Trade show season in the automotive aftermarket always packs a few pleasant surprises. Just when you think things can't get any better, savvy manufacturers figure out a way to up the technological and performance ante. We were reminded of this once again at last winter's Performance Racing Industry show, while spending a few minutes chatting with engineers in the QA1 booth. The company's comprehensive catalog of top-notch adjustable shocks and coilover kits have made them a favorite with hot rodders, but it's raising the bar even higher. In addition to its wildly popular single- and double-adjustable dampeners, QA1 is rolling out a line of budget-priced, non-adjustable performance shocks as well as new adjustable struts.inline_mediumwraptextrightQA1's single-adjustable shocks adjust both compression and rebound valving in equal measure at the same time. They're intended for cars that see occasional competition duty, but spend most of their time on the street. By simply twisting the knob, users can choose between 12 different settings. We currently use QA1 Stocker Star single-adjustable shocks on Project Street Sweeper, PHR's '68 Chevelle project car.32549442/tech/1004phr_qa1_shocks_and_struts1004phr_01_o+qa1_non_adjustable_stocker_stars+shocks.jpgTrue

When NASA's space shuttle first went into service 30 years ago-yes, it's been that long-nobody ever intended it to be flying for three decades. To be sure, it's been upgraded, refurbished, and well maintained, but we've also lost half the fleet. The point here underscores the importance of regular care and upkeep on our antique hot rods. Even with the best loving care, it's easy for some very important items to slip between the cracks.

Unless you were lucky or smart enough to pick up a project with a clean coat of paint already on it, you will at some point find yourself at this juncture. Your smarter side says to find someone reputable to take over the project for this phase. Your more adventurous and sometimes self-destructive side tells you it can't be that hard, and that you can do it yourself. We found a happy middle ground for our '66 Mustang, known as Project Street Fighter. Cris Gonzalez, owner of JCG Restorations and Customs in Oxnard, California, opened his shop's doors to us to help teach us how to make it happen. He also lent us his best body man, Leo Alcarzar, for the duration of the project to guide us through the steps. We also got Primo Valdovinos, Cris' lead fabricator to do the rust repair, patch panels, and some welding to clean up the Mustang. Between Leo, Primo, and I, there are over 350 hours of prepping, sanding, filling, welding, taping, painting, and polishing that went into this project. If we were to hand the keys over to JCG and ask them to do all of the work from start to finish, it would be around $8,000. Nevertheless, the more work you can do yourself, the more money you will save, and that's what we were after. Above all else, the idea was to learn the necessary skills, and document them for you. Know that we aren't passing Project Street Fighter off as a low-buck car, but it's not by any means a show-only car either. The idea was to get as close to show quality as possible, while doing it on a real-guy budget-a goal many of you share with us.inline_mediumwraptextright26897606/tech/1003phr_1966_ford_mustang_project_street_fighter_paint_job1003phr_01_o+1966_ford_mustang_project_street_fighter_paint_job+front_right.jpgTrue

When the Gen III Chevy engine exploded on the scene just over 10 years ago, it seemed that it would take forever for the everyman to afford one of these technological marvels. And back then, if "Joe the plumber" got his hands on a takeout from a salvage yard it would require a computer genius, a cutting torch, a second mortgage, and a good divorce attorney to get one of the LS powerplants hopped up and in your ride. Those days, my friend, are over.inline_mediumwraptextright32295933/tech/1003phr_racing_engine_design_370_gen_iii_chevrolet_ls_engine1003phr_01_o+racing_engine_design_370_gen_iii_chevrolet_ls_engine+completed_engine.jpgTrue

Selecting the right torque converter is somewhat of a dark art-in fact, the typical hot rodder is more likely to get it wrong on the first try than right. Finding the right torque converter is like trying to hit a moving target; big variables like vehicle weight, the engine's power curve, and final gearing all have to be considered. Making things more difficult is the convention of identifying converters by their stall speed, a patently impossibly task, given that the stall speed is far more a function of the car's weight, power, and gearing than the converter's design. Identifying converters by their physical size (diameter) is a little easier, but not by much. In the end, there is no reliable formula for selecting a converter; it's largely a matter of finding the right manufacturer, and developing a rapport with them.inline_mediumwraptextright32318613/tech/1003phr_1975_chevrolet_laguna_torque_converter1003phr_01_o+1975_chevrolet_laguna_torque_converter+passenger_side_rear.jpgTrue

