green with Envy” paint took three and a half years to build and is a true piece of automotive art, one that was built to be driven. The Big Oak gang proved that point by putting the beautiful Dart through a high-speed workout on the SCCA autocross course during the weekend. Another of the RPM “Super Seven” was Clay Benjamin’s outstanding 1970 Chevelle SS Pro Street machine. The car sits on a 2130 chrome moly chassis and has a blown 604-cubic-inch bullet that pumps out 1,200 horsepower. To help things along there
is a 500 shot nitrous oxide setup as well. Benjamin proved the car’s road-worthiness by driving it to the show from his home in Leo, Indiana. Roger Dix, of Antwerp, Ohio, had his colorful, and powerful, 1980 Corvette at the show, and he also received recognition from RPM. The ‘Vette has a unique paint job and is powered by a blown small block Chevy. This car is also driven daily and is a real head-turner. A perfect example of a street-driven powerhouse was the 1973 Camaro Z28 owned by Adam Hodson of New Haven, Indiana. This grocery getter pumps out 800 horsepower and has run a best of 9.44 at 144 on small tires at the track. The Z28 features a 5.3 LS engine with
KAVALCADE OF KOOL
Clay Benjamin’s 1970 Chevelle SS epitomizes the Pro Street genre. It sits on a 2130 chrome moly tube chassis and gets its motivation from a blown 604-cubicinch Ohio Crankshaftbuilt mill that produces over 1,200 horsepower.
Holley EFI injection and a 35mm turbo. The 3.08 rear gear allows Hodson to cruise down the highway, and with E-85 in the tank the car gets 15mpg. Last but by no means least was a stock-appearing bright yellow 2015 Camaro ZL1. A closer examination of the car revealed Lingenfelter badging, and the final clue as to just what this machine really
had going on were the words “First in the 10s. First over 200” emblazoned on the back window. Yes, this rocket runs in the 10-second zone in the quarter, and has gone over 200 mph on a closed course. The car is tricked out to the max with an LSA 378-cubic inch, 900 horsepower supercharged crate engine. This is truly a perfect example of beauty and the beast.
“We had a great show and a great weekend,” said Jinnings in wrapping up his recap of the event. “At this stage we are thinking about changing things around a bit for next year. Right now we are looking at having vendors come in Friday morning and run the show from noon to 9 Friday and 8 to 3 Saturday. We’ll host a cook-out Friday night for those who are pre-registered,
and those who are not pre-registered but want to come to the cook-out can buy a food pass. “Ultimately the club’s goal is to raise money for charity, and we are looking to continue that effort next year and into the future. We work closely with Shop with a Cop, Turnstone, Quiet Night, the JAM Recreation Center, and a number of others. They do wonderful
work in our community and we want to help them with their important missions as much as we possibly can.” “Thanks again to everyone who helped make this year’s show a reality, including the great people at Auburn Auction Park. I want to give a special thanks to RPM Magazine for everything they do to support us.”
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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Strong
HOT EVENTS
ONLY SURVIVE THE
>> Inaugural Rocky Mountain Race Week concludes brutal five-day trek of road & strip action story by
June Allison
photos by Rob Pearson & Tyler Roberts of 1320 Video
J
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uly 12 2015 marked the start of the inaugural RPM Magazine Rocky Mountain Race Week. This was the beginning of months of preparation for the event coordinators, drivers and crews. Racers had been thrashing on cars since the event was first announced to get ready for the brutal five day trek through the mountain regions of Colorado, into Kansas and Nebraska as part of the route. The time and money it takes to get these cars ready for such a journey that includes both lengthy road driving and stops at several drag strips along the way is almost unimaginable. Crews had to prepare for anything that may happen and pack all tools, parts, and gear to haul along with them. Registration got underway and fans came out to see the many different body styles and meet their crews readying for competition, but most were no doubt thinking, “who will return?” In this type of tour event, many racers will use small trailers while others choose to carry what they can fit in their cars. Eric Yost, for example, even had beer on tap in his trailer which they called the “Yost
Bar.” As cars lined up to register you could feel the excitement start to build for what was about to take place. July 13th, day one, started racing at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison Colorado. For many drivers the high altitude was a challenge which meant lots of tuning and changes to be made. For some, slower times were inevitable. The track did see some faster times thrown down, but generally from those more familiar with tour-style events such as Larry Larson, Doug Cline, and Tom Bailey all making six-second quarter-mile hits. Event organizer Matt Frost also had a personal best of 7.23 at 197 MPH on the first day of Rocky Mountain Race Week. As the end of the afternoon came many drivers had already left to start the scenic four hour drive to Pueblo while others stayed—most by necessity—to fix their cars before they could continue on. Not all cars were able to make it to day two though. Royce Payton, Carlos Astor, John Powell and Kelley Harvey were the casualties of day one due to mechanical problems. The route to Pueblo was not a straight shot.
