Issue! - Max Chevy Magazine
Transcription
Issue! - Max Chevy Magazine
Vol umeV, I ssue3-M ar ch201 0 RACECOVERAGE Chevy' sDomi nat eM ar chM eetDoorCar s Pr oCar eRX Gator nati onal sPr oM odsDebut TECH New Dar tBow Ti e Tal lBl ock Know YourRPM ' s Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 REIGNING NMCA CHAMP RETURNS TO NHRA PRO MOD COMPETITION Fresh off his world championship run at the top level of National Muscle Car Association competition, veteran drag racer Troy Coughlin returned to Pro Mod in 2010 beginning with the season-opening 41st annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (FL) Raceway. Coughlin realized a dream in 2009 when he mastered the NMCA's Pro Street category. Looking for a new challenge, he elected to build a JEGS.com '68 Camaro and return to a class he's raced in the past, most recently in 2007. The move was largely precipitated by NHRA's decision to make Pro Mod a competition class. In the past, it was run as an exhibition category. Unlike year's past when he raced a supercharged machine, Coughlin has made the move to NOS power, which he admits took some adjustment time. "It really gets up and goes with the NOS power adder," he said. "We had a lot to test but our time in Bradenton (Fla.) really paid off for us. Not only did we have a new car to figure out but we had a new driver in the sense I had never driven a NOS car before. It's something that takes a little time to adjust to." Coughlin leaned heavily on crew chief "Tricky Rickie" Smith, a multi-time world champion who joined the JEGS team in the off-season. "Rickie's blended right into the team," said Coughlin, the Pro Stock runner-up in Gainesville in 2000. "His knowledge of Pro Mod cars is unequalled and the fact he can jump in the car and drive it himself is a real plus. Since he has driven these cars for so long, he really knows what I'm saying when I talk about a run.” [3/17/10] TRIM PARTS TO SPONSOR AWARDS PAVILION AND FIRST GENERATION CAMARO CLASS WITH NMCA Trim Parts has signed an agreement as the Exclusive Awards Pavilion sponsor and as sponsor of the First Generation Camaro Class at the TREMEC NMCA Muscle Car Nationals Car Show Series. Every NMCA Edelbrock Muscle Car Nationals event features an awesome alldomestic car show where some of the best GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles compete for awards and national status. “Nothing speaks quality like Trim Parts and having them on board once again shows the NMCA’s commitment to a first class quality car show,” stated car show director Jerry Daisey. “As companies like Trim Parts step up we are able to take this series to a new level in 2010 and beyond,” added Daisey. Trim Parts, Inc. is the premier manufacturer of high quality emblems, door handles, lenses, molded carpet and other trim items for classic cars and trucks. Alex Tainsh of Trim Parts remarked, “Trim Parts is proud to be part of the NMCA Car Show series. We are very excited about the potential of this new program and reaching out to our loyal customer base not to mention our new customers!” “Our customers’ build them and we are here to support them.” Every NMCA Edelbrock Muscle Car Nationals event features heads-up drag racing, true street and bracket racing, the TREMEC NMCA Car Show, a huge manufacturers’ midway & swap meet, burnout contest and a jet dragster. [3/17/10] Columns - Bowtie Bytes - MaxChevy.com ADVERTISEMENT Click NEXT PAGE to skip ad MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 NEW CAMARO PRO MOD FOR PEARCE Some photos of Rod Pearce's Camaro, which has just been completed at Matheis Racecars in Missouri, were in the ol’ mayo jar today. Sweet! [3/17/10] FREE 2009 SCREENSAVER Fear not beloved Bowtie Bandits, our annual screensaver is here. Filled with all the Chevy action you could possibly want, it's the cream o' the crop of 2009, and it's FREE. So what are you waiting for? Download it now!. [3/17/10] REACH FOR THE SKY George Adams photo Even with last weekend's cool temperatures at Woodburn Dragstrip there was still plenty of traction. Gary Fetter's "Determination" Pro Shoebox '55 Chevy reached for the sky during Woodburn's Pre-season Test-n-Tune sessions. According to track Director Gene Bergstrom, this weekend, March 20th & 21st is the last full weekend of Test-n-Tune before the first Sunoco Race Fuels ET Championship Series Event March 28th. Bergstrom says the weather forecast for both Saturday and Sunday looks great for the Oregon dragstrip. [3/17/10] Columns - Bowtie Bytes - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 2 March 11, 2010 CASTELLANA’S NEW CAMARO IS READY TO RACE NASCAR notebook: Teams test new spoilers Edwards, Keselowski set to resume battle at Bristol Peugeot driver sets fast test time at Sebring Click for more AutoWeek stories ADVERTISEMENT Mike Castellana just picked up his new ‘69 Camaro Pro Mod from Jerry Bickel Race Cars. It is a Cynergy Composites "ULTRALIGHT" body, one of the first bodies out of the new molds. (photos courtesy Cynergy Composites) [3/11/10] MONTOYA HANGS ON FOR 3RD PLACE IN WILD ATLANTA RACE Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet, battled in the front of the field throughout the 341-lap race, 16 laps over the advertised distance, to score a third-place finish in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta. He started third and led once for a total of three laps. JOIN THE AUTOWEEK NETWORK Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, finished ninth at Atlanta Motor Speedway and maintains the lead in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with four races in the record books. Four-time defending NSCS champion Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, finished 12th and jumped one position in the points to fourth place. Despite being involved in a multi-car accident as the field came down for the first of two green-white-checkered attempts at the finish, Clint Bowyer maintained his top-five position in the standings sitting fifth after his 23rd place finish. Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, jumped one position in the standings to sixth with a 20th place run. He led once for one lap. Mark Martin, No. 5 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet is seventh in the standings after being sidelined before the finish as a victim of the multi-car accident and was scored in 33rd place. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, now sits eighth in points with his 13th place finish. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont/National Guard Chevrolet, is seventh in the standings after the Atlanta race giving Team Chevy seven of the top-12 drivers in the NSCS point standings. The four-time NSCS champion finished 18th. Kurt Busch (Dodge) won the race. Matt Kenseth (Ford), Kasey Kahne (Ford) and Paul Menard (Ford) completed the top-five finishers. [3/11/10] Columns - Bowtie Bytes - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 2 March 11, 2010 GM DAEWOO MULLS CHANGING NAME TO CHEVROLET GM Daewoo will likely be renamed Chevrolet soon. The Korean carmaker's president, Mike Arcamone, has decided to change the name of the company, a GM Daewoo spokesperson said on March 11. "We plan to discuss the matter with dealers and the labor union," the spokesperson said. "An announcement on the renaming will come before the opening of the Busan Motor Show" on April 29. According to GM Daewoo, management will choose between two options: change the name to Chevrolet all at once, or use the two names together for the time being and gradually push for the change to the new name.[3/11/10] CAMARO TAKES HOT ROD WIN AT MARCH MEET ADVERTISEMENT Jesse Adams of Yuba City, Calif., made his way through seven rounds of competition to capture the Hot Rod category championship at the 52nd running of the March Meet at Auto Club Famoso in Bakersfield, Calif. Driving his K&N Filters sponsored classic 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, Adams outlasted 127 fellow competitors over three days in the bracket-style Hot Rod category. He also captured the Kern County number one qualifier trophy for running 0.009 seconds off his first round 11.220-second dial-in. Adams’ march to the final round did not come easily. During his 6 previous rounds of eliminations his average margin of victory was less than 0.01 seconds. He received a bye-run in the quarter-final round advancing him to the semi-final round. After capturing the semi victory, Adams was scheduled to face Mike Rogers from Covina, Calif., in the final round. The money round was a classic Chevrolet versus Ford affair, with Adams’ K&N Filters 383 small block Chevrolet Camaro matching up against Rogers’ potent 1965 small block 302 cubic inch Ford Mustang. As the light turned green, Rogers was on his game and captured a slight starting line advantage over Adams, however, as the cars approached the finish line, Adams was faced with a difficult decision. He decided to let Rogers take the stripe, assuming his opponent would break-out. Adams gamble