After installing a complete DSE tubular front and rear suspension kit on our '65 Olds Cutlass in the prior two issues, we stood in awe as the full-frame A-body tipped the scales at a surprisingly unsubstantial 3,408 pounds. The euphoria was short-lived, however, as the needle crept back up to 3,648 pounds after owner/photographer Robert McGaffin hopped into the driver seat. Furthermore, that number will only continue to climb after the Cutlass's 330ci mill is yanked for a 455 big-block in the future. With the DSE suspension now providing serious lateral grip, and a 500hp big-block in the works that's sure to crank out plenty of forward grunt, Project Olds now needs a big set of clamps in order to live up to its autocrossing aspirations.

With a mammoth 532ci big-block hanging on a cherry picker, and a teeny-tiny 3,000-pound Mustang waiting to get stuffed, the entire scene looks terribly wrong. Like trying to fit Albert Einstein's brain into Paris Hilton's head, the very notion that the squeeze-fest that's about to ensue is even feasible seems entirely preposterous. On paper, we know darn well that this particular swap will work, as hot rodders have been transplanting 460-based big-blocks into Fox-body Mustangs for many, many years. Nonetheless, considering that Ford's 385-series big-block originally came equipped in gargantuan land yachts like Torinos and Continentals-cars that weigh between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds more and measure 3 to 5 feet longer than the Fox-that knee-jerk skepticism is difficult to escape. Optical illusions aside, once the wrenches started turning, the big-block dropped in real nice using nothing but off-the-shelf hardware. Aspiring to shoehorn as big of a motor as possible into as small of a car as possible is what this hobby's all about. It feels dirty. It feels good, and in this instance it's remarkably easy to pull off.inline_mediumwraptextright28128853/tech/1003phr_1993_ford_mustang_engine_and_transmission_installation1003phr_01_o+1993_ford_mustang_engine_and_transmission_installation+front_engine.jpgTrue

First, there was Nitto's NT555R Extreme Drag radial, a ground-breaking DOT-approved tire for street and strip. It set new standards for street traction that many other companies have tried to duplicate. Then Nitto introduced the take-no-prisoners NT1320 drag slick, a full-on competition tire that aimed to set new traction and stability parameters for professional drag classes. Now on the heels of the NT05 Ultra High Performance summer tire, Nitto is releasing a companion drag radial with an aggressive compound. Not only does it offer more grip than the 555R Extreme Drag, but it is also a cosmetic match for the NT05, allowing enthusiasts to "dress" their vehicles correctly with similar appearing high-performance rubber front and rear.inline_mediumwraptextright26875010/tech/1003phr_1968_chevrolet_chevelle_nitto_nt05r_tires1003phr_01_o+1968_chevrolet_chevelle_nitto_nt05r_tires+burnout.jpgTrue

No matter how nice your engine, your paint, your rolling stock, or your drivetrain, your project car just isn't going to get props with a trashed interior and dry-rotted weatherstripping. Even if you don't care what others think, a trashy interior is neither comfortable, nor does it give you the sense of pride you want in your hot rod. Case in point: Our Laguna's interior had all the allure of the inside of a garbage dumpster when we got it. The list of health department violations encompassed (but was not limited to) completely worn-out carpet, hammered sill plates, incorrect and unsafe seats, split upholstery, and an undetermined sticky, smelly goo that covered all the touchpoints such as the steering wheel and gearshift knob.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe interior of our '75 Laguna project car has come a long way since we bought it. Getting this far cost just under $1,600-the majority of that going for Procar by Scat Rally 1000 seats, carpet and upholstery from OPG, weatherstripping from SoffSeal, and a Stewart Warner Performance tach.26492015/tech/1002phr_1975_chevy_laguna1002phr_02_o+1975_chevy_laguna+interior.jpgTrue