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
TOP: Larry Larson gets ahold of the $15,000 cash for his win in the Unlimited class. RIGHT: Larson hauling the mail in Pueblo to the tune of 6.79!
Event organizer Matt Frost has a fast street car of his own and placed third in the Unlimited class. Matt also put down a personal best 7.23 @197 mph during the event!
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RACE WEEK Doug Cline’s car got jealous of Larry Larson enjoying the lake so on this pass the car headed to the beach. “I’ve been to beaches all over the country!” Doug said of the adventure.
Eddie Wilson’s extreme motor change at the track. It took some serious manpower, lots of parts and one big fork lift to get the job done!
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The drivers had to take their fast cars through the hills and mountains (some running on “slicks”) and then, of course, along came the rain and with the rain came traction problems and poor visibility. There were checkpoints at the Hartsel Jail and Pine Junction Country Store where
teams would gather for photo ops and a welcomed break from the drive. For some the drive was long, while others had time to spare. With the weather it just seemed to be the luck of timing. The check points and days end offered up some time for racers to
Vince Ruhe, running in the Nick Plewniak’s infamous stretchy truck 10.00–10.99 class in his making a hit in Pueblo. Unfortunately, beautiful Chevy II drives the Plewniak would not be able to continue return road after a pass. following his runs at Pueblo.
Lewis Martin gets off the line in his drag radial equipped Chevelle at Bandimere.
enjoy talking with each other and hanging out in the hotel parking lots to catch up on the individual experiences and events from the day. Day two, July 14, was racing at Pueblo Motorsports Park in Pueblo Colorado. A sweltering hot day at the track was in store for racing and while the surface was a little slick to start, the track staff did double duty to get it prepped and it did come around, despite the heat. In fact, a new track
record was set by Tom Bailey when he slammed down a 6.67 at 215 MPH while other cars struggled. Not everyone made it through the day once again, and Tom Bailey was one of them along with Mike Roy and Nick Plewniak. All had to call it quits, while Brett Miller and co-pilot Brian Palombo replaced the tranny in the Lexus to continue on. The drive to Great Bend Kansas was another
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Ben Wood running in the 12.00-12.99 class pulls to the line in his beautiful Mustang.
long haul. As if the drive itself was not enough, heavy thunderstorms brought a whole new series of challenges for the drivers and their machines. Again though, as luck would have it, timing was everything and while some endured the gruelling weather and arrived in very late, others did not make it in until early the next morning, barely making it to the track in time to make a pass. The drive itself actually claimed Steven Marine, running in the Hot Rod/Gasser class, who had to drop out during the trek after having several issues along the way. July 15, and day three was about to begin. SRCA in Great Bend Kansas
was the place and a hot and humid day awaited competitors. Many drivers were understandably exhausted from the long drive and lack of sleep, but adrenaline took over with the excitement for the day of racing to come. The high temps brought a very hot racing surface, estimated at 159 degrees. Most drivers were struggling to get down the track, slipping and sliding with tire spin being the order of the day. The day of racing, if nothing else, certainly tightened the ranks within each class. Cars were starting to wear down too and people were coming together in search of parts. Eddie Wilson and his crew swapped motors at
Alex Taylor, running the Limited Street class, celebrates an 8.99 pass with family! Wrenching is part of the game as Alex changes from the street radials to the Mickey Thompson slicks.
Mike Roy (featured in RPM Oct. 2012) shows the track has some teeth as he hangs the hoops at Bandimere in the Monte!
