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RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed online.
EDITORINCHIEF.............................................................. CHRIS BIRO EDITORRPMMAG.COM V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..................TRISH BIRO TRISHRPMMAG.COM EVENT MEDIA..................................................EVENTSRPMMAG.COM EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR...........SHERRIE WEBER SHERRIERPMMAG.COM ART DIRECTOR............................................................ JIM MCHARG PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS: MARK GODRAGRACING. ORG, GEORGE PICH, MATT WOODS, MATT TROMBLEY, LOUIS FRONKIER, BLAKE FARNAN, JERRY GARRISON, NEIL ZIMBALDI, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, STEVEN TAYLOR, DAVID GATES, AND ANDREW RADIOTIS EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: CHUCK SCOTT, MARK GODRAGRACING.ORG, TIM BIRO, STAN SMITH, JT, GEORGE PICH, JAY MISENER, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, AND SCOTT FORBES TECHNICAL WRITING CONTRIBUTION: CHUCK SCOTT, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TIM BIRO AND JAY MISENER
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To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpmmag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519752-3705. The focus of RPM is to bring a diverse mix of high performance street and race automobiles to life within its pages including race cars, muscle cars, hot rods and street legal machines with an emphasis on the “EXTREME,” including fast doorslammer and outlaw forms of drag racing. Not familiar with these types of cars? They are considered to be the top-shelf of the industry and are on the edge with regard to design, performance, and power! RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.
RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 23 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, along with contributing writers and photojournalists worldwide. If you have a story that may fit within the focus and scope of RPM Magazine’s coverage, please email our Editor In Chief at editor@rpmmag.com. Submission of an article does not guarantee that it will be published. Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. (RPM) / RPM Magazine IS NOT responsible for errors or omissions in ANY advertisement or article. Advertisements may be rearranged or altered at the sole discretion of RPM to allow the ad to fit in the space purchased by the advertiser. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADVERTISING WHICH WE CONSIDER TO CONTAIN MISLEADING, OFFENSIVE OR FALSE INFORMATION. REPRODUCTION OF ANY INFORMATION HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.
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Chris Biro Editor’s Page
AED Competition .................90 AFR: Air Flow Research .... 5,55,87
What’s Old Is New if you haven’t read it yet! Over the coming months we will be hosting some of our past issues of RPM Magazine in this section. If you haven’t read them yet, they are new to you! If you have, maybe there’s a favourite car/story you want to read again….here they are!
Neal Chance Converters.......88
American Racing Headers ...85
Northern Radiator ...............97
Baer Brakes ..................51,75 BES Racing Engines .............16
Truck Centers .................... 110
Bill Mitchell Products ...11,70
PBM Products......................95
BoulandMotorsUSA.com .....82 Burns Stainless ....................34
Profiler ................................84
C & S Specialties ..................23
PRW-USA ............................17
Callies Performance Prod ....47
Race Part Solutions ......10,44
Calvert Racing Suspensions .49 Canton Racing Products ......43
Rage Wraps .........................24
Clearshot Customs...............96
RAM Clutches ......................65
Deez Performance ...............17
RCD .....................................86 RM Racing Lubricants ..........50
E3 Spark Plugs.....................95
Ross Racing Pistons .........7,80
ECAM ..................................94
RPM Magazine ..... 21,25,86
Erson Cams..........................50 GoDragRacing.org ...............83 Granatelli Motorsports ........73 GRP Connecting Rods ..........71 Harland Sharp .....................12
RPM Magazine Subscribe! ......... 12,45,101 Summit Racing
Hitman Hotrods...................84
Equip. ................ 83,90,109
Hughes Performance..............7
T & D Machine .....................85
Ian Hill Racing ..............80,94 Icon Forged Pistons .............92
The Supercharger Store .......94
Induction Solutions .............53
Thermo-Tec .........................17
Jesel ....................................45
Ti64 .....................................82
Joe Van O.............................84 JW Racing Transmissions ........5
Total Seal Rings ...................54
Kinsler Fuel Injection....11,85
Trailer Alarms.com ..............47
LenTech Automatics .....46,96
TREMEC ...............................83
Liberty’s Gears.....................87 Lokar Performance ..............95
Trick Flow .....................15,92
Lutz Race Cars .....................16
Tuned By Shane T ................86
Magnaflow..........................90
Ultimate Headers ................91
MagnaFuel ..........................35 MAHLE Aftermarket ............67 Manton Pushrods ................68 Mark Williams .....................97 Maxima Racing Oils ................2
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Parts Pro/Total
Billet Specialties ..................24
Design Engineering .............75
4
Moser Engineering .......24,59
AJE Racing...........................92
Derale .................................42
KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST IN HARDCORE HORSEPOWER...SUBSCRIBE!
Moroso Performance ...........22
VFN Fiberglass Inc. ..............47 Vortech ........................51,85 VP Racing Fuels ...................41
Metal Products ....................91
Weinle Motorsports ............54
Meziere Enterprises .............68
World Domination – RPM ...23
Misener Motorsports ...........44
World Products....................88
ENFORCER-HALF
JW-PERFORMANCE
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july
2022
Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 23 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Cars WORLDWIDE! Don’t Settle For Less! We DELIVER Insane Fast Cars and Bring You NO POLITICS... JUST ACTION! Your ONLY “Real Time” “Real World” Car Mag...PERIOD!
The Red Cobra. .................................................. 56 A turbocharged Mod motored beast that hits with a deadly bite!
The Bad Apple........................................................................................... 8
It only takes one to spoil it for the guy in the other lane!
Happiness Is........................................................................................... 76 ...A wild no-prep lime green Nova!
techextra From the pages of RPM Magazine, June 2020
Spark Plug Tips for Boosted Engines Crazy ‘Bout A Mercury .............................................................32
Especially a cool wheelstanding Coyote powered Capri!
Spark plugs can make or break your car’s engine power...
100
We searched the archives for this blast from the past...
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Read COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG online at www.rpmmag.com 6
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CUSTOM IN STOCK PISTONS ROSS RACING PISTONS HALF
TRUSTED BY THE FASTEST RACERS, ELITE ENGINE BUILDERS AND HIGHEST HORSEPOWER MACHINES ON THE PLANET, FOR OVER 40 YEARS!