One of the most satisfying aspects of engine building is selecting the parts that go into the build, and coming up with a combination that is right on target for the intended application. When that new bullet is finally assembled and comes to life, it's kind of like final exam time-and the results are your report card. The actual goals for an engine are as varied as the intent of the builder, with success measured by an engine that performs to its potential, and does what it is supposed to do. It doesn't matter if the engine project is an 8,500-rpm drag racer, or a torque monster for you dump truck, it isn't going to make the grade unless the camshaft is the right type, and ground to the needed specifications.inline_mediumwraptextright26527790/tech/1002phr_all_about_camshafts1002phr_01_o+all_about_camshafts+block.jpgTrue

Since the beginning of the Engine Masters Challenge, the idea has been to find out who can build the baddest 91-octane pump-gas engine in the land-the operative concept being that PHR readers are far more interested in muscle that runs on the street and at sane rpm levels on standard fuel. This has brought out all kinds of combinations over the years, but nothing like we saw in 2009. With this most recent competition format, we allowed fuel injection, multiple carbs, solid roller cams, and an increase in max engine speed to 7,000 rpm.inline_mediumwraptextright27729226/tech/1002phr_muscle_car_engine_shootout1002phr_01_o+muscle_car_engine_shootout+headers.jpgTrue

The art of engineering, unfortunately, is often a compromise dictated by the lowest common denominator. How else can you explain the existence of Macintosh computers, Jitterbug cell phones, and TiVo? The factory suspension design of a typical muscle car is no different. In retrospect, while it may seem like Detroit engineers of the '60s were absolutely clueless, they knew exactly what they were doing. With rippling big-blocks, squirmy bias-ply tires, and four-speed sticks shocking the driveline with each powershift, saving drivers from their own incompetence took precedence over trying to set new lap records at the Nürburgring. Spindles that pointed toward the wrong end of the car (forward) and front tires that gained positive camber as the suspension compressed were common tricks used to ensure loads of easy-to-manage understeer at the expense of sharp handling. Our '65 Olds Cutlass project car is no exception, and to fix what the factory intentionally messed up, we decided to install a complete Detroit Speed and Engineering front suspension system.inline_mediumwraptextright26512694/tech/1002phr_1965_oldsmobile_cutlass1002phr_02_o+1965_oldsmobile_cutlass+project_olds.jpgTrue

As the adage goes, don't buy a $10 helmet unless you have a $10 head. Despite the sad state of the devalued U.S. dollar and the shameful popularity of shows like The View, most heads are still probably worth at least $11. Surely, safety equipment is something that should never be taken for granted, and nothing enhances survivability in a performance car more than a quality rollcage. A vicarious lifestyle of trying to dupe the tech inspector might seem cool when you're 17, but as any racer will tell you, walking out of the car under your own power is the number one priority. Going fast comes second. Besides, lifting after the eighth-mile marker-or getting booted off the track after just one pass-is as lame as it gets. So if you have the power and grip to warrant one, don't be a cheap, inglorious loser. Get a cage.inline_mediumwraptextright31935645/tech/1002phr_1993_ford_mustang_notchback1002phr_02_o+1993_ford_mustang_notchback+project_fox.jpgTrue

There are many paths to putting together a true high-performance street engine, but when starting from scratch, you'd better be ready to set aside plenty of time to go along with the money. As seasoned car guys, we've been down that road plenty of times, from rummaging the boneyards and swap meets looking for a suitable core, to tearing down the greasy mess and trucking it down to the machine shop. Still, it's a roll of the dice until an inspection gives the basic core components the nod, then it's a matter of gathering parts, machining, and waiting. Many guys will look to sidestep the entire process, instead looking toward the convenience of crate engines, however, the Dart SHP (Street High Performance) short-block offers yet another approach that is definitely worth a look.inline_mediumwraptextrightDart's SHP short-block allows the builder to fill out the details with parts to meet his exact needs. We built this one with a Dart top end, Holley carb, and a hydraulic roller COMP Thumpr cam to make 523 reliable horsepower.26340710/tech/1001phr_dart_short_block_motor1001phr_01_o+dart_short-block_motor+holley_carb.jpgTrue