RMRW would to thank the following sponsors: • RPM Magazine • Lucas Oil • John Elway Chrysler Jeep Dodge • Unlimited Services • Chuck’s Towing • AMS • Innovators West
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• Mr. Speed Co • Powertank • Specialty Auto Auction • 1320 Video • In & Out Oilfield Services • Hilltop Speed Shop
Andrew Melton runs his pick-up hoodless at Bandimere.
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
Steve Tasca took the win in the 10.00– 10.99 class.
RACE WEEK Unfortunately, this is the pass that broke Brett Miller’s transmission but he still took the win in the Sport Compact class.
Joe Barry smiles as he wishes he had wipers while cruising in the rain. Unfortunately, problems with the awesome twin turbo’d ’56 Shoebox Chevy (featured in RPM April 2013) forced him out of competition in the Unlimited class.
From registration, to the highway, to the drag strip, Darce Laws shows what it takes to survive Rocky Mountain Race Week. Laws placed second in Limited Street.
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RACE WEEK Eric Yost doing maintenance on the patina’d Camaro.
the track with a forklift and never gave up. Crews packed up to head out to Kearney Raceway Park in Nebraska, thankful for the shorter route than the previous days. Again though, bad weather had come in leaving many drivers pulled over waiting for it to clear, which meant for yet another long night. July 16, day 4, was filled with action. Alex Taylor made her first 8-second pass at 8.99, and others worked hard to make their best passes of the event with conditions far more favorable. Battles continued for first place within each class throughout the day. A 420-mile trip back to Bandimere was what teams had ahead of them, and following the day of racing they thrashed to make repairs not to mention give their cars a thorough once-over before hitting the highway. For the first time during the Rocky Mountain Race Week, the trip back saw favorable weather, but was not without many roadside repairs, which is almost inevitable considering what these cars had been through so far. July 17, the fifth and final day, it was back to Bandimere Speedway for the last day of racing. It was obvious that both cars and drivers were getting worn out and worn down as not everyone made it back. Math skills were a plus at this point as the teams were trying to figure out where they stood in the ranks of their class to come up with what they needed to put down on the track for the final day. Mike, Joe and Matt head off into the sunset, um, no, that isn’t sun ahead of them…
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There were battles going on that were too close to call which made for extra passes to try to edge out the competition. When all was said and done, event staff had to
do the final figuring in preparation for the awards ceremony where cash prizes were given for all classes. For example, in the Unlimited class, the race for second and third
came down to hundredths of a second, so the pencils needed to be extra sharp to get the numbers right the first time. The big winners were in the Unlimited class
Jarrett Faggart running his Nova in Limited Street heads down the highway with grey skies now behind him.
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FINAL RESULTS (TOP 3 IN EACH CLASS)
RACE WEEK UNLIMITED:
Larry Larson-6.911 Doug Cline-7.704 Matt Frost-7.714
ULTIMATE RADIAL:
Eric Yost-8.513 Carl Stancell-8.807 Keith Dickehage-10.447
LIMITED STREET:
Jarrett Faggart-8.628 Darce Laws-9.016 Alex Taylor-9.211
SPORT COMPACT:
Brett Miller-11.727 Edward Kelly-12.795 Kenneth Pasterkamp-13.599
HOT ROD/GASSER:
Keith Fox-11.946 Eddie Wilson-12.692 Steve Marine-out
10.00-10.99:
Steve Tasca-10.051 Daryl Yost-10.072 Vince Ruhe-11.233
11.00-11.99:
Lewis Martin Jr-11.185 Ed Johnson-11.462 Jesse Hazlett-11.724
12.00-12.99:
Dave Abbott-12.243 Marc Thrall-12.413 Ben Wood-12.478
13.00-13.99:
Adam Dorey-13.040 Jeff Strunk-13.091 Carey Brown-13.111
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Tom Bailey setting the track record at Pueblo at 6.67!
where Larry Larson took first place and $15,000 and Doug Cline pocketed $10,000 for runner-up. All other class winners received $1,000, but by all accounts everyone who participated in the event left a winner. There were many personal best times and new achievements along with great memories and tons of fun! A new family was formed and by all accounts RMRW 2015 was a resounding success. Visit rockymountainraceweek.com for details and updates on 2016.
