The Camaros are out and need more parts!

Strengthen the floor pan and drive shaft tunnel in your 5th Gen Camaro with a Driveshaft Tunnel Brace from BMR Fabrication.  Constructed from 1” x 2” x .083 wall rectangular steel and 3/16” CNC laser cut steel plates, these braces replace the factory stamped steel design.  The BMR Driveshaft Tunnel Brace (DTB004) uses factory mounting holes while increasing the rigidity of the tunnel in the critical area where the driveshaft carrier bearing is located.  When used with the BMR Sub Frame Connectors, the Driveshaft Tunnel Brace ties the driver side and the passenger side together into a sturdy cross-brace.  Installation time is less than 1 hour.  Available in black hammertone or red powdercoat finishes.

Source:
BMRFabrication.com

If you’re not familiar with the Engine Masters Challenge, here’s a quick primer.

 For regular PHR readers, the annual Engine Masters Challenge needs no introduction. For the last nine years, our yearly dyno duel for pump-gas engines has been a staple for our readers and vendors. Although the rules have changed and evolved over the years, the concept is a simple one: find the engine with the most power and torque over a useable rpm range.

The idea began as a way to bring the best that race engine builders had to offer, to the world of street engines—the same street engines that our readers own, or would like to own. And while the smaller details have varied, the one thing that has remained a constant is that all engines are run on 91-octane pump gas, and are evaluated in street oriented rpm range—most often 2,500 – 6,500 rpm.

The competition currently takes place over a five-day period at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, OH. Their two DTS dynos are calibrated, then run back-to-back for four days of qualifying, followed by a finals round on the fifth day. The ten months leading up to the challenge, our competitors are examining the rules, selecting their combinations, and building them in conjunction with a rigorous testing program. By the time the September EMC competition rolls around, they are chomping at the bit to open those throttles wide!

The rules traditionally vary each year, in an attempt to keep the competition fresh, and to bring forth new technology our readers may be interested in. During the brief period when the rules are being formulated for the following year’s competition, the PHR staff weighs the options for maximum benefit, giving consideration to our engine builders, readers, and vendors. The ultimate goal is to push the technology and performance of street-oriented engines to new levels, all while using commonly available components.

Competitors are chosen for each year’s competition by the PHR staff, and their selections take into consideration the competitor’s prior performance in the competition, the degree to which we feel that entry would interest readers, and the novelty or variety of the planned builds. Competitors may be professional engine builders or amateurs. In many instances, a competitor’s combination may be chosen with the intent to feature those engines with a full story write-up.

If you’re wondering how we level the playing field when engines of different displacements are competing, the answer is simple: our scores are derived from the average horsepower and torque from three consecutive dyno pulls. The averages are added together, multiplied by 1,000, then divided by the claimed cubic inches. This evaluates the engine’s output per cubic inch within the test range of the competition (usually 2,500 – 6,500 rpm).

At the end of the four-day qualifying session, the top six qualifiers are run in a final competition under the same criteria—all on the same dyno. The excitement for the engine builders culminates in the final run of the day, after which the six finalists’ scores are flashed up on the screen for all to see. The engine builder with the top score is declared the Engine Master, and wears that crown until the next year’s competition!  

Phoenix’s new high-efficiency torque converter for GM overdrives will give you the best of both worlds.

We’ve been fine-tuning our ’75 Laguna project car over the last few months, and one of the things we did was change our Phoenix Transmission Products torque converter from one with a 245mm shell to one with a 258mm shell. This larger diameter helped us lower our stall speed, and it did so without sacrificing torque multiplication. In fact, in back-to-back chassis dyno tests, we gained 78 hp at the rear tires, and the converter (part number PTGM18/258HS, $589.92) was our only change.   

According to Phoenix, this converter has a flash stall speed of up to 3,200 rpm, but drives like a much tighter converter. In fact, you may not even notice you have a high-stall converter until you nail the throttle. This converter combines a 10-inch, fully furnace-brazed bowl and turbine, hardened splines and drive hub, and anti-ballooning technology. It has a full-sized 298MM heavy-duty clutch assembly and damper for solid, reliable lock-up durability. If you want all the performance of a high-stall converter, but still require the low-speed driveability of a low-stall converter, then this is the converter you’ve been looking for. Fits all TH-700R4 and ‘93-98-model 4L60E without removeable bellhousing.