WWW.ROSSPISTONS.COM | 310.536.0100 SALES@ROSSPISTONS.COM ONLINE
FACEBOOK.COM/ROSSPISTONS @ROSSPISTONS
HUGHES PERFORMANCE HALF
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Story and Photos:Wes Taylor
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G RACE PARTS 2
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eorge Cunningham grew up racing the streets and eventually hit the track as he got a bit older. Now in his late 50s, he runs as close to the streets as he can in his big block nitrous Nova, hitting most any grudge/no time/no prep event he can, and his grandson Cohen is right there by his side. “Before I knew it, 40 plus years had gone by and here I am no-prep rac-
ing!” Cunningham exclaimed. Cohen would eventually get into a Jr. Dragster, following in George’s “legal” footsteps and although George was involved in bracket racing the majority of his own drag racing life, he had done some radial racing and is now dedicated to mostly no-prep drags. Bracket racing became boring and radial racing got expensive; no prep racing seemed to even out the playing field.
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HARLAND SHARP
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KINSLER HALF
George has had a few cars over the years, but his 1969 Nova they call “The Bad Apple,” is unique because Cohen is the one who found it. Initially a bracket car, they struggled with getting the setup to run right and even tried to run some radial races. Frustrated, they turned to no-prep and never looked back. It’s been a learning experience and a money pit for the crew, but they wouldn’t change it for the world. “We bought a big block
nitrous car and we had no idea how to tune it,” George explained. “But with the help of a lot of people and a great team we have made a name for ourselves. When we purchased it we were told it was a 555 big block but it turned out it was 540 cubic inches, but we made it work. Originally running a 400 hit of nitrous, after a few different transmissions and nitrous setups we were finally ready to up the nitrous tune a good bit more. 13
The Bad Apple is a survivor 1969 Nova with title that still has the steel roof and quarters. Fiberglass doors, hood, trunk and front clip have been added in the interest of weight loss. Paint is British Green with Sour Apple stripes and the front headlights and grill have been airbrushed.
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TRICKFLOW FULL
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We’ve actually been through 1 motor, 3 transmissions and 1 set of axles that we twisted and we bent the rear housing and had to re-wire the car completely. This car has come a long ways from being a bracket car. It took us a year of trying stuff to learn what works and the hard lessons of what does not work.” The 1969 Chevy Nova is an iconic muscle car and has always been popular at the drag strip, however, seeing it at a no-prep event among lighter platforms is a bit more rare. The 3rd gen Nova is a heavy car, and for the most part
George chose to keep it that way; much of the original body and chassis are intact. The car is an original Nova with a title and maintains the original steel roof and quarters, but fiberglass doors, trunk lid, front fenders and hood were added to help trim a few pounds off. George entrusted Angry Yankee in Atlanta, Ga, to take care of all the additional chassis work needed, and since the Nova had already been painted British Green with the Sour Apple stripes when they bought it, they kept it that way and gave it the Bad Apple name.
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George’s grandson Cohen chose the car, and the “Bad Apple” name seemed fitting because of the Sour Apple paint color of the stripes, not to mention how quick the Nova is!
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Although the car has a ’glass front clip, they installed square led lights in it for visibility at the low-lit back of the track, no-prep races. A combination of Viking front and Menscer Motorsports rear canister shocks drop Bad Apple to its menacing stance. Add in the V series 17x4.5 Weld Racing front runners and Alpha-1 15x12s with a 28x10.5 wide slicks mounted for extra contact patch, and you’ve got a tough-looking Nova. Not to mention the intimidating fender exit bull horn exhaust. “The low stance with the paint job gives the car a great look,” says Cunningham. “But the bull horns coming out the fenders makes it look like it means serious business, and gives it a different sound than most cars.” The really good stuff is under the hood; the engine platform is quite capable. RS Motorsports put together a killer big block combination for nitrous use. The short block consists of a Dart block stuffed with a billet Ohio stroker crank, GRP aluminum stroker rods, and oversized nitrous CP pistons that equate to 565ci of torque twisting goodness. A large Bullet Racing roller cam spec’d for nitrous activities rests in the block cavity. Dart 345 aluminum heads top the big cube steel mill, and Jesel rockers, Morel lifters, PAC Racing springs and titanium valves were used.
The really good stuff is under the hood...
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it’s fresh!
Built by RS Motorsports, the 565-inch big block was created using a Dart block with a billet stroker crank, GRP aluminum rods and CP forged nitrous pistons. Dart 345 aluminum heads with titanium valves and Jensen rockers were studded into place. An Edelbrock Super Victor intake is topped by a Holley 1050 Dominator carb.
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George is an old-school kind of guy, so he uses a tried and true Holley Dominator 1050 carburetor on top of an Edelbrock SV565 intake manifold. Finally, a solid hit of nitrous comes into the mix via an Induction Solutions direct port system which can be tuned to add up to 850hp and is controlled by an AMS 2000 nitrous controller. And, as mentioned, a custom set of headers exits into those bull horns poking out the front fenders. The total output that they’ve pushed it to is in the 1500whp range on a hub dyno with around 1900 pounds of torque.
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SORIES
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A Powerglide equipped with a hardened gearset and billet input shaft backs the nitrous gulping monster and was built by a talented friend known as “Victor”, and Atlantic Coast Converters built a two-piece torque converter to get the job done on a no-prep surface. Power is sent to a heavily modded 12-bolt rear end fabricated by Steel Dreams of Monroe, NC. Moser 40 spline axle
shafts, aluminum third member and a spool with 3.70 gears fill the housing. Wilwood 4 piston brakes reside on all four corners. As a survivor Nova, George kept a bunch of the interior in place and unrestored. He pilots the car from an aluminum race seat with Racequip harness and the Holley dash and AEM gauges are in easy view.
Nitrous is introduced via an Induction Solutions direct port system that can be tuned to add up 850 horsepower!
WORLD PRODUCTS
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George Cunningham’s 1969 Nitrous Big Block Nova Grudge Car Owner: George Cunningham Driver: Landrum Gentry
Body & Paint:
Power Adder:
Survivor 1969 Nova with title that still has the steel roof and quarters. Fiberglass doors, hood, trunk and front clip. Painted British Green with Sour Apple stripes. Air brushed front headlights and grill.
Induction Solutions direct port setup for 850 hp shot controlled by the AMS 2000.
Transmission: Two speed Powerglide built by Victor with an Atlantic Coast Convertors bolt-together torque converter.
Chassis: Work completed by Angry Yankee in Atlanta GA. Viking shocks on front and Menscer canister shocks on rear with anti-roll bar setup.
Rear End : Rear housing done by Steel Dreams in Monroe NC. 12 bolt with Ford big ends, Moser aluminum 3rd member with 3.70 gears and Moser 40 spline axles. Brakes are Wilwood 4 piston disc all around.
Engine Block : Built by RS Motorsports in Monroe NC. Big block 565 using a Dart block with Ohio billet stroker crank, GRP aluminum rods and CP forged nitrous pistons. Dart 345 aluminum heads with titanium valves and Jensen rockers. Roller cam, Edelbrock intake and Holley 1050 carb.