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
Some members of the RMRW “family” checking in. Not everyone won, but everyone was a winner!
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RPM TECH
ULTRA STREET
Ready
>> We dump 60 pounds of nitrous on the floor testing the latest goodies from Nitrous Express so you don’t have to story and photos by
C
Chuck Scott
lasses such as Ultra Street and Ultimate Street seem to be all the rage in small tire drag racing these days. There is something basic and pure about a class of small blocks on DOT 275 radials duking it out with simple plate systems. Forced
induction guys get the ever-evolving 76mm turbo that has proven itself this season with consistent 4.80s in the eighth-mile. Meanwhile the nitrous guys are trying to squeeze as much laughing gas out of their plates as possible. To match the hosepower levels of those pesky turbos, it is
getting close to time to lobby the powers that be for foggers. Fortunately, nitrous technology is constantly hustlin’ too, trying to find ways to deliver more N20 and distribute the mixture more evenly. Released earlier this year just in time for the racing season, Nitrous Express dropped a
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Billet Aluminum and Carbon Fiber solenoids solenoids weigh less and make more power
Billet bottle valve with .500” orifice and .500” piston lift! Guaranteed to improve the performance of any nitrous kit!
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1
1: The new Billet Single Entry Crossbar Plate from Nitrous Express.
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
triple punch with three new products that will give the jug junkies a little more ammo. First is the new rendition of their billet cross bar plate in a single entry variation. This thing will really move some nitrous for only having one nitrous entry fitting. Sure the two nitrous, two
fuel fitting version will obviously move more, but the 50-pound single entry weight break makes this bad boy pretty appealing. Nitrous Express was able to pass 2664 pounds per hour through one with the -3AN jet fittings replaced by a -6AN fitting with no jet at 1055 psi bottle
2
2: The new Lightning 375 solenoid is a beautiful thing. It features O-ring inlet and outlet holes that can accept up to a -10 AN inlet and -6 AN outlet fitting. We fit ours with a -6 AN inlet and outlet to comply to Ultra Street rules allowing a max -6 AN feed line. The real carbon fiber coil cover and billet aluminum body give the solenoid a total weight that is 1.3 pounds lighter than a typical trash can solenoid.
pressure. That, my friends, is a whole lot of spray. It takes a pretty stout small block with a razor sharp tune to handle that much power. Besides the copious amounts of dope this thing is able to sling, the real icing on the cake is the very even distribution provided by the center-fed crossbar design. The new world beater Lightning 375 solenoid and huge Lightning 500 bottle valves are a perfect supporting line up to the
new plate. Even though you have to pass all the nitrous through those little holes in the spray bars, large volume supply is worth some power. The new Lightning 500 bottle valve with its 1/2-inch orifice and 5/8inch siphon tube gives you the big volume like the quarter-turn .500-inch valves but with the reliability of the no-leak, secure screw down valve. Also the price point is MUCH better than the quarter-turn alternatives at only $95.54 each.
The Lightning 375 Solenoid is almost too good to be true, except it is. This giant in a small package boasts a .375-inch orifice that is actually progressable. If you had a pin gauge the size of the largest common trash can solenoid’s .178-inch orifice, you could slide four of them into the orifice of the Lightning 375 and they would be loose enough to jingle around. We are talking a solenoid that is as big as most of the standard bottle valves on the market.
Designed to meet the demanding
rigors of racing. Engineer ed to WIN.
FUEL YOUR
PERFORMANCE
8 7 7. 9 3 5 . 3 6 6 1 W E L D O N R A C I N G . C O M
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RPM TECH 3: We paired our Lightning 375 solenoid with a matching Nitrous Express purge valve and a couple pressure sensors for data logging. Both the Lightning 375 and the purge solenoid feature pass through purge ports so that the nitrous can be pulled right through the solenoid and be ready when you drop the hammer. We used the purge port on the purge solenoid to place a sensor to monitor bottle pressure. This works great and keeps you from adding extra gauge adapter fittings.
3
If you have ever tried pulsing different solenoids, you know that the bigger they get the less they progress, if at all. We wanted to put the Lightning 375 to the test to see if it really does progress.