Look for the complete story and dyno test in of this Phoenix converter the March 2010 issue of PHR.

Source:
Phoenix Transmission Products
817-599-7680
www.phoenixtrans.com

 New Brace for 1967-69 F-Bodies Eliminates Flex,
Improves Handling & Control

•    Extensively tested on the street and track for absolute performance

•    CAD designed and manufactured for superior fit and finish
•    Rigidly connects the upper a-arm mounts to the firewall and cowl, dramatically reducing sub-frame chassis flex during hard cornering, acceleration and braking
•    Easy to bolt-on, installation hardware included

Take a long look at a modern Stock Car, a 1960s F1 car, and NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car or a 3,000 year old Egyptian pyramid and you'll notice one similarity: lots of triangles. The triangle is the strongest shape in nature, so when a group of hardcore autocross racers asked Hotchkis to come up with a way to eliminate subframe flex in their First Gen Camaros, they looked to the past to define the future. The result: Hotchkis Chassis Max Handle Bars, the first tubular front suspension brace that triangulates the upper control arm pickup points to each other and the firewall for incredible rigidity, consistent driver control and handling.

First generation Camaros and Firebirds use a bolt-on style subframe that can twist and flex during hard cornering, altering suspension alignment and altering the tire contact patch, creating unpredictable handling at the limit. This problem is amplified in pro-touring style cars with sticky modern tires and high-power engines. To eliminate flex, Hotchkis to developed the Handle Bar system to tie the upper control arms to each other and then triangulate them to the firewall for maximum subframe strength and rigidity. The result is more consistent response, increased handling, and improved driver control that makes the most of any high performance suspension.

Handle Bars are CAD designed and built out of high-strength steel tubing, CNC bent brackets and laser cut gussets for easy installation and a perfect fit. All necessary hardware is included, and Handle Bars are available with a durable gloss anthracite powdercoat finish or in raw steel for those that wish to color-match their engine bay.

About Hotchkis Performance
Founded by former professional racecar driver John Hotchkis, Hotchkis Performance was one of the first to design and track test performance suspension for muscle cars. Nearly two decades later, John and the Hotchkis team remain dedicated to high-quality, track-tested, suspension that is Made in the USA with domestic materials. Dare to Compare: Hotchkis offers complete bolt-on systems that are designed in-house and rigorously street/track tested for maximum performance, strength and value. Each system is tuned for high performance handling, a sporty yet comfortable ride and improved traction on the street and track. Don't settle for pieced-together systems or foreign sourced parts. The Hotchkis Philosophy is simple: Buy it once, bolt it on, and have fun!

Source:
Hotchkis.net

Introducing the latest fashion fad in the fake sport compact world: the race hook.

Last time I visited the drag strip—California Speedway in Fontana—I noticed a trend among the import racers of bolting racing tow hooks on their street cars. I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, but I sure saw the irony in it. If ever there was a group of cars that needed an easy-access tow hook, it’s this one, and not for the usual reasons either.

When is the silliness going to end? First there was window tint and shopping cart wings. Then they added fart pipes and decals. Body kits took the ridiculous look to new heights. When things progressed to fake blow-off valves and turbo whistlers in the exhaust pipe—I just about split my side open from laughing so hard. And now—ta da!—racing tow hooks. Front AND back.

These things were everywhere in the Fontana pits. The idea here is that you’re supposed to think that cars with these tow hooks are so fast, they’re real race cars. What will they think of next? Fake nitrous purge kits? Built-in pneumatic jacks? Thankfully, we live in a corner of the hobby where legitimacy still rules.

