Joe Rozinek doesn't say much. Ask him a question, and you'll mostly get a simple "yes" or "no" without embellishment. Were this magazine of a celebrity driven ilk, we might be hardpressed to say anything about the sea of calm that is Joe Rozinek. As luck would have it, Joe prefers to speak with his Camaro, and it has a lot to say, like, "I'm gonna hand you a beat down. Would you like it now, or in 1,320 feet?" Joe's Third Gen started out as a $900 heap he bought with help from his dad in 2002. It needed a new front clip, floorpans, fresh doors, and lots of body work before the powertrain was addressed. When it was time for the mojo, a 385-inch stroke small-block with Dart Pro 1 heads and a 150-shot breathed life into the rejuvenated ponycar. That pushed out 11.50s on the sauce. Did we mention Joe is friends with Chad Wade? Did we mention how competitive these two are? Those 11.50s weren't gonna cut it, so in went a new bullet with 434 ci, breezy Brodix-10X heads, and a Brodix manifold larger than some New York apartments. The resulting bottom 10s on the juice keeps Joe within shouting distance of Chad, but something tells us this isn't over yet.
1982 Camaro Z28
Joe Rozinek
Occupation: Service station operator
Hometown: North Liberty, IA
Best Prior e.t.: 10.23/133 (nitrous), 11.08/125 (motor)
True Street e.t. Average: DNF
| Engine: | Small-block Chevy |
| Displacement: | 434 ci |
| Compression: | 11.5:1 |
| Cylinder heads: | Brodix-10X raised runner, ported by Chapman Racing Heads |
| Camshaft: | Howards, solid roller, 268/276 at .050, .688/.645-inch lift |
| Rocker arms: | T&D Pro Series; 1.6:1, intake; 1.75:1 exhaust; shaft-mount |
| Lifters: | Crower off-set, solid roller |
| Intake manifold: | Brodix 1005 raised-runner HVH |
| Carburetor: | Pro Systems 4150 Pro Series XC 1,000-cfm |
| Power-adder: | NOS Cheater 180hp plate |
| Rotating assembly: | Eagle 4-inch stroke crank, Manley 6-inch rods, JE pistons |
| Engine built by: | MAS Automotive & Machine |
| Transmission: | Turbo 350 built by Fountain Transmission Specialists |
| Converter: | TCI 10-inch 3,500-stall |
| Rearend: | Moser 9-inch, 4.11 gears |
| Tires: | Mickey Thompson 26x7.70-15, front; Hoosier 28x11.50-15, rear |
| Front suspension: | Moroso trick springs, Lakewood 90/10 struts |
| Rear suspension: | Spohn sway bar, torque arm, and Panhard bar; Lakewood control arms and 50/50 shocks |
| Total cost of car: | "Somewhere over $30,000" |