Avid readers will recognize the name Robert McGaffin as PHR's photographer extraordinaire. Squashing the competition like Walmart in what's left of capitalist America, Robert's endless assignments have brought him face-to-face with the hottest muscle cars featured in this magazine in recent years. Eventually, he couldn't bear standing on the sidelines any longer, and had to get a project car of his own. That itch has materialized in the form of a '65 Olds Cutlass, and he's determined to transform it into a pylon-clipping autocross beast.inline_mediumwraptextrightDSE offers its Rear Speed Kits for both '64-67 and '65-72 GM A-bodies. Speed Kit 1 (PN: 041603; $960) includes upper and lower control arms and chassis braces, while Speed Kit 2 (PN: 041607; $1,770) adds springs, a sway bar, and Koni shocks. Project Olds was fitted with DSE's Speed Kit 3 (PN: 041611; $2,345), which includes everything in Speed Kit 2 plus a set of custom-valved DSE alumium coilovers.27476158/tech/1001phr_1965_oldsmobile_cutlass1001phr_01_o+1965_oldsmobile_cutlass+rear_kit.jpgTrue

In the May 2009 issue of PHR, we introduced you to our 408ci small-block Chevy that now resides in our '75 Laguna project car. Designed to maximize the limited real estate inside a standard 350 Chevy block, the magic 408-cube number was arrived at through careful selection of the right handpicked core block (of 1995 vintage), and rotating assembly (a 4-inch stroker kit from Scat with Mahle forged pistons, forged crank, and forged 6-inch rods with excellent bolt-head and rod-shoulder clearance). When combined with a .600-inch lift solid roller cam from COMP, AFR Comp Eliminator 210 heads (making 298 cfm of flow at .700-inch lift), Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap intake, and an AED-modified Holley 750 HP, the combo made an impressive 551 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm and 560 hp at 5,800 rpm.inline_mediumwraptextright31664139/tech/1001phr_1975_chevy_laguna1001phr_03_o+1975_chevy_laguna+nitto.jpgTrue

Last month, we built a 509ci solid-roller big-block Chevy, using the leftover block, crank, and oil pan from the 502 Ramjet crate motor out of Project X. We christened it the Pile Driver, because it pounded out 717 hp at 6,300 rpm and 651 lb-ft of torque at 5,100 rpm-all while sipping a diet of 91-octane pump gas. Those numbers are impressive, especially in light of the fact that we only spent $8,100 to build it, not including the parts from "X."inline_mediumwraptextright25817471/tech/0912phr_big_block_chevy0912phr_01_o+big-block_chevy+1971_chevelle.jpgTrue

Long before the first Pontiac automobile rolled off the assembly line in late 1926, the Pontiac Buggy Company, formed by Edward M. Murphy was selling horse-drawn buggies to giddy customers looking for that feeling of, well, 1 hp. As he looked toward the future, Murphy saw the horsedrawn buggy going the proverbial way of the buggy whip and created the Oakland Motor Car Company in 1907. A couple years later when GM acquired Oakland, they went through some serious growing pains, but emerged as a customer-savvy competitor for the popular Fords under the Pontiac banner. Unfortunately Murphy, true to the law sharing his name, was unable to bask in the success of his creation, having died unexpectedly the summer after joining the GM family.inline_mediumwraptextright26971705/tech/0912phr_dci_455_pontiac_engine0912phr_01_o+dci_455_pontiac_engine+headers.jpgTrue

For those of us old enough to remember '80s Reaganomics and learning about new math in school (what was the point of base 8 numbering anyhow?), our idea of tricking out a car used to be adding a set of Cherry Bombs and a Holley 750 double-pumper to the requisite '79 Camaro and promptly destroying a set of T/A Radials. A day or two has passed, and the LT1 F-bodies littering the Auto Trader have become the '79 Camaros of today. They're cheap, you can sort of work on them, and they still do great burnouts.inline_mediumwraptextright26968525/tech/0912phr_lt1_block_and_cams0912phr_01_o+lt1_block_and_cams+fedex.jpgTrue