 BMR Fabrication Lower Control Arms for the 3rd and 4th Generation F-Body

 

Eliminate wheel hop and add adjustability in your 3rd or 4th Gen F-Body with a set of Lower Control Arms from BMR Fabrication.  These Lower Control Arms feature on-car adjustability, polyurethane bushings on one side, and a rod end on the other side. They are manufactured from heavy wall 1.5” DOM steel tubing and assembled with CNC machined ¾” chrome moly double adjusters.  The BMR On-Car Adjustable Lower Control Arms (TCA004) utilize an internally fluted, greaseable, low-deflection polyurethane bushing on one side and a heavy duty chrome moly ¾” XR series QA1 rod end on the other side.  This design allows bind-free rear end articulation without compromising sound or ride quality while also allowing on-car length adjustability.  Installation time is only 1 hour.  Availab

le in black hammertone or red powdercoat.


To preview all of BMR’s high-performance suspension parts, please visit www.bmrfabrication.com, email sales@bmrfabrication.com, or contact them at BMR Fabrication, 12581 US Highway 301 North, Thonotosassa, FL 33592, 813-986-9302, Fax: 813-986-8055.

The story of Buddy Whittington’s 1971 Challenger is absolutely incredible.

I recently was sent a link to an incredible story about a stolen car. What makes it interesting is that this 1971 Challenger was stolen nearly 28 years ago from Buddy Whittington’s grandfather. A version of this story appeared on the V8Buick.com message forum, so I don’t know the original source, or even if it’s true, but it’s worth a look.

Apparently, the Challenger was in storage when it was stolen in 1982. It passed through a series of owners (eight in all), and was given a different body tag at one point to throw law enforcement off the trail. Over the years, Buddy Whittington (the original owner’s grandson) kept a watchful eye, and when he got his first computer in 1998, began looking in earnest over the internet.

The tale goes through all kinds of interesting twists, with FBI investigations, taped phone conversations, extortion threats, shady experts, lost records, and stonewalling from authorities. Finally, all Whittington’s work came to fruition, and the car was recently returned to him.

Check out the link below, and try to keep from shaking your head!


http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=192476

 This is the third time I have atteneded this party and it never fails to impress me!

The coolest thing at this party was the Maketa booth

Kicker’s Eighth Big Air Bash Fires Up Las Vegas!
Put the sickest cars, fly action-sports athletes, outrageous stunts and a ridiculous sideshow atmosphere with the insane backdrop of the Palms Casino Resort, and you’ve got the hottest ticket in Las Vegas on any Wednesday night.

Kickers’s Big Air Bash 8 left a raucous crowd of thousands an idea of what Livin’ Loud is all about, providing a mid-week diversion for attendees of the annual SEMA Show and entertainment for many others who were just along for the ride.

The production was flawless, and showgoers enjoyed death-defying demos by Kicker-sponsored freestyle moto riders, freestyle quad mercenaries The Bomb Squad, the popular mini-moto race with frequent pileups, 70 mile-per-hour RC cars, music by DJ Impulse, and everything else that makes the Bash the party to attend during the SEMA Show.

The Kicker XRV rig greeted long lines at the gate, and fans soon found the nearby interactive Xbox 360 gaming area offering head-to-head Halo 3. The 53-foot Makita Experience More trailer was on hand with tool demos and giveaways, Oakley’s Rolling O Labs, the Silver Mullet vintage Airstream trailer, Toyota Photo Booth/Car, the Monster Energy triple-decker party platform carrying its own DJ – and then dozens of demo rides from open-wheel racer Paul Tracy, skater-boy Ryan Sheckler, TORC Series off-road racers Rockstar Makita LeDuc Racing, Kicker’s own install team and others made it an event one won’t soon forget.

Celebs also roamed the lot – announcers Erin Bates, Malcolm McCassey, and Adam Portue, Sheckler, snowboarders Chanelle Sladics, Grete Eliassen, and Aaron Biittner, MTV show-host/BMX legend TJ Lavin, rockcrawler Nicole Johnson, Team USA athletes Donny Robinson (BMX Olympic medalist) and Ivan Radcliff (bobsled), BMX’er Chad Kagy, auto fabricator and TV star Jessi Combs, and TV auto-enthusiast spokesperson Courtney Hansen.