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Not only did we want to see if it pulses but if it actually decreases flow when it is in front of a restriction like a single entry plate. As a result, we set up the test using a few 15-pound Lightning 500
valve equipped bottles and the new single entry billet crossbar plate. We used the largest available jet without moving up to the jet-less fitting, the .136inch. We were pleasantly surprised that even
september 2015 | RPM Magazine
4
5
4 & 5: The new Nitrous Express Lightning 500 bottle valve looks almost like the previous Lightning 45 valves but flow much more. The valve is designed to reduce the turns and expansion opportunities inside to pass the most dense liquid nitrous possible out of the huge .500-inch orifice, .500inch lift valve.
6: On the bench it was almost impossible to get a good shot of the spray pattern on the nitrous side. We had to time the shot at the exact instant the solenoid opened and the plate came on. We also had to utilize a lower pressure and smaller jetting in order to get a halfway decent photo to demonstrate the well distributed spray pattern. With standard pressure and jetting, the plate comes on full blast and there is such a giant cloud you really can’t even tell there is a plate in the picture. This fogger creates an enormous fog bank!
6
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$84995 www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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Multiple layers are used to provide the ultimate seal between the head and block mating surfaces. These coatings will normally eliminate the need for additional deck surfacing. Our coating processing provides 100% encapsulation of all exposed metal, far superior to other products that leave exposed raw steel on the edges. The layers include fluoroelastomer (FKM) for extreme temperature and chemical resistance. This technology provides superior conformability, oxidation resistance, and better removal, even after extreme temperature exposure.
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This proprietary tempering process significantly reduces forming induced stresses. Pre-coated metal (used by other brands) would not be able to survive this stabilization process. Advantages of a tempered metal are reduced hardness and brittleness, increased flexibility and deformation retention. This process dramatically increases the long term durability and reliability of each head gasket.
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RPM TECH 7
8
7: Here is a shot of fuel flowing through the plate. The crossbar design gives really good fuel coverage that is picked up by the much higher pressure nitrous and blown into tiny droplets that is pulled into the cylinders.
with a frequency setting at a higher 20 on the Nitrous Express Maximizer 4 progressive controller, we saw great results from the test. With the Max 4 turned off, the plate passed 2045 pounds per hour of the cold stuff. Then we flowed it with the progressive set at a constant
9: We used the Nitrous Express Maximizer 4 progressive controller to test the ability of the Lightning 375 solenoid to progress. No ramp was used in our test. A straight line with a starting and constant 30% pulse and 50% were used to see if the pulsing actually reduced nitrous flow in the big solenoid.
8: Here is cutaway that reveals the plate’s cool design. The nitrous travels through an entry passage above the spray passages to the center of the plate. Once the nitrous (or fuel) reaches the center it drops to the four short passages with the spray holes and travels to the outsides. This helps to keep the distribution even.
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RPM TECH 10
50% and the system dropped to 1512pph and at 30% it dropped even further to 1174pph. After talking to Mike Abney at NX the day following my test, he told me that the big Lightning 375 likes a lower frequency
setting closer to 12 even more. It is also important to note that the percentage settings on progressive controllers are not referring to the percentage of actual nitrous and fuel flow but the rate the current is pulsed. It is a common mis-
conception that a 50% setting on a progressive controller will reduce the horsepower by 50%. It takes a much lower setting than 50% to cut flow in half. It looks like Nitrous Express has hit three home runs in a row with these bad boys.
SOURCE
Nitrous Express www.nitrousexpress.com RPM_715.qxp 6/2/15 11:43 AM Page 1 800.463.2781
10: There are a few of the new single entry plates in Ultra Street competition already. Eric “Wheelie Wagon� Kenward has one on the purple Mustang. Eric uses his dry on the fuel injected SBC. He claims every car he has switched to the new plate has picked up right off the trailer from their old set ups.