Electronics: AMS 2000 for nitrous, MSD Grid, Holley dash for gauges with Davis Technologies VPS and Penny Wise shock sensor.
RAGE WRAPS CARD
Interior: Original dash, gauges and trim panels. Holley display/ gauges, B&M electric shift, Racequip 5 point safety belt with head and neck restraint devise.
ET & MPH:
MOSER CARD
4.70s at 140MPH with previous motor. Top secret with new combination since it’s a no-time/no-prep car now.
moserengineering.com
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RPM TARGET MARKET
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A number of original interior pieces were left in place unrestored. From there, a race seat with Racequip harness was added along with a Holley dash, AMS 2000 nitrous controller, a trio of analogue gauges with Tach and of course, a dual nitrous bottle bracket and bottles. A B&M shifter handles gear changes and a Davis Technologies traction control module helps with the obvious.
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Without giving away George’s most guarded secrets, we can tell you that close family friend and “Bad Apple” Pilot Landrum Gentry has wheeled the Nova to 4.70’s in the 1/8th with the old motor, and George did let it slip that he expects mid-4’s at 160 with the new setup…but we didn’t tell you that!
A Nitrous Outlet bottle, nitrous controller and Davis traction control module are all within reach and a B&M shifter handles gear changes. Now here’s the skinny on what the Nova is capable of…they’ve been able to muster a 4.70 at over 140 in radial trim on the older setup; but are untested on a radial prepped surface with this new engine combination and instead
chose to focus on tuning for noprep racing. In no-prep the car has gone…whoops we can’t release that info, but George did add this “The car has been 4.70s at 140MPH-plus before the new motor. Now with an all new setup it should run mid 4s at 160 mph, but we are only running no prep so I better keep that to myself, lol”
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This happy bunch is the Bad Apple family and crew, each in their own way instrumental in the popularity and succession of wins that have followed this storied car since its inception. From left to right: Sherry Davis, Katie Adams, Jill Gentry, Landrum Gentry (Driver), Cohen Layton, George Cunningham. Slick Nick (kneeling), Dustin, Mark Heney (back upper)
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For George Cunningham, The Bad Apple Nova is not just about racing but creating a special bond between him and his grandson. “My whole reason for having this car is to keep my grandson and I close. It’s something we both love and can have fun with while he grows up and I grow old. We are building him an S10 for the no prep street class next year!”
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Story and Photos:Eddie Maloney
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At most events, Harget’s car is one of the few, if not the only Capri on the property.
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T
he Mercury Capri is a brand marketed by the Lincoln- Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company on three different series of automobiles from 1970 to 1994.
From 1970 to 1978, the “Ford” Capri was dubbed a sport compact known as a “captive import” produced and sourced from Ford of Europe. With their euro styling, some models came with a decently powered V6 stick combination, and despite being wildly popular in Europe and abroad, not many were sold in North America.
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The rear spoiler is a one of one prototype from Steeda. People often ask Matt about it and where they can find one.
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Then, from 1979 to 1986 it was a Mercury branded pony car based on Ford’s Fox Body platform with multiple engine offerings including the famed 5.0 liter. Finally, from 1991 to ’94, the Capri was a roadster style model from Australia and had disastrous sales figures in America, eventually being discontinued with just over a few thousand units sold in its last year of production. In its second generation though, the Capri saw solid sales, but despite the similarities it still took a back seat to the Mustang. Long story short, when we find one, we grab it! Nothing screams nostalgia Fox Body more than a set of GTS head light covers. These things put GTS on the map back in the day, and they still look cool!
RACETRONIX HALF
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Eddie Bennett of Bennett Performance helps with tuning the suspension and keeps Matt focused while strapped into the car.
Wyandotte Michigan is just a stone’s throw away from the famous Motor City, where all things cars started. Growing up near Detroit had many advantages for Matt Harget, especially for sports and hot rods and he got involved in both at an early age. “My first love was ice hockey and I competed in high school and played one year of juniors before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. I was also hot rodding around in a 1979 Malibu with a stout 305!” Soon after, Matt was off to Camp Pendleton, California to serve his time in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. After being discharged from the Marines 4 years later, Harget started working at a fire protection company as an apprentice and 5 years later he turned out as a journeyman, now working for Falcon Fire Protection out of Jackson, Michigan.
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Out with the old at the end of the 2022 season The Capri will get a new moly cage certified to 8.50 for the 2023 season.
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DERALE.COM TECH SUPPORT: 323-266-3850
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...I got the Capri for one reason, and one reason only, to race...! Matt Harget
During it all he never lost his love for cars and horsepower and knew one day he would find something special to build. Soon Matt, like many of us, was driving a Fox body Mustang (a 1991 GT to be exact), and somehow a Capri caught his eye, and he has no idea why. “Back in ’97 a buddy of mine pulled in my driveway with a 1979 Mercury Capri RS. I was intrigued by the car but I have to say I wasn’t sure why,” admitted Harget. “Some time had passed but we continued to talk, and he asked if I’d like to trade my Mustang GT for his Capri. After giving it some serious thought, I decided to take him up on the offer. I got the Capri for one reason, and one reason only, to race! The only time I drove it on the streets was for an occasional A&W or Dairy Queen trip. The car was in good shape and really just needed some tender loving care.”
CANTON RACING
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misener
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RACE PARTS 6TH
MISENER 6TH
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Matt’s journey went from racing in high school to becoming a major class racing competitor in the NMRA and the car has had just 3 engine combinations in it since Matt has owned it. The first was a 302 with some older cast iron heads, running 12.7s, and then a 347 stroker with AFR 185 heads and Super Victor intake would find its way between the rails and the car would slowly dip into the 10-second range, eventually turning 10.67 at 125mph. Believe it or not, Matt ran that combination for almost 20 years while raising and taking care of his family, proving that he has a boatload more restraint than most of us crazy gearheads who dive in with both feet and a full wallet to the next go-fast goodie that catches our eye.
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She’s all natural!
The stock Gen 1 Coyote mill was treated to a 2018 model intake and trick tune, but otherwise it’s stock.
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Matt Harget’s Coyote Powered 1979 Mercury Capri RS Body & Paint:
Brakes:
Silver Metallic paint, factory body with fiberglass cowl hood.
Chassis Modifications: Factory chassis with frame connected and 8-point cage.
Suspension:
Engine: The engine was a 2013 sealed Gen 1 Coyote out of Frank Paultanis’s Coyote Stock class car. It now has a 2018 intake and has been tuned by Samantha Moore at Vector Motorsports.
Rotating Assembly: Factory rotating assembly.
Cylinder Heads: All stock heads with new PAC springs
Induction & Fuel Delivery: Weldon Fuel Pump and a JLT cold air intake.
TOTAL SEAL
Naturally aspirated
Transmission: C4 transmission with an Ultimate Converter Concepts 6,000 stall converter.
Rear End: Ford 9-inch rear end, 4.63 gear (lightened, polished and micro-blued), spool, 35 spline Strange axles.
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Tires & Wheels: RC Comp Torx rims and Mickey Thompson 26 x 9 x 15 slicks.
Interior:
Front: UPR front with Viking adjustable struts. Rear: Currently ladder bars and Koni coil-overs but being changed back to OEM location suspension at the end of 2022.
Power Adder:
Strange at all four corners .
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Aftermarket Pro Comp Oil pressure, voltmeter, engine temperature gauges and tachometer. Grant steering wheel with Racecraft quick disconnect, Jaz driver’s seat, Winters shifter, RaceQuip 5-point harnesses RJS Fire jacket and pants, RaceQuip helmet.
ET & MPH: 10.22 at 128 mph personal best ¼-mile and runs in the NMRA Modular Muscle Class.
Special Thanks: his garage. Frank rewired the car and ran all new brake lines and fuel system. round. drag racer. has even purchased items for the car such as new carpet, a Racepak data logger and makes the stickers for the car as well and she travels to every race checks the air pressure and makes sure the car is ready to go for the next round.
CRrear shocks 9
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Calvert Racing’s 9-way adjustable twin tube design has what you require for maximum consistency and best performance all around. CALVERT RACING The external control dial allows easy on-the-fly adjustments to help control rear body separation and keep the tires planted. Steel heavy duty 5/8 shaft ensures durability on the street or on the track. CR22116 Shown
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CalTracs, Calvert CF Front and CR Rear Shocks
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The most memorable experience for Matt Harget is winning the NMRA Race in July 2021 and cutting his first perfect light at the NMRA Norwalk Race in June the same year.
Not Matt though, he had priorities back then, and even to this day he is very comfortable class racing at a level that fits his needs and lifestyle. He was however, more recently wooed by one thing; the thought of adding current technology to his combination, and that technology would be in the form of a Ford Coyote motor.
It’s no secret that the Coyote makes power right out of the box, and if you want proof of that just turn your attention to the NMRA, where specific classes feature the small block modular mill. In fact, Matt acquired his Gen 1 Coyote from 2020 NMRA Coyote Stock Champion Frank Paultanis.
ERSON CAMS
RM RACING 6TH
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We met up with Matt running in Bradenton’s NMRA event where he sliced through a tough the field on his way to a runner-up finish.
RPM UP CLOSE
BAER 6TH
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RPM MAGAZINE FULL PAGE TARGET MARKET RPM POWER FULL
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The Modular Muscle class is designed for any year, make, and model Ford vehicle using Ford Modular 4.6L, 5.4L, Coyote, & V10 engines only. The class runs on an Open Comp format with a 1-tenth (1/10th) breakout.
MAHLE HALF
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“We installed a 2018-year model intake and had Samantha Moore at Vector Motorsports in Brighton, Michigan install a tune,” Harget added. “We put it on the dyno before the St. Louis race last season and picked up 4-tenths in the quarter mile and a 10th alone in just the 60ft.” The best pass before Samantha touched the car was a 10.62 .... and after she performed her magic, it ran a best of 10.22 in St Louis, all done naturally aspirated. Initially, Matt planned on running in
the Factory Stock class, but since the car has a ladder bar rear suspension it did not fit within the rules, so they chose to run in the Modular Muscle class instead. Before long, Matt’s keen military instincts would prove to be an asset on the track, his fast and consistent lights off the hit and deadly consistent numbers at the big end would make him a feared competitor among his peers, and there’s more to come. At the NMCA/NMRA All Star Nationals this past April at Rockingham,
WEINLE MOTORSPORTS 6TH
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North Carolina, David Woodside of Woodside Motorsports came onboard as a sponsor for Matt’s Capri which means bigger things to come. After the season finals in Bowling Green Kentucky, Woodside will be installing an 8.50 legal roll cage, a Team Z 9” rear-end and new suspension components to get it back to an OEM location should they decide to run Factory Stock, or any other stock suspension class for that matter. Exterior wise, Matt’s Capri retains
a lot of its factory equipment. The body is mostly OEM with the exception of the ’glass cowl hood and rear hatch. The Capri came with its very own front air dam and front grill and we love the fact that Matt kept them all in place. Heck, he even kept the factory sunroof, a testament to the condition of the car itself as most sunroofs in northern cars have long since rotted away. The rear spoiler, something that Matt gets a lot questions about, it is actually a one of one prototype from Steeda. Inside the Capri, the original door and trim panels are mated with a later model Mustang dash filled with a complete lineup of aftermarket gauges. Just one race seat is required as the Capri sees only track duty these days and a slick Winters race shifter commands gear changes through the tricked out C4 trans. An 8-point bar painted body color will soon be replaced by an 8.50 ET-legal cage, which may indicate signs of motor mods coming for the currently naturally aspirated, and almost stock, Gen 1 Coyote. No matter how you slice it, seeing any Capri is a rare sight, let alone one powered by a Coyote and doing mile-high wheelstands, which this one is known to do from time to time. Although he doesn’t know exactly why, Matt Harget fell in love with his ’79 Mercury Capri RS from the moment he saw it, and all these years later he wouldn’t have it any other way!
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Story & Photos: Wes Taylor
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In the early 2000s, “The Big Three” all had sports cars, but technically they weren’t in the same class. At the time, the only thing sporty Dodge had worth mentioning was the Viper, but we all know it was more expensive than most could afford. On the other hand, General Motors had just ended their production run of the 4th generation F-bodies and the C5 Cor58
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vette lived in a higher price bracket than the Camaro or Trans-Am/Firebird. Then you have Ford, having never stopped producing their “pony car” for the average person. As a result, they had the upper hand from 2003 and up. The Mustang came in all levels, but Ford’s “Special Vehicle Team” took things a step further, making the New Edge 20032004 model years a true wolf in sheep’s clothing. Enter the SVT Mustang Cobra; unlike the other New Edge body style Cobra years (9902), they went all out for 03 and 04.
Factory Ford Torch Red paint looks killer on the Cobra and a few trick Schoneck Composites carbon panels were added for weight reduction. The nose, hood, side skirts, and rear decklid are all carbon wrapped to match the factory paint.