Also pounding the Bash pavement were motorcycle artist icon Dave Perewitz, Chip Foose, Robby Gordon, offroad racer Travis Coyne, blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and daredevil entertainers Cowboy Kenny Bartram, Mike Mason, Cody Elkins, Tommy Clowers, the Bomb Squad and several others.
Kickerperformance audio systems, a division of Stillwater Designs and Audio, Inc.®, are available for the mobile and home audio aftermarket at authorized dealers worldwide, and also through selected Original Equipment Manufacturers. Consumers needing more information on Kicker or Livin’ Loud® may call the Consumer Information Line at 1-800-256-5425 or visit the brand Web site at www.kicker.com. Follow Kicker at Facebook.com/kickeraudio and twitter.com/kickeraudio.

 This is one of the coolest new products I saw at SEMA this year!

 These shocks can switch between valvings with the push of a button.

They had a demo frame hooked up with their air springs and these shocks. At the tail end you can jump on the frame simulating bumps down the road and the car reacts by bouncing with your momentum. When you press the button on the control panel, the shocks seem to 'lock up' and keep the car from reacting to your jumping. The display was made to exagerate the effects, but imagine having a setting for the trip to the track, then another for on the track. This would help make the car more comfortable for long trips without sacraficing control and performance in racing conditions.

I can't wait to see this on the streets!

Source:
RideTech.com (formally Air Ride)

GM is boasting it will pay back what it owes taxpayers early, but is it really good news?

I’ve got three Chevys in my driveway, but when I read today’s Associated Press item that GM planned to repay its Federal bailout money early, I wasn’t very proud of GM at that moment. The deal is that GM owes us taxpayers $6.7 billion, and they plan to make an early down payment on that debt—$1.2 billion—in December. Nice, you say, until you read that they’re paying it out of a $16.4 billion emergency contingency fund set up by the federal government. In other words, they’re repaying our money with more of our money. John McCain’s spokeswoman, Brooke Buchanan, said it best in the AP piece when she was quoted: “What is the logic in repaying government loans with taxpayer dollars?"

The real problem I have with this publicity stunt is that it’s designed to make the public think that GM is finally on stable ground. By saying they’ll be repaying the $6.7 billion debt years early (which by the way, we actually gave them $52 billion in federal aid), they get to score a public relations victory. We all walk away from the table, thinking the problem is solved. In actuality, GM LOST $1.2 billion in the third quarter of 2009, while Ford posted a $1 billion profit. (Chrysler broke even.) Public relations be damned, I’m calling BS on GM. You won’t get any new car dollars out of me until you fix the problem for real.

This digital valve spring tester can be used with the engine still in the car, simplifying diagnostics for the DIY hot rodder.

Thanks to Proform’s new digital valve spring tester, you can check the valve spring pressure of your cylinder heads with the heads bolted to the block. This cool tool from the Proform Parts tool crib will save you time and money, removing the aggravation of tearing apart your top end. This adjustable digital valve spring pressure tester (part No. 67601) is available with digital readout pressure capacities from zero to 600 pounds.

Proform says the base of the tool can be adjusted to fit all common aluminum rocker lengths and offsets. The digital gauge displays pressure in five-pound increments with peak hold and backlighting features. This looks like a tough tool, made from billet aluminum with a knurled handle area for a positive grip. Black anodizing protects the surface, with the bright readout powered by a single nine-volt battery.

Source:
Proform
586-774-2500
www.proformparts.com

Finally a online catalog that is easy to use.

I went on National Parts Depot's website to check out some parts for my Mustang and I was really pleased with how easy the website was to use. I have looked for parts online before and had really bad luck with some of the other websites out there.

The search function works great. Somehow, on other sites, I can enter "Camaro door" and get NO results! Aside from the great search function, the page views are just like the catalog. You can click and zoom in on any part of the page for more information. The shopping list view is helpful too when keeping track of your favorites.

Check it out for yourself!
NationalPartsDepot.com

Having the right torque converter can make a big difference on the track and on the dyno. Here’s what we discovered.