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RPM PROJECT CAR
ENGINE MOCK-UP PART 5
>> We add water/meth, start the fuel system and more on our third-gen Camaro project car
by
Blake Robinson
A
s we fit and install each and every new component on the Camaro, I must admit, I’m getting a little pumped up. OK a lot pumped up! Thanks to the support of my family, a handful of true friends, and some of the best companies in the racing industry, my dream is becoming my reality. Although our primary goal of getting some of our fuel system components installed this month was sidetracked a bit, we were able to make some major progress nonetheless. We started by finding a good location to mount the tank and pump for
our AEM water/ methanol injection system. Please note that AEM recommends these components be mounted away from wheel wells or other areas where it might come into direct contact with water or road debris. Our location will be in the wheel well area, but once it is final assembled and plumbed, a debris shield will be fabricated and installed to protect it. The tank mounting was very straightforward. Using the tank as a template, four mounting holes were marked and drilled to the proper size. The tank was then installed using the hardware furnished in the kit. Next, we removed the mounting bracket from
the pump to mark the mounting holes properly and reinstalled it to the pump. The pump can be mounted in any position horizontally or vertically, but pay attention to the direction of flow indicated by the arrows on the pump body when mounting it. I used the furnished #8-32 bolts and nylock nuts to mount the pump to the firewall. Our nozzle was up next. AEM recommends mounting the nozzle six to eight inches ahead of the throttle body. This provides an excellent combination of air charge cooling and combustion control. If using thin walled tubing such as ours, AEM suggests that a bung be welded to the tube. The bung should
be tapped deep enough to allow the end of the nozzle to be nearly flush with the interior of the intake once the nozzle is fully installed. With the tube marked, I removed it so Lt. Robert Slaughter could install the bung. Slaughter started by drilling a hole in the intake tube to the proper size of the recess on the bung. Using a TIG welder, Slaughter welded the bung to the tube and installed the nozzle. The remaining components of the AEM system will be installed during the final assembly process after the car is painted. The newly upgraded Quick Fuel Technology 850BAN blow-through carburetor was placed on the intake next. This E85
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
carburetor has “trick” written all over it, and paired with an anodized black throttle cable/return spring bracket, it is definitely some gearhead bling. I started fabricating a bracket for the Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator while Kevin McCombs made some quick work of our water filler neck. The neck had to be modified to clear the intake tube from the turbo to the carb hat. Kevin cut the tube off the flange, shortened it, rotated it 90 degrees, and TIG welded it back on the flange. This saved me from having to purchase another part and showed off some of Kevin’s fabrication skills. With the bracket for the fuel regulator fitted,
1
2
1: We removed the water/meth injection kit pump mounting plate to use it as a template. This ensured that all four holes would be centered when mounting the pump. Kevin MIG welded it to the front down bar and the forward strut support tube. This location was both out of the way and easily accessible to make adjustments a breeze. Kevin then marked mounting holes, drilled them, and installed the regulator. At this point we started to get everything together to make the hoses
that would go from the regulator to the carburetor. Before cutting the hose down for the first measurement, we had a moment of second guessing. Initially, we ordered all red and blue hose ends, and while I’m sure they would look and perform just fine, after upgrading the carb and the regulator itself to having black fittings, I thought
black and red hose ends would look wicked, so we’ll have to start plumbing hoses next month. Kevin tackled the wastegate fabrication next and I am glad he did. Patience and skill was the key to getting it done, and quite frankly I would have pulled my hair out in trying. He and Buddy Sowders started by figuring out the
angles at which the two 1 1/2-inch tubes would need to intersect and mate to the single 2-inch tube. Kevin first mated the smaller two tubes together and then began fitting them to the wastegate after which he tackled the 3-inch exhaust side of the system. Once he tacked his two tubes to-
gether and double checked his fitment, Kevin marked both of the exhaust tubes that lead up to our merge collector for the turbo. This process is very important and the angles can affect how well your wastegate reacts and flows. The wastegate we are using is a JGS500 50mm from JGS Pre-
2: The AEM tank and pump were placed cleanly on the passenger side firewall and wheelwell. A lightweight piece of sheet metal will be installed to protect the pump from debris.
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
107
RPM PROJECT CAR 3
cision Wastegate & Turbocharging Products. It is made of T6 Aluminum and has a silicone o-ring piston actuator that will provide for a long life and easy service. Other features include a nickel aluminum bronze valve guide, a floating valve seat, a external clocking design, 1/8-inch NPT side pressure ports, and 2-inch V-band connections.