MOSER HALF
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A 390hp Roots style blown 4.6 four-valve Mod motor lurked under the hood completed by independent rear suspension and a six-speed T-56 manual trans, and with individual body styling and paint colors, these models made for a pony breed all on their own. Mark Rogers has been into cars since he was a kid and obviously gravitated more towards them once he could legally get behind the wheel and drive. He’s had a few brands 60
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other than Ford, but became a Ford man through and through, and like most of us, he doesn’t own anything stock, or at least keep it stock for very long. We all know what happens when we get bit by the bug and while Mark appreciated the Cobra and Modular motor design Ford introduced in 1996; he tinkered with his 1996 Cobra ragtop to get a bit more out of it, going through the motor, putting a blower and full suspension on it and enjoying what it had to offer.
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Eric Yost’s Customs By Bigun shop did the lion’s share of the work on the Cobra including but not limited to the body and chassis mods, custom suspension, rear diff and the turbo system.
Unfortunately he would eventually hurt that motor and go on the hunt for his next patient in 2005, finding his Red 2003 in stock trim with just 8,000 miles on. By that time many companies had introduced performance and race parts to modify them, so it was game-on once again for Mark Rogers. They made healthy numbers with simple mods like pulley swaps, headers, and an exhaust and the typical next step for Mark came when he added a bigger Whipple supercharger and converted the rear end from independent to straight axle. It eventually became an 1100whp twin-turbo streetcar and has since morphed into this piece of high power drag racing art.
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The wicked Mod motor build is the handiwork of Pete Harrell of Harrell Engine and Dyno Harrell started with a Nemak block and chose to stay with the factory 281ci then filled it with Ross Racing pistons, Wiseco Boostline rods, and a Molnar billet crank. Ported GT500 heads top the little beast.
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RAM CLUTCHES
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Mark’s Cobra took shape inside the shop of Eric Yost’s Customs By Bigun. They elected to keep the factory doors, roof skin, and rear quarters but the rest is new. Eric also cut the front end off to go tubular, saving some weight and allowing easy access to hard-to-reach areas. A full 25.2 certified cage ties into the frame rails to stay class-legal and ensure
driver safety. Much of the suspension is hand-made; the front a-arms, rear uppers, lowers, and anti-roll bar Eric fabricated himself for Mark. A set of upper and lower torque boxes from Mags Fab Worx were also used for extra adjustability in the rear and Menscer front struts and Bigun spec’d JRI Motorsports shocks complete the suspension.
MEZIERE MANTON 6TH
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Mark Rogers Turbocharged 2003 Ford Mustang Cobra Body and Paint: Ford Torch Red paint. Schoenick Composites Carbon nose, hood, side skirts, deck lid and dash. Customs by Bigun wing.
Chassis & Suspension/Modifications: Customs by Bigun has done all the chassis and fabrication on the car. Mag’s Fab Worx upper and lower torque boxes, Menscer front struts, Customs by Bigun spec’d JRI shocks out back.
Engine: Harrell Engine and Dyno (HED) built 4.6L using a Nemak block with stock stroke and bore. The rotating assembly consists of Ross pistons, Wiseco Boostline rods, an and billet crank modified for a roller thrust bearing.
Cylinder Heads: Ford GT500 heads ported and dry decked by HED. Stock sized Ferrea intake and exhaust valves with Pac valve springs.
Induction & Fuel Delivery: Customs by Bigun built intake, headers and turbo kit. Billet Atomizer 325lb/hr injectors.
Electronics: Holley EFI controls everything with Rife Sensors.
Power Adder:
TBM brakes front and rear.
Tires & Wheels: 17” spindle mount V-series up front and 15x12.5 Billet Specialties with MacFab Beadlocks and M/T 275 drag radials in the rear.
ET & MPH – Race Only: Ultra Street Trim: (1/8mi) 4.52@154mph No-Time: You’ll have to guess but it has been faster than 4.40@170mph!
Thanks To: Harrell Engine & Dyno: For the engine, dyno and track tunning. Pete Harrell Travels with me to race and tries to make sure I don’t do something stupid. Basically if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to race. Customs by Bigun did the cage, the chassis work, set up the suspension, built the turbo kit and intake, mounted the nose, built the wing and got it ready to wrap. Basically they do anything and everything car-related. Reed at Work Turbochargers for the only turbos I’ve ever used since going racing. MacFab Performance Beadlocks for the best beadlock on the planet!
When in Ultra Street trim it has a 76mm cast wheel from Work Turbochargers.
Motion Raceworks/TBM brakes/Rife Sensors for their continued support and just making parts that we need right here in the United States of America.
When in No-time trim it has a billet wheel 88mm from Reed Patridge at Work Turbochargers.
Greg Slack for going above and beyond on the torque converter.
Transmission: Proformance Racing Transmissions 3spd TH400 with Greg Slack torque converter.
Rear End: Customs by Bigun built 9” with Tiger Rear Ends supplied parts.
Brakes:
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LESS WEIGHT = PERFORMANCE Bill Mitchell Products creates nothing but the best blocks from 357-T6 Aluminum as our standard.
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It’s cool to see a car of this caliber and capability use stock parts inside as it keeps the street vibe alive in the street car drag racing. theme The meticulously Bigun-fabricated 25.2 cage snakes its way through the interior and a composite dash was added along with a slew of race oriented parts, but factory door panels, console and trim were kept in place. A cooler tank rides shotgun and the rear area is tubbed with carbon fiber and finished to a show quality.
GRP
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A Bigun custom suspension was used front and back and they also fabbed up the 9-inch rear using parts from Tiger Rear Ends.
Ford did an outstanding job in picking the red paint for its Cobras; they call it “Torch Red.” Mark’s Mustang uses the factory paint on the original body panels and a few trick Schoneck Composites carbon panels were added for weight reduction. The nose, hood, side skirts, and rear decklid are all car-
bon wrapped in red to match the factory paint. Eric also hand-built the aluminum wing. The car rides on 15-inch spindle-mounted V Series wheels with Mickey Thompson skinnies on the front, while out back a set of 12.5 inch wide Billet Specialties and Mickey
Thompson 275 Radial Pros mate together using MacFab Beadlocks from Tommy Kirk. Jason Smith of TBM Brakes hooked Mark up with a set of their drag brakes featuring wave rotors on all four corners that ensure the Cobra will stop after a mid-4-second hit in the 1/8th.
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GRANATELLI
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While the stock Teskid block from the Ford factory takes a beating, Pete Harrell of Harrell Engine and Dyno advised on an upgrade. Pete started with a Nemak block and chose to stay with the factory 281ci. The rotating assembly consists of Ross Racing pistons, Wiseco Boostline rods, and a Molnar billet crank. In addition, Pete modified the crank to accept a roller thrust bearing. Ported GT500 heads top the little 281, and although the valves stay factory-sized, replacements from Ferrea were chosen and are 74
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mated with PAC Racing springs. Camshaft wise, Pete added custom grind cams to the mix. Finally, Eric worked his magic to complete the short block with a custom intake manifold. The healthy Mod motor drinks M1 race fuel through Billet Atomizer 325lb/hr injectors and an Aeromotive fuel pump. Bigun also had his way with the entire turbo kit down to the headers. Mark runs not one but two turbo configurations, one to fit the Ultra Street class rules and the other for no-time racing. For Ultra Street, a 76mm cast wheel
unit was chosen and an 88mm billet wheel monster is used for no-time action. The entire system is controlled by a Holley Performance Dominator ECU and a long list of Rife sensors. Most opt for the two-speed Powerglide or Turbo-glide transmission, but in Mark’s case, they went with a three-speed TH400 from Proformance Racing Transmissions and a spec’d Greg Slack converter from the man himself. Bigun got after it again on the rear end, building a complete 9-inch using a Tiger Rear Ends center section and 35 spline axles. The cockpit has all of the racing essentials, a Schoneck Composites dash, Holley Performance digital display for checking vitals, a Kirkey racing seat, and a fire extinguisher in the event of a worst case scenario. In place of a passenger seat is the Bigun-built coolant reservoir, an organized display of wiring, and a co2 tank. Buttons for staging are on the
BAER 2
Sparco steering wheel and within reach is a lever for the fire suppression system and the slick M&M Transmission shifter. Placed over the custom carbon tubs is the company that has the most time and effort into the car, Customs By Bigun. Mark and the team have competed in multiple big events across the east coast, but the most significant achievement was setting the Ultra Street record back in 2019, going a blistering 4.52 at 154mph! As for the cars actual capability in no-time race trim, well Mark says that you’ll have to guess, but he can guarantee that the car has been faster than 4.40 at 170mph…now that’s one mean Red Cobra!
DESIGN ENGINEERING 6TH TOM’S UPHOLSTERY
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Story & Photos:Wes Taylor Left to right: Luke Glass, Tommy Long and Max Leskowitz
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The Chevy II retains its original body tub/roof and quarter panels with fiberglass doors, hood, trunk and custom drag wing. Lime Green paint is by Randy Goodman and bumpers and badges were finished in gloss black.
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T
here’s a popular saying, “never judge a book by its cover.”
Take Luke Glass for example, he’s 25 years old and owns a 1966 Chevy Nova. It safe to say that judging by his age alone, Luke would be into anything but a classic muscle car and that something made after 2000 would fit the stereotype most of us have for his age, and up to point that was true, but all that changed when he saw a 1966 Chevy II.
Luke’s love for cars started, as expected, in the import world after riding in a friend’s 700whp turbo Honda Civic at the tender and impressionable age of just 15. Once he realized the cost of building such a car, he figured out it’d be wise to buy a built one instead and after saving enough money from his entry-level job, he purchased a build with similar power. As time passed he went through a number of other imports before having his eyes set on a 2010 Nissan R35 GTR. His Mother co-signed for him, and as it turns out the bank will actually extend a $65,000 car loan to a 20-year-old kid. www.rpmmag.com
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tually got out of the car scene for a little while. When the itch to go fast returned, he turned to one of his favorite cars; a Japanese spec Nissan 240SX with stick shift 2jz swap. The 240SX experience was a bumpy road to say the least though, and after blowing the motor up three times, Luke parted it out and swore he’d never have another race car. BOULAND CARD C&S SPECIALTIES
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With a car payment and living expenses going well beyond Luke’s earnings and not able to buy the go-fast parts he wanted, he sold the car and ac-
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I had no idea what I was doing with a turbo V8 at this power level...
LUKE GLASS
At age 22, with no fast car of his own, he was invited to a no-prep race and saw his new love, a domestic classic in the form of a jet black 1966 Chevy II Nova. He offered to buy it and was quickly denied, but from that day on he told himself that he’d never get into cars again unless it was with a built Chevy II. Quite some time later a buddy sent him a for sale ad that just might be Luke’s dream come true. A shop owner a few states away had a ’66 for sale that was pretty sweet, the only roadblock was that the owner was getting a ton of interest and Luke had to scare up the money overnight to make the buy the following day. Things just didn’t fall together with the bank quick enough, but good friends stepped in and they all pulled together to come up with the $27,500 it took to buy Luke’s dream.
PROFILER CARD HITMAN CARD
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KINSLER CARD
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There’s not much factory stuff left inside the Nova aside from the dash pad and face Shifting gears through the BTE ’Glide comes via a Precision electric shifter and vitals are monitored by the FT600 dash and a few other gauges. Twin race seats replace stock units and the rear has been tubbed to allow for various wheel and tire combos. Lots of carbon panels were used and the polished 4” piping for the turbo cooler system is the first thing you notice when you peek inside.
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RM RACING DOUBLE NEAL CHANCE CARD
RPM CARD
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The Chevrolet wasn’t in the best shape externally, but had a nasty power combination and a solid foundation to build on. And really, looks didn’t matter as this was going to be a no-prep car. “When we got the car home I had no idea what I was doing with a turbo V8 at this power level. I took the first ride with my brother, clinched the steering wheel and hung on, and man was I disappointed!” Luke ex-
plained. “I called the old owner and told him it was a turd and he laughed and said to put the fuse in for the on-board air tank for the wastegate control. We took another try and man what a freaking handful this monster was…I was hooked!” At his first no-prep race Luke had no idea how to set the car up but made a few friends in the scene and actually started winning races, going to the semi-finals.
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MAGNAFLOW CARD
Best way to go fast on a reasonable budget…LS turbo! Luke’s engine started with a factory iron LQ4 6.0 block bored out 30 over. Inside, a Molnar crank spins Molnar Power Adder rods and Wiseco pistons. Pretty much stock cylinder heads were used with aftermarket springs and retainers. Twin turbos are installed up front and poke through the front grill, while 4” plumbing for the cooler is routed through the interior.
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He did eventually decide to give the body some updates and have it repainted by a friend, Randy Goodman. During the work, the original Nova body tub, quarter panels, roof, and bumpers were kept, but everything else went to fiberglass, including the front end, hood, doors, and trunk. Luke bought the car donned in what
AJE CARD
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he described as “ugly” green and he decided to keep it the same color and paint the bumpers and badges gloss black to contrast. “I just could not bring myself to paint the car any other color since it has created so much happiness for me, my friends and my family.” On top of the slick new paint, the windows and windshield were re-
placed with Optic Armor Lexan and a custom rear wing was installed. The Lime Green paint isn’t the only thing that set the car’s look off though; the drag pack wheel and tire combo looks pretty cool too, with 17-inch V-Series wheels up front and double beadlocked 15x12 Alpha-1s with 28x10.5 slicks out back.