If you’ve had the chance to check out the new January issue, you saw that we finally got our Laguna project car tuned on the chassis dyno at Westech Performance Group. Our 560hp 408-ci small-blockshowed just 363 horsepower to the wheels, and we suspected it was more than just due to Westech’s stingy SuperFlow chassis dyno. Earlier this week, we swapped out our smaller, high-stall converter for a larger-diameter converter with a lower stall speed. We took the Laguna back to the same chassis dyno and picked up a whopping 78 horsepower at the wheels. The final tally is now 441 horsepower at the tire.

Just to be clear, this is not a matter of one converter being “better,” but being rather more appropriate to the combination. Both were prepared with the same exacting quality standards that Phoenix Transmission Products applies to all its converters. Things like anti-ballooning plates, brazed turbine and impeller fins, hardened stator support, and high-performance stators are common to both. The difference is that a converter needs to be tuned for a specific engine output, and vehicle weight. We missed the mark initially, and realized it when our stall speed was higher than we expected. With these encouraging results, we now think it’s possible to put our Laguna into the 11-second range—or get it darned close. Look for a full report in the March issue.

Source:
Phoenix Transmission Products
817-599-7680
www.phoenixtrans.com

 You need more than just Park to keep your car put.

A friend told me a story about his car that I felt compelled to share so the same mistake isn't repeated.

My friend, let's call him Fred, was loading his car up on his trailer after a car show. He got the car on the trailer and put the car in park while he walked behind it to collect the ramps. Just as he was setting up to strap the car in, he noticed his friend, lets call him Bob, circling around for a parking spot. The street they were on was pretty busy and the only empty spaces were in front of and behind Fred's trailer. Fred offered to move the truck up so Bob could park. During the five feet the truck was idling forward to clear space for Bob, the car managed to pop out of park, and slide off the back of the trailer.

The only thing that kept the car from being totaled, is that it hit the front of the car parked behind him, luckily a friend of his.

So the lesson is, never move your truck, car, or trailer for a friend. No, just kidding, always strap your car down before moving it. At least chock the wheels until you can get to your straps.

This new budget aluminum small-block head from EQ promises to set a higher bar for affordable performance.

If our prior experience with EQ cylinder heads is any indication, then EQ’s new aluminum cylinder head, simply dubbed the AC200BS, will be a grand slam home run. Two years ago, we built a Vortec-based 350 using EQ’s cast-iron heads. The total bill, including the core engine, was about $3,400, and we pulled out 448 flywheel horsepower on 91 octane pump gas. The guys at EQ have been at it again, and they’ve got an improved aluminum version for standard small-blocks. Unlike their previous cylinder heads, the new AC200BS (and their cast-iron CH350 head) are now available assembled as an option. The bare castings are $449, or $539 assembled (suggested retail). Actual street price will probably be less.

Specs on the lightweight head: 197cc intake runners, 65cc combustion chambers, 2.02/1.60-inch valves, straight plug, phosphor bronze guides, and up to 500 hp out of the box. Using a 9.5:1 ZZ4-based 350 engine and a dual-plane intake (our supplied specs were a little hazy), these heads have made 411 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque on pump gas. Intake flow as measured by Shaver Specialty Engines peaked at 231 cfm at .500-inch lift. We’d like to get our hands on a set of these heads for a budget build, so stay tuned.

For more information, contact EQ at 800-426-8771, or log onto www.enginequest.com.

Without giving away too much...

Here's what the Mustang looked like today!

Anyone who's been involved with a paint project knows that prep is the most important part of the process.

 Today we prepped the car for the second color, and getting the tape line just right wasn't easy but we managed to get it just perfect! The second color goes on soon! Stay tuned!

Source:
JCG Restoration
www.JCGrestorationandcustoms.com

More Camaros that you even want to see.

I just got back from Las Vegas' SEMA show. For those of you who don't know, it's a gathering of manufactures, buyers, media, and, builders checking out what's new and what's cool in the industry.

This year the hot topic was the 2010 Camaro. If you didn't see any Camaros last week, it's because they were all at SEMA :)

Here are a couple of the Camaros I liked at the show.