paid off as Rogers ran 0.010 seconds quicker than his 12.14-second dial-in, while Adams was 0.007 slower than his 11.230 index, handing the 2010 March Meet championship to Adams. [3/11/10] DURANT NAMED NATIONAL TOP-SELLING CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP Chevrolet officials presented Tom Durant with a trophy Thursday for being the top-selling Chevrolet dealer in the nation in 2009, the fourth straight year the Grapevine, Texas, dealership has won. "To win a championship takes a lot of things," said Kurt McNeil, outgoing general sales manager for Chevrolet who is taking over the top spot at Cadillac. "It takes a great team. It takes a great leader. To win it again and again is a great accomplishment." Classic Chevrolet won the sales title after trailing Paddock Chevrolet of Buffalo, NY, most of the year, coming from behind in the last three months to sell 4,101 vehicles to Paddock's 3,743.[3/11/10] Columns - Bowtie Bytes - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 2 March 11, 2010 GM TO REINSTATE 661 DEALERSHIPS General Motors Co. plans to reinstate 661 of the 1,160 rejected dealerships that applied for arbitration to get their franchises back, scrapping a ninemonth plan to reduce its showroom network by 40 percent. The decision to begin settlement procedures stemmed from a desire to avoid the rigors of congressionally mandated arbitration, GM executives said. GM has contacted all 661 of the rejected dealerships that the company intends to reinstate. The automaker reached 80 percent of the dealerships by phone on Friday and contacted the remainder March 8. GM hopes to have the effort completed by mid-summer. [3/11/10] HARVICK GETS SECOND TRUCK WIN OF SEASON Kevin Harvick ran off with the second truck series race of the season, leading 100 of 130 laps and besting runner-up Busch by 1.308 seconds. Busch has finished second in three of Harvick's truck wins. Harvick, making his first start of 2010, has wins in his last three truck series starts and five wins and nine top-fives in his last nine truck series races. That was the plan, he said. "A lot of the reason we race trucks is to make sure Kyle Busch doesn't win all those races," Harvick said. "That's honest-to-God truth. Sometimes you have to protect your turf. He was only one racing and was important for us and Chevrolet to score as many points as we could.” (Geoff Burke/Getty Images) [3/11/10] MAGEAU READY TO GO PROSPECTING AGAIN ADVERTISEMENT The Phlegm Building mayo jar held a photo of Jay Mageau’s lovely ’57 Chevy AA/FC this morning. The boys just finished putting the “Prospector” back together and the Canadian team will be taking her down to a private function Thursday, March 11, for Castrol, then down to Red Deer, Alberta, for a car show March 12- 14. [3/11/10] Columns - Bowtie Bytes - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 From Our Obscure Information Files… Despite the presence of other brands and types of racing engines, a pre-WWII creation of high popularity was the 4-cylinder, 4-valve, double overhead cam Offenhauser, a spin-off by Fred Offenhauser of an earlier marine engine created by Harry Miller, a prolific designer of racing cars and engines of the era. While the initial form of this engine dominated Indy 500 racing years before a supercharged iteration evolved in the late 1960s, a smaller displacement version became equally prevalent in sprint and midget cars during the same period. Prior to this development, such cars were popularly powered by the diminutive Ford V8 60 that eventually bowed to the comparably small but superior Offys. But as this transition evolved, there was one die-hard engine builder and midget car owner who still believed in the V8 60, as did the drivers he chose to pilot his cars. Notably among them were Roger Ward and Bill Vukovich who later gained prominence by stellar driving in numerous Indy 500 events. So it was not for a lack of driver skills that began the story for this car owner; it was inspired by a lack of on-track power, even though alcohol was in common use. Fortuitously for this particular owner, he had a chemist friend. Through a series of discussions about what sort of “additives” might provide the power margins sufficient to compete with the Offys, a decision was made to perform some on-track experiments. Of course, this particular car owner subscribed to the time-honored racer script of “if they don't specifically say you can’t do it, it’s not considered cheating.” So he proceeded to find ways of