Luke Glass’s Twin Turbo LS 1966 Chevy II Nova Body & Paint: Original roof and quarter panels. Lime Green with gloss black bumpers and badges. Fiberglass doors, hood, trunk, custom drag wing.
Chassis and Suspension: Mini tub and cage. Rear suspension is Moroso 4 link kit AFCO Rear shocks and springs. AFCO Front Big Gun struts and springs with custom a-arms. Strange callipers with slotted rotors.
Engine: Factory iron LQ4 block bored out 30 over. Rotating assembly consists of Molnar crank and power adder rods, Wiseco pistons, Bewley custom cam.
Cylinder Heads: Factory 317 heads, stock rockers and valves, BTR dual springs and retainers.
Induction & Fuel Delivery: Super Victor intake manifold with FAST 4150 throttle body, Custom 4” piping, Precision Turbo 4000 air/water intercooler with custom ice box and pump. -10 and -12 fuel lines, MagnaFuel 4703 fuel pump, 10 Gal fuel cell.
Electronics: FuelTech FT600 with a Pro Harness, 8 can EGT sensors, boost controller, driveshaft sensors, 2 wideband nanos, and custom on-board air system for wastegate control.
Power Adder: Borg Warner twin billet 369SXE turbos.
Transmission: BTE Top Sportsman aftermarket case Powerglide, 1.69 gear, PST 4” chromoly driveshaft with chromoly yoke. Hughes billet bolt together converter and trans cooler.
Rear: Ford 9”, Strange Pro 3.73 gear and 40 spline axles.
Brakes: Strange callipers with slotted rotors.
Tires and Wheels: Weld ALPHA 1. 15 x 12 double beadlocks with 28 x 10.5 slicks on rear. Weld 17” V-Series front wheels with Mickey Thompson 26” radial tires.
Interior: Precision electric shifter, Kirkey seats, 5 point harness, AEM transmission temperature gauge, carbon fiber panels.
ET & MPH: 1/8th mile – 5.04 @ 141 mph
Thanks to: I’d like to thank a a bunch of people; Bobby Parks for tuning, Derek Burton for tuning and his help with the whole car and Randy Goodman for paint, Eddie Grimes for help with wiring, TJ and Tony Castro for fiberglass work and tons of other help. Thanks to my Crew Butch and John Smith, Colby Patterson, Tommy and Kylee Long, Max Leskowitz, and Jimmy Barnes. Thanks to Noah Stein for setting up the chassis, Tyler Glunt & TIG Towing for garage space, Pat Shannon (trouble shooting), Andrew Angermier (Fab Work), Keystone Powder Coating, Tommy Bauerlien (Transmission builder), the entire no prep racing community and Mom and Dad for overall support and encouragement. www.rpmmag.com
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I can’t believe I said I never wanted to own a race car again... LUKE GLASS
IAN HILL SUPERCHARGER CARD
ECAM
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Another key to a classic stance, not to mention performance, is the suspension setup, and The Snot Rocket’s (as the car is known) suspension is certainly not for show. A no-prep suspension becomes an entirely different animal and requires specific parts to hook with little to no prep. The front setup includes Afco Big Gun long travel struts and springs specific to a no-prep surface along with custom a-arms made by Luke. The same applies to the rear; a Moroso fourlink keeps the rear end in place while Afco Big Gun shocks keep the tires planted. In today’s racing world, it’s hard to find something that doesn’t have a Chevrolet LSbased swap, especially in a Chevy, and Luke’s Nova is no different. Starting with an LQ4 iron 6.0 block bored .030 over, the rotating assembly consists of a Molnar crank, Wiseco pistons, and Molnar Power Adder rods. In addition, Luke had a custom Bewley cam for turbo applications made to complete the short block. Nothing special went into the heads, stock cast tried and true 317 heads stayed, complete with factory rockers and valves. The head additions included BTR dual valve springs and retainers and a Super Victor intake manifold from Edelbrock with Fast 4150 throttle body completes the package.
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PBM Performance Engine
LOKAR
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The rad and fan are located aft and low, just behind the heavily fortified braced 9-inch rear diff hung by a 4-link with Afco Big Guns.
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The power adder of choice for Luke was turbocharging and he chose twin 369SXE turbos to do the job. The sisters are mounted in the Nova grille and cooling the charge comes via a Precision 4000 air to water intercooler with a custom icebox and pump. A MagnaFuel 4703 pump provides fuel from a 10-gallon fuel cell and a Fueltech FT600 with Pro harness controls the entire car, including the various safety, boost, speed, and engine parameter sensors. An estimated 1400whp transfers through a BTE built Top Sportsman Powerglide complete with 1.69 gear, Hughes bolt-together torque converter and trans cooler. A PST carbon fiber driveshaft takes that power to a Ford 9-inch read end stuffed with a 3.73 pro gear set and 40 spline axles. It’s pretty much bare essentials inside the Chevy II with a pair of race seats, Precision electric shifter, AEM trans temp gauge, and the Fueltech FT600 digital gauge display. The most exciting thing would be the carbon panels and custom air to water tank that comes through to the back of the car and of course the custom cage that surrounds the driver. Luke’s is a very unique story; after getting an offer he couldn’t
resist on his house, he bought an RV to live in and now travels wherever he needs to race. He goes from RV camp to RV camp and works on the car while he’s there unless he can find a garage to take it to. “Many RV parks have smiled, laughed or been super angry with me for having the Nova pulled apart beside my RV or for transbrake testing at 10pm. I pray anyone who had to deal with that reads this because I am really sorry about that!” At 25, Luke Glass is young and having fun, living in his RV and racing his dream car and he wouldn’t change it for the world! “I can’t believe I said I never wanted to own a race car again. This is just so rewarding knowing that I have to work twice as hard to get my car to the races as a guy with a lift in his garage.” He’s enjoyed many experiences with the Nova to date but the best has to be the time he took his mom Mary Ellen for a run. “It was after we won a $30,000+ race when I took her for a full 1/8th mile hit. She drag raced back in the eighties but not like this, and she screamed the entire time and screamed with happiness at the end of the run. It’s something we always laugh about together.”
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techextra
Spark Plug Tips for Boosted Engines By Erik Radzins
Director of Communications, ProCharger Superchargers
Spark plugs can help you make horsepower, or not if you make a mistake. Our simple tips will help you bypass common issues.
Spark plugs can make or break your car’s engine power, especially when it comes to power adders. 100
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There are several factors to consider to make sure you have the best horsepower gain after you supercharge your vehicle. Heat range is one of the most common things you can (and should) change when you add boost. The heat range is the spark plug’s ability to pull heat out of the chamber or away from the tip. Pulling that heat away means less chance for detonation. However,
a little bit colder is good. A lot colder is bad. Gap is another key consideration. Adding boost adds cylinder pressure inside the combustion chamber. When that spark has to jump the gap, it now has to do so amidst all that extra pressure. To ensure that a spark fires properly every time, you must close down the gap, making it easier for the spark to jump from the
Boost adds cylinder pressure inside the combustion chamber, so you need to decrease the spark plug gap to ensure the spark successfully jumps to the other side.
ground strap to the electrode. Spark plug tip style is affected by your engine design. Different cylinder heads have different spark plug location, depth, and position in the combustion chamber, affecting how the spark plug tip sticks out into the air fuel mixture. A common misstep we see is people will run a non-projected tip plug in a head that required a projected tip.
Tip material initiates a lot of questions, because people are concerned that an iridium or platinum plug is too hot and will hurt their engine. Rest assured, this is not the case. Any material will work on a supercharged vehicle. The key difference is that copper plugs are going to wear faster and will need to be changed out more frequently, while platinums and iridiums were designed to go much longer without a spark plug change.
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techextra A common misstep we see is people will run a non-projected tip plug in a head that required a projected tip.
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Spark plugs come in all shapes and sizes, like this interesting ground strap style. Reach out to a spark plug manufacturer if you are curious about how a unique spark plug will perform with your engine.
It is equally important to replace your spark plug wires regularly to avoid misfires.
Breakup problems is another spark plug topic that requires explanation. Be mindful about buying spark plugs with a resistor. Any modern car with electronic components will require a resistor style plug, while older carbureted vehicles with no electronics can get away with a non-resistor plug. When it comes to reading a spark plug, it can be more challenging
than you think. To read a spark plug properly, you need to install brand new spark plugs and test on a dyno or a track. Run a cycle and shut the car off at the very top of the run, then read the spark plug for clues as to what happened right before the engine was shut down. Before you buy your next set of spark plugs, we have a couple recommendations. First, replace your
coil wires regularly to avoid misfires. Second, use the tool made for gapping plugs, because the fragile porcelain, copper, and connections are easily broken. Third, it is worth your while to reach out to a spark plug manufacturer. We’ve always found them to be quite helpful.
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RPM hidden gem
Tony Karamitsos’ Street/Strip 1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28 From the pages of RPM Magazine, June 2020
With only an aftermarket fiberglass hood straying from a factory steel, glass, or chrome component, the Camaro isn’t the lightest performer you’ll ever face, making its impressive on-track measurables all the more impressive. When weight is up and ETs are down, you know there must be some serious power on tap.
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Photos: Brandon Wilson
“The car was a total basket case. It didn’t have quarters, a rear valance...no doghouse...not much of anything. But it was a start...” TONY KARAMITSOS
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RPM hidden gem
The Camaro’s interior looks nearly factory, with a pair of stock buckets draped with RJS harnesses and a Holley digital dash where the vintage analog instrumentation used to live.
You may be surprised to see a small block be of motivation for the Chevy in a lighter- wei
Having a cool die cast collectible is one thing. Having a legit steel 7-second street car is another. But having a die cast collectible of your street car? That’s off the charts cool!
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Chassis & Modifications: Stock Camaro sub-frame with frame connectors and mini tubs. Suspension & Brakes: FRONT: TRZ tubular upper & lower control arms. Afco double-adjustable coilover shocks and Wilwood disc brakes. REAR: CalTrac traction bars and split mono-leaf suspension with Santhuff double-adjustable shocks. TRZ anti-roll bar. Aerospace Components disc brakes. Body & Paint: Fiberglass cowl induction hood with all remaining components factory including bumpers, trim, and glass (3,660 pound curb weight). All prep and paint by Tony Karamitsos with help from Brad Curtis, Shannon Montgomery, Adam Podell. Royal blue metallic DuPont basecoat/clearcoat paint with white Z/28 stripes.
etween the fender wells, but the turbocharged 400 ci Ultra Tech Racing Engines mill provides plenty ight envelope than a big block.
Engine: Ultra Tech Racing Engines 400 ci small block Chevy with Dart Little M block, Crower forged 3.750-inch stroke crankshaft, Callies 5.850 rods with ARP bolts, and custom ceramic-coated Diamond pistons with Hell Fire rings. Custom spec Crane solid roller cam with Crower roller lifters and Trend 3/8-inch chromoly pushrods. Cometic MLS head gaskets and full ARP stud kit. All Pro SP 23-degree aluminum raised runner cylinder heads with Isky valve springs, titanium retainers, and 2.150 intake/1.60 exhaust valves. Full CNC port and T&D shaft rockers. Induction and Fuel Delivery: Dart raised runner intake (fully ported) with Edelbrock elbow and throttle body. E85 fuel system with Aeromotive Eliminator fuel pump (primary) and ProSeries pump (secondary). Wilson fuel rails and Moran 235cc Billet Atomizer injectors. Power Adder: Precision Turbo 98mm turbocharger with 66mm wastegate and ProCharger blow-off valve. RJC custom intercooler with custom hot and cold side tubing. Electronics & Ignition: Holley Dominator EFI, Holley touch-screen dash, Nitrous Dave’s Racing Electronics custom wiring & relay board. Exhaust: Stainless Works turbo headers. Transmission & Driveline: RPM Transmission Turbo 400 built by Rodney Massengale, PTC Pro Mod Bolt Together Converter & Gear Vendors Overdrive. Action Machine 4-inch driveshaft with Mark Williams chromoly yoke. Differential: Moser M9 housing with aluminum center section and 3.25 gears. Gun-drilled star flanged 40-spline axles with 5/8-inch studs.
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Tires and Wheels: FRONT: 15x3.5-inch Weld V-Series wheels with 26x5-15 Mickey Thompson tires. REAR: 15x12-inch double beadlocked Weld V-Series wheels with 275/60R-15 ET Street Radial Pro tires. Performance: 7.99 @ 173.71 mph
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RPM hidden gem
Whether on the street or at the track, Karamitsos’ Camaro not only looks incredible, it performs incredibly well, too. It’s not easy to propel an almost all steel small tire street machine into the sevens, but Tony has done it (and plans to go deeper following some cage upgrades to keep the tech guy at the track happy).
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SUMMIT FULL
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PARTS PRO FULL 2
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