If you’re looking for an original car radio for your vintage muscle car, you need to give Charles Vesser a call.

I can already tell that I’m going to love my new ’68 Nova project. I’m learning a ton about it every day and the excitement grows with every new discovery. I knew right off the bat that ’68 Chevys are oddballs, the Nova included. The dash is a one-year-only affair, and so is the radio, of which my car is devoid of. Since all my other projects don’t have radios, I thought it would be nice to have the option to hear a little music and get the traffic and news reports for my hellacious commute. I figured that plenty of people would make reproduction radios, but when I looked, all I found were cheesy ‘80s-era aftermarket jobs. Then I stumbled onto a business run by car nut and all-around good guy, Charles Vesser. Vesser, a retired car dealer, lives in Knoxville, TN, where he combines his love of old cars with a great side business. He combs salvage yards for old cars, buys the radios and associated parts, cleans and refurbishes them, then sells than after he’s tested them.

I called Charles in my quest for a ’68 Nova radio, and not only did he have one, but he knew every wire, harness, bracket, clip, knob, and oddity of my ’68 Nova. It turns out that the knobs are also unique among ’68 Chevys, and the Nova’s are only shared with the Corvette. Who knew? I was really drawn in by Charles—he’s got a natural curiosity about classics, and he’s excited to share his knowledge with you. I was really lucky to stumble into Charles, and can say it’s been great dealing with him on my Nova. Charles also carries many other radios for Fords and Mopars, and he knows them up and down too. If you need a real, original radio for your classic or muscle car, you owe it to yourself to call Charles Vesser. He’ll be glad to talk with you, and I guarantee you’ll learn something too.  To reach Charles, call 865-690-9217, email him at cvesser@esper.com, or log onto http://radioattic.com/attic.htm?sellerId=83

Before we dive into our 1968 Nova project, we’ll probably need to tackle the interior rehab first.

Last week, I told you that we had bought a new project car, a relatively rust-free 1968 Nova. The $5k purchase price included a fairly healthy 350 small-block, a shift-kitted Turbo 400 trans, some non-descript headers, an Edelbrock Performer intake and carb, and a sweet-sounding Flowmaster exhaust system. The purchase price did not include an interior though.

You can see from the photo that when I say it had no interior, that’s pretty close to absolute. Other than front and rear bench seats, it’s all sheet metal from top to bottom. It’s incredibly uncomfortable to drive. You can’t put your arm on the door, or your elbow on the arm rest—there’s just no way to get comfortable. It’s kind of like driving around in a cheese grater.

While we’re still deciding what direction to take this thing, one thing is certain—we need to take remedial action with the cockpit, and soon. The nice thing about ’68-72 Novas is that many companies sell interior goods for them. I’m already getting together a Christmas “wish list.” Some of the key interior pieces we need are the dash pad, carpet, seat covers, door panels, arm rests, headliner, visors, sail panels, window cranks, weatherstripping, sill plates, fasteners, steering wheel, seatbelts, dome light, window felts, inner glove box, floor mats, package tray, radio, rear side panels, and a whole lot of other small trim items. Just thumbing through the catalogs, it looks like getting the entire interior finished is going to run somewhere around $2,500. If that was a paint job, it would be a huge chunk to bite off at once, but because you can do the interior piecemeal a few parts at a time, it’s not so insurmountable.  It’s also easy to do at home—unlike a paint job. We’ll be looking at the various vendors to figure out a game plan soon.

In the meantime, let us know what you think we should do with The Fridge!

This Challenger built by the Mopar Design Team started out with the Mopar Drag Pak option which is essentially a stripped down, light weight version of the Challenger designed for drag racing.

The car features an all-aluminum 426 cubic inch Mopar Hemi V-8 crate engine, making 556 Horsepower. The engine has custom designed Mopar valve covers and Long tube headers and a Corsa Exhaust. Power heads to the rear wheels through a factory 6-speed manual transmission, and a Dynatrec rear end with Dana 60 internals with an ARB locking differential.

