Like the old saying goes, “All the power in the world isn’t worth a darn if you can’t put it to the pavement”. With this in mind we set out to find a rolling-chassis that could handle the Brawler’s power. Knowing that we had 1,069 ft lbs of stump-pulling torque to play with we went down the path least traveled and started searching for a full-size Chevy (Biscayne, Bel Air or Impala) for our mill. After months of following up on leads we finally found exactly what we were looking for… and then some! We’re happy to introduce you to the newest RPM Magazine project vehicle. A 1966 Chevy Bel Air that we’ve nicknamed “Green Machine”! Sitting on a 119-inch wheelbase, our stock-suspension Chevy Bel Air is a big car no matter how you look at it. Originally built by a gentleman named Brad Brink from Sycamore Illinois, this full-size Chevy has been put on a diet and weighs in at a Camaro-like 3,300 lbs with a big block Chevy and Turbo Hydramantic 400 transmission. Designed to go fast, and be safe doing it, Brad had a 25.5 NHRA certified cage installed in the car by Dennis Equitz at Blitzkrieg Motorsports in Caledonia, Wisconsin. Not wanting to destroy the low mileage Bel Air’s original sheet metal the inner fender wells have not been touched (so we’re limited to a 10.5 x 29.5 Mickey Thompson tire on 11” Holeshot Wheels). Photos, from top: When asked what carrier we should use to transport the new RPM Magazine project car from Texas to Nickey Chicago headquarters in St. Charles, Illinois Stefano Bimbi was quick to respond, “We only use Reliable Carriers to transport our customers Nickey cars. We’ve been using them for years and they are hands down the best in the business.” Once a low mileage small block with a Powerglide automatic, the Bel Air was converted into a street & strip machine back in 2009. It has changed owners a couple of times since, but has now found a home as one of RPM Magazine’s wild project vehicles.
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