1966 Chevy Chevelle & Other Project Cars

'66 Chevelle * Heavy HitterWhen the Roadster Shop came out with a new A-Body chassis, they needed a way to show it off, and what better way than stuffing it under one badass '66 Chevelle? The Roadster Shop's Phil Gerber told PHR: "This '66 Chevelle is the first car to debut under the new RS Performance name. The purpose is to show what we can build and to showcase our new Chevelle chassis. This will also give us the chance to test the chassis, and provide real-world feedback on the performance of our product."

This Chevelle runs Detroit Speed & Engineering front components made specifically for this application, along with Wilwood six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes. The rear suspension features a heavy-duty 9-inch with a triangulated four-bar set up, and DSE double-adjustable coilovers can be found on all four corners. The Chevelle rolls on one-off Boze 18x8 and 20x12 alloy wheels inside Michelin 275/35R18 and 335/30R20 rubber.

Over 700 hp is provided by the Bill Mitchell Hardcore all-aluminum 540 big-block. A bulletproof 4L65E automatic by Bowler Performance Transmissions keeps everything in the right rpm range. One thing's for sure, when this ride is done, it's going to get noticed. To find out more about this killer Chevelle, check out www.roadstershop.com.

'64 Nova * Street FighterJason Wilcox is a self-described turbo fanatic, who just happens to work at Gale Banks Engineering. He has been hard at work on this Nova, which was bought from a friend desperately in need of cash. Jason's main goal for the car is to be a budget-built street fighter, and when he says budget, he's serious. Jason plans for the total cost to come in around $15,000, and that means doing most of the labor himself at his garage in Yucaipa, CA. "I fabbed up the three-link Ford 9-inch myself with help from some guys at work," Jason says. "I grafted a C4 Vette front end and a Competition Engineering 10-point 'cage with help from my father. The Nova has a fiberglass front end, rear bumper, and decklid, since I'm trying to keep race weight less than 2,500 lbs. I also plan to run C5 brakes on all four corners, and just the basics to make it street legal." An expensive interior and bling aren't in the budget; it's all about functionality and performance. One of Jason's main inspirations for tackling a project this big was John Parsons' II Much Nova, seen on the cover of last month's

'49 Cadillac Killer CaddyCadillacs have always been known for being the ultimate land yacht, where comfort was above all else. Well, that's not this ride. This '49 Caddy being built by Ironworks Speed & Kustom is all about performance. The chopped fastback will run a 500hp LC3 Cadillac Northstar mill backed by a built 4L65E GearStar automatic transmission. Engine management will be handled by FAST. The owner, Randy Dowel, races rally cars and told Rodger at Ironworks that the Caddy had to stick to the twisties. The current plan is for a four-link rear suspension, and to graft in a Cadillac XLR suspension up front. The ETA for having this Caddy on the road is late '08. 'Til then, you can check the build progress at www.ironworksspeedandkustom.com.

'69 Firebird One Wicked 'BirdPhil Manro of Plaistow, NH, bough his '69 Firebird as a rolling shell during the summer of '06. Over the last year, he's been hard at work turning it into his dream car. Because he bought it cheap, most of the body had to be rebuilt, and now that the bodywork is done, Phil can concentrate on the mechanics.

Phil believes that Pontiacs should be powered by Pontiac mills, so a 455ci Poncho has been massaged to put out around 525 hp. The power will shift through a TKO-600 Tremec five-speed, and into a Ford 9-inch with 3.89 gears. The suspension is getting a combination of Global West, DSE, QA1, and Koni turn-fast parts. Bringing the 'Bird down from speed will be left to a set of Wilwood binders.

The color Phil picked is a Tungsten Gray Metallic, with silver stripes that he saw on an '06 Ford GT. He's also going to add a few Trans Am parts like the hood, fender air extractors, and rear spoiler. The 18-inch Budnik Fontana wheels will be toned down by blacking out the centers. Phil hopes to have his wicked bird done within the next year, and plans to log a lot of seat time once it hits the road.

'66 Satellite Like Father, Like DaughterJeff and Alyssa Kyle's '66 Satellite already looks better than most people's finished rides, but we're told it still has a way to go before it can be put into the done category. The pair has been wrenching on the car for over three years and their goal is to transform the Satellite into a fire-breathing GTX-inspired ride. The suspension has been totally rebuilt, and they've added front and rear sway bars to keep the big Mopar flatter in the curves. Four-wheel disc brakes will slow the ride in quick fashion. The powerplant is a 400 big-block, with a Holley 770, an Edelbrock Torquer intake, and massaged iron heads. Backing this up is a B&M-equipped 727 trans. Since the father/daughter pair plan on a few road trips, there's a 22-gallon fuel cell for extended range, and a custom interior for comfort. Rolling stock consists of 17-inch Eagle wheels wrapped in BFG rubber. Next up will be paint and bodywork, then Jeff and Alyssa can hit the road.