4
3: While our original 850BAN blow-thru carburetor from Quick Fuel Technologies was a true work of art, the newly upgraded E85 carburetor and matching return spring/throttle bracket added some serious hardcore bling to the engine compartment.
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
4: The water fill neck pieces are waiting to be welded after Kevin made his modifications.
Stainless steel flanges, clamps, and hose connections are included. A wastegate is basically a valve that provides an alternate passage around the turbine wheel for the exhaust gas to flow. Since the turbocharger relies on the engine exhaust to drive the turbine (which in turn regulates the rotating speed of the compressor), the wastegate controls
5
the amount of boost pressure being produced. Kevin removed the turbo merge flange and marked the tube assembly from the car. After making his initial cuts, he began en-
larging the holes for proper fitment. Now, with a snug fit that will allow for proper flow, the flange was reinstalled and the wastegate tubing was welded in place. The wastegate was installed using the
5: The results of Kevin’s modifications looked great and the ability to remove the cap now is a definite plus.
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109
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september 2015 | RPM Magazine
RPM PROJECT CAR 6
6: Picturing all the angles to cut and where to start on the wastegate fabrication was a little puzzling to me‌Kevin has the patience for the job.
supplied V-band clamp and will be plumbed during final assembly. The last component we installed was the universal catch/ overflow/recovery
7
tank, part #63769 we picked up from Moroso Performance Products. This versatile tank can be used for different applications depending on how it is plumbed.
Fabricated from T-6061 aircraft aluminum for strength, it comes with two integral mounting brackets and all of the items you need to plumb and install it.
We chose to mount the tank on the radiator using 3/4 x 1/8-inch aluminum flat bar. After measuring and cutting the bar to fit the radiator, Buddy
7: The JGS wastegate has found its new home and is ready to help make some power.
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www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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august 2015 | RPM Magazine
RPM PROJECT CAR 8
8: Slaughter TIG welded a bung on the valve cover so we could monitor our vacuum during break-in and dyno time on the engine. Depending on how everything works we may just leave it there for good or move it inside on the dash later.
9
9: The AEM nozzle will be a prime time player in cooling our intake charge air temperatures, this feature will allow us to run more boost and make more power.
TIG welded two smaller pieces in the area to which we would mount the tank. This allowed a thicker pad to drill and tap for the 1/4x20 hardware.
Once all the pieces were prepped and ready, Slaughter TIG welded the mounting straps to the radiator and the hardware was installed.
120
AFR change (%)
100 80 60
DIGITAL MTX
40
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20 0 -20
50
100
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250
300
INNOVATE'S DIRECT DIGITAL TM TECHNOLOGY IS 180 MILLISECONDS FASTER THAN COMMON "UEGO” ANALOG SENSOR CONTROL. AT 8000RPM,THIS DELAY EQUALS AN ASTONISHING 24 ROTATIONS OF THE CRANKSHAFT! IF YOU'RE STILL USING ANALOG TECHNOLOGY, YOU'RE IGNORING CRITICAL CHANGES IN YOUR ENGINES AIR/FUEL RATIO. DON'T BLOW YOUR ENGINE, UPGRADE TO INNOVATE!
www.rpm-mag.com | september 2015
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RPM PROJECT CAR 10
11: By locating the fuel regulator between the front strut support and down bar, we have several options on hose routing. This will allow us to keep the final install of our plumbing clean and eliminate unnecessary clutter.
11
SOURCES AEM Performance Electronics www.aemelectronics.com 310-484-2322 Aeromotive www.aeromotive.com 913.647.7300 JGS Precision Wastegate & Turbocharging Products www.jgstools.com 541.267.4331
10: With several different plumbing possibilities, Moroso makes a great product in this universal tank.
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august 2015 | RPM Magazine
Two -4AN fittings were used to allow us to run hoses from both the radiator and filler neck located on the intake. This set up will mimic a recirculating system that
will help eliminate most, if not all, of the air from the cooling system. Join us next time as we finish up the fuel system and tackle a rear wing.
Moroso Performance Products www.moroso.com 203.453.6571 Quick Fuel Technology www.quickfueltechnology.com 270.793.0900
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