The Mopar police wheels which were widened in the rear to fit the Mickey Thompson street-legal drag radials. All four corners have the Mopar optional fully adjustable coil-over kit to improve handling. The exterior features carbon fiber hood, front spoiler, and grille panel. The interior is a bare bones affair, with Dodge Viper seats, Hurst shifter, and the rear seat, center console, and radio are removed to reduce weight.

Remember the hood hinges I put on project Street Fighter Mustang?

Fesler Billet has Made Some Changes
Effective November 1, 2009
 
 
Hood hinge prices have dropped!!
Yep, that's right!! Fesler Billet has dropped the prices of our popular hood hinges. With this new change our hood hinges will now come standard with black carbon steel struts. The stainless steel gas lift supports will be available for an additional $75 (shown). Below is a list of the hinges we currently carry with the new natural finish price as well as the new polished, brushed, clear or black anodized price which $100 more. Chrome is available for an additional $200 on top of natural retail price.

Prices are effective November 1, 2009
 

Chevrolet                                                                                                 
Belair/210/150/Nomad 1955-1956 Bel Air - FBH-508 - $690.00 /$790.00
Camaro                                                                                                            
1967-1969 Camaro     - FBH-1309 - $620.00 /$720.00
1970-1981 Camaro     - FBH-407 - $680.00 /$780.00
Chevelle   
1964 Chevelle             - FBH-908 - $700.00 /$800.00
1965-1967 Chevelle    - FBH-1309 - $620.00 /$720.00
1968 Chevelle             - FBH-808 - $680.00 /$780.00
1969-1972 Chevelle    -FBH-708 - $680.00 /$780.00
Impala                                                                                             
1963-1964 Impala     - FBH-908 - $700.00 /$800.00
1965-1967 Impala     - FBH-1309 -$620.00 /$720.00
1968 Impala              - FBH-808 - $680.00 /$780.00
1970 Impala              - FBH-708 - $680.00 /$780.00
Nova                                                                                                                
1963-1965 Nova       - FBH-908 - $700.00 /$800.00
1966-1967 Nova       - FBH-1309 - $620.00 /$720.00
1968-1979 Nova       - FBH-808 - $680.00 /$780.00
Dodge
Charger                                                                                
1966-1970 Charger - FBH-1008 - $620.00 /$720.00
Coronet                                                                                                           
1967-1970 Coronet - FBH-1008 - $620.00 /$720.00
GTX                                                                                                                   
1966-1970 GTX       - FBH-1008 -$ 620.00 /$720.00
Superbee                                                                                                       
1968-1970 Superbee - FBH-1008 - $620.00 /$720.00
Ford
Comet                                                                                                     
1964-165 Comet        - FBH-307 - $620.00 /$720.00
Fairlane                                                                                                           
1963-1965 Fairlane   - FBH-307 - $620.00 /$720.00
Falcon                                                                                                              
1964-1965 Falcon     - FBH-307 - $620.00 /$720.00
Mustang                                                                                                          
1964.5-1965 Mustang - FBH-307 - $620.00 /$720.00
Plymouth
Roadrunner
1968-1970 Roadrunner - FBH-1008 - $620.00 /$720.00
Pontiac
Firebird                                                                                                           
1967-1969 Firebird      - FBH-1309 - $620.00 /$720.00
1970-1981 Firebird      - FBH-407 - $680.00 /$780.00
GTO                                                                                                                  
1964-1967 GTO           - FBH-908 - $700.00 /$800.00
Ventura                                                                                                           
1971-1977 Ventura     - FBH-808 - $680.00 /$780.00

More Changes......   
Chrome will now be an additional option for most of our billet aluminum parts!

Source:
www.feslerbillet.com

 The next fastest street car ever.

Update provided by Denny Terzich:

ProRides 1969 Camaro is coming together with every effort of our team and will hopefully not disappoint anyone. Steve Roth, fabricator and driver, has it in his garage and fabricating as we speak. However, we have to regretfully move back it's debut at SEMA because of the amount of work that we have left and also some small hurdles we encountered. When we received the car back to our shop, we realized that there was more work that needed to be done than originally planned and could not accomplish it in only 3 weeks. We also have not been able to mount the ProCharger with a SuperCharger Store brackets that will clear the frame. This is pivotal in mounting the radiator, inner cooler, and many others items in the engine compartment. After talking to several companies involved, we all agreed that we could not slap together a semi-completed project and send it to SEMA. There is so much excitement and expectations on this build that we did not want to jeopardize its momentum. We will be working diligently on getting the rest of the parts from the last few companies and then completing the fabrication as soon as possible. The good news is that Gear Vendors has already booked "Project Sick Seconds" for next years SEMA show. So it will be on display with them next year!
 
Gear Vendors booth will now be filled with Jay Leno's Bentley Speed Six and also Dave Ahokus's Drag Week 1941 Willy's that ran 7 second ET's with a 700 inch Sonny motor. Check them out at this years show. (See attached pictures)

 
We will keep you updated on "Project Sick Seconds" and will also need pictures of everyone's parts being manufactured for the BuildBook. www.buildbookusa.com

 

 
Denny Terzich
ProRides
www.goprorides.com

 Nitto Tire releases all new drag racing specific radial

Cypress, Calif., October 26, 2009 – Nitto Tire announces the release of its all-new D.O.T.-compliant competition drag radial, the NT05R™. The NT05R is Nitto’s most aggressive drag radial designed for competition use. The NT05R will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2010.

Nitto’s top priority during the development of the tire was to maximize traction. To achieve this, Nitto engineered an all-new specialized race compound and a large contact patch. The dual-purpose sidewall construction is enhanced for traction during launch as well as straight-line stability at the top-end. This improves consistency and controllability throughout the entire pass.

The NT05 will be available in popular 17- to 20-inch rim diameters designed for high-performance drag racing vehicles. Included in the size lineup is a P345/30R19, which is the world’s first 19-inch drag radial. Sizes will be released throughout 2010.

Source:
www.nittotire.com

www.nittotire.com

We needed help for our Laguna project, and reader Steve Yoder came through with an important piece of the puzzle.

We needed help for our Laguna project, and reader Steve Yoder came through with an important piece of the puzzle.

You may have seen Steve Yoder’s ’76 Laguna on the cover of our December 2009 issue—in short, he’s a Laguna nut. While I was visiting Steve on my trip to the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, Steve happened to mention he had a bunch of parts for Lagunas. He collects not only whole cars, but parts, and Laguna memorabilia from the ‘70s. When it was time to fix up the interior of our ’75 Laguna project, I remembered that Steve had some parts cars lying around, and called him. We needed a dash pad to send to Just Dashes for restoration, and I hadn’t been able to find one on eBay.

Steve mentioned he knew where one was, and offered to go out and get it for me. I gladly accepted Steve’s generous offer, and now it’s sitting at Just Dashes, awaiting a complete restoration. Steve frequently has Laguna pieces for sale on eBay, and I can vouch for his sizable collection of stuff. Besides the dash and dash pad, I also got a shifter bezel for the console, a shift knob retaining circlip, a visor hinge, and some small, but very important odds and ends. Besides Steve’s help, Dr. Larry Belcher of Deland, FL has also helped out with some important stuff, like an ashtray, an instrument panel bezel, and a glove box door.

When you’re dealing with a rare car and hard-to-find parts, it helps to get hooked into the network. In our case, it’s for Laguna stuff, but every oddball car has a hardcore fan base. I’ve found that it really pays to work with those connections. It can make the difference between a half-baked project, and something really nice.

Jammin' time!

After almost 200 hours of body work, patching, shaping, filling, and sanding, we're ready to lay some paint.

Last month I took the Mustang to JCG Restoration in Oxnard, CA, to start the paint and body project. I've done all the work on the Camaro, but I don't pretend to be an expert on the subject, so they've given me a lot of help and guidance along the way.

I have to say, I was starting to get tired of seeing the primer gray and filler blue. I was ready to see some final paint on those panels!

Here's a sneak peek!