Whether you dig the Pro-Touring movement, and its attendant propensity for big g-force turns or not, you will at some point need to turn the corner. Even drag racers need to turn, and if your tires don't mimic the directional input of the steering wheel, you, my friend, are in serious trouble. Virtually all muscle cars were equipped with recirculating ball and nut steering (sometimes called worm and sector). This type of steering box was almost universal in domestic cars through the 1980s; they're simple, they work, and their universal nature means they're compatible in cars of widely varying vintage (read: easy bolt-on).inline_mediumwraptextright31137477/tech/0912phr_1975_chevy_laguna0912phr_02_o+1975_chevy_laguna+front.jpgTrue

Just about any engine builder, whether a pro or a backyard hobbyist, looks at the completion of the short-block as a milestone in a performance engine build. Getting to this point in the process generally means that the grunt work is done, and the build shifts to dressing out the rest of the engine with a selection of high-performance parts. Getting over the hurdle of a completed short-block is almost always time consuming and sometimes frustrating. You might start by finding a good core, and unless you own a machine shop, the search will begin for a competent machinist who can do the work on time and at a fair price. All of the internal rotating assembly components must be reconditioned or sourced new, with everything sized and compatible with the rest of the parts going into the bottom end. With plenty of running around, phone time, and good planning, at the end you will have everything machined, balanced, and ready to assemble.inline_mediumwraptextrightDart's SHP short-block helps you take several big steps forward on the way to a high-performance engine build. We ordered one up in a 400ci version, with all the goodies needed to make reliable power.31135587/tech/0912phr_dart_short_block_crate_motor0912phr_01_o+dart_short_block_crate_motor+400ci.jpgTrue

A pile driver is a mechanical device that smashes the earth with tremendous force, and the term is a fitting description of this 509ci street big-block Chevrolet unleashed by Outlaw Racing's Andy Mitchell. As our story goes, we had a 502 Chevy Ramjet engine liberated from Popular Hot Rodding's Project X, a fine engine combination from General Motors, replaced by an all-aluminum 427 in the latest incarnation of our heroic project car. We found ourselves in the enviable situation of having Project X completely renovated by the crew at GM with an all-new mill, while the old engine was hanging from a hook waiting for whatever our collective imaginations might conjure.

Ford Racing has been producing 351ci Windsor-based blocks for years, but when it came time to start fresh with all-new tooling, they decided to make some major changes. In 2006, Ford Racing started manufacturing the new Boss 302 block. The original Boss 302 and Boss 351 found in Mustangs in the late '60s and early '70s both had Cleveland-style canted-valve heads and were both small-blocks, however, the original Boss 302 used a 302 block with a Windsor architecture. The original Boss 351 used a Cleveland-style block that had many differences from its Windsor cousin. Ford Racing's new Boss 351 is based off of traditional Windsor architecture. Aside from small differences like the china wall, distributor, and main journal size, the most obvious difference between any 302 and 351 is the deck height, 8.2 and 9.5 inches respectively in stock applications. The 9.2-inch deck height became common in racing to get the center of gravity lower and still have a fair rod/stroke ratio. When designing what would become the new Boss 351 block, Ford Racing incorporated many of the successful qualities from the Boss 302 and their previous 351 blocks.

When brothers Dale and Glenn Robinson decided to take up the gauntlet and enter the 2008 Engine Masters Challenge, they knew they needed every advantage they could get. They had to know all of the rules inside and out, and create a combination that could wow the crowd and still stay within budget. Their approach to building this little 307-based Olds mirrored their team name, Robinson Analytical.

In Stock Car racing, every last fraction of a horsepower matters-and that's why you see an X-pipe from Dr. Gas on every single Cup car in NASCAR. Although the exact science of why they work isn't fully understood, we do know this much: When any given exhaust pulse arrives at the "X" juncture, the pulse expands along both available paths. In doing so, a negative pressure wave travels back to the exhaust port, which aides in exhaust scavenging. Balance pipes, sometimes called "H" pipes, function similarly, however, the effect is diminished due to the balance pipe's smaller diameter and the added bends the gas flow is subject to.