modifying the little V8 60’s carburetion to handle fluids other than alcohol racing fuel being used by all his Offy competition. I recall several conversations with one of the car owner’s employees, many years after the “experiment” was conducted. He recalled several of the experiences they had in the course of determining not only what type of additives could be used but also if it was possible to make a wholesale substitution of their existing fuel to an alternative, without the competition discovering what was happening. For example, the car owner and his chemist friend began to investigate materials that would also disguise the odor of the exhaust, hopefully suggesting something other than what was being used would be detected. For one race, they concocted a blend that caused the exhaust to smell like oranges. On another occasion, the odor was that of gun powder. And while all this was transpiring, the little V8 60 was closing the on-track performance gap between it and the Offys. The premier track hosting midget sprint cars of the time was Gilmore Stadium, located in metropolitan Los Angeles, California. A win at Gilmore in a midget was akin to winning the 500 at Indy, in terms of prominence in this smaller form of circle track racing. It was at this facility that the midget sprints ran every Thursday night, during racing season. This was also a location frequented by the owner and his team, as they experimented with and continued to disguise their new fuel “advantage.” And, in fact, it was at this track on a particular Thursday that the little V8 60 was pitted against an entire field of Offy-powered midget sprint cars. With the previously mentioned Roger Ward in as driver and a load of the “funny smelling” fuel in the tank, Roger won his heat race and placed the car on the pole for the main event. And then the history bell rang. At the drop of the green, the little V8 60 pulled away from a charging pack of Offys to notch a first-ever win against such a field. And then, to prove the event was no accident, the car appeared that weekend at a track in San Bernardino, Calif., against the same field of Offys, and repeated the feat. While the driving skills of Ward and a professionallyprepped race car contributed significantly to both wins, recollections from team members who shared this information pointed directly to the special fuel being used. More significant was the fact that the “experimental” fuel which the little V8 60 Ford engine was being groomed and for which its exhaust odor was disguised with various non-critical but smell-changing additives was nitromethane, being used for the very first time in a circle track racing engine. Some have even said in an automotive racing engine of any type, period. Although this time of hot rodding experimentation took place almost seventy years ago, its future impact and the spirit of innovation continues today in the form of the Edelbrock Corporation. It turns out the car owner of that diminutive sprinter was Vic Edelbrock, Sr., and residing inside the current Edelbrock headquarters in Torrance, California, is the now-restored little number “27” that provided a significant link to motorsports history. Technically Speaking - From Our Obscure Information Files… - Page 1 of 1 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Words by Darr Hawthorne - Photos by Tim Marshall, Donna Bistran and James Drew The recently completed 52nd March Meet found us dozens and dozens of Bow Tie faithful with plenty of Tri-fives, Novas, Chevelles and a few Impalas. There are probably more GM Big and Small blocks than any other engine choice on the planet at the March Meet and you’ll find every configuration within the Gasser Classes, Altereds and Dragsters with old school injectors, superchargers or carbs, but no nitrous is allowed. Here we’ll focus on some great looking and super performing Chevypowered hot rods with doors among the nearly five hundred entrants to this legendary West Coast event. Dave Warren from Cloverdale, California powers his cool ’62 Chevy Bel Air on a burnout. Warren runs his black and blue “Blue Max” Chevy in the very competitive A/Gas class where he runs on a 7.60 elapsed time Index with a 632-inch big block. The March Meet was originally called the U.S. Fuel and Gas Championships, spearheaded by the Smokers, a local Bakersfield area racing club. The Smokers, who began racing at Famoso Raceway in 1951, became skeptical of reported times and speeds set in the eastern U.S. by “Big Daddy” Don Garlits. