Harwood provided the front...
Harwood provided the front bumper and hood, which Gordon massaged to accommodate the eight-stack intake.
All of Gordon's builds feature Painless Performance Products and as he talked to the crew at Painless, they offered one of their new ECMs to handle engine management duties. The system came with a baseline program, but the Hilborn stacks and ProCharger required plenty of tuning and 72-pound MSD injectors to handle the fuel demands. "Even without the supercharger, this Hilborn system pushes a lot of air," Gordon says. "We went with the 72-pound injectors because when it gets to the top end, it's going to want all the fuel it can get, and it's better to go big than small with injectors."
The interior of the Chevelle is not Spartan, but it was designed for functionality over appearance and ostentatious gadgetry. A Vintage Air system moderates cabin temperature and a pair of Yonaka Ronin seats offers a solid balance of comfort and support. Aftermarket door panels necessitated power windows, and power door locks were added to eliminate the OEM push buttons. An ididit steering column with an antitheft key fob ID system allows the Chevelle to fire up without an ignition key.
The battery was relocated to the right rear corner of the trunk, offsetting weight and leaving the trunk wide open for One Lap supplies. The factory fuel tank was narrowed 2 inches, with flat sides added and two -10AN bungs installed on the bottom for the Weldon fuel pumps.
It was nonstop work, but Gordon finished the car in time for SEMA. Nevertheless, delays from some suppliers prevented him from accepting an invitation to the 2010 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. The plan of running the One Lap and OPTIMA event in 2011 is still in place, and we look forward to seeing the outcome!
By The Numbers
1972 Chevy Chevelle
Owner: Kiet Pham; Bend, Oregon
Builder: Gordon Aram of A-Team Racing
Total cost to build: $150,000
| ENGINE |
| Type: |
'04 LS1, 388 ci |
| Block: |
aluminum |
| Oiling: |
blueprinted Melling pump, Canton road race pan |
| Rotating assembly: |
Eagle steel crankshaft, Eagle ESP connecting rods, |
|
Smith Brothers pushrods, JE forged pistons |
| Cylinder heads: |
Diamond Racing 64cc chambers, ported, polished, and flowed |
| Camshaft: |
custom grind, 244 degrees at .050 inch, .568/.601-inch |
|
lift with 1.8:1 ratio Jessel shaft roller rockers |
| Valvetrain: |
Ferrea 2.02-/1.60-inch stainless valves, COMP Cams springs |
| Forced induction: |
Intercooled ProCharger F-1R, K&N filter, |
|
custom-fabricated Hilborn manifold |
| Ignition: |
MSD coils, Taylor 10.5mm wires, NGK plugs |
| Fuel system: |
Hilborn eight-stack fuel injection, controlled by 72-lb/hr |
|
MSD injectors, Weldon fuel pump |
| Exhaust: |
American Racing stainless steel headers with oxygen bungs and 3-inch |
|
collectors, Custom Exhaust Specialties 3-inch exhaust, |
|
Flowmaster mufflers |
| Cooling: |
VSS-activated Be Cool Direct-Fit 1000hp polished radiator, |
|
chrome fans, Be Cool antifreeze |
| Output: |
estimated 1,050 hp, 833 lb-ft of torque at 18 pounds boost |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Transmission: |
Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed, Hurst shifter |
| Clutch: |
McLeod Twin Disc |
| Driveshaft: |
3.5-inch chromoly |
| Rear axle: |
Moser 9-inch rearend, Randy's Ring & Pinion |
|
3.88:1 gears; 31-spline axles, Detroit Truetrac |
| CHASSIS |
| Front suspension: |
Schwartz chassis, spindles, upper and |
|
lower control arms, and splined |
|
swaybar. RideTech coilovers with 550-pound springs |
| Rear suspension: |
Schwartz chassis, splined swaybar, |
|
RideTech coilovers with 350-pound springs |
| Brakes: |
14-inch Baer brakes with six-piston |
|
Baer calipers on all four corners |
| WHEELS & TIRES |
| Wheels: |
Forgeline SP3P wheels, 19x8 front and 20x10 rear |
| Tires: |
Continental 255/35ZR19 front, 295/30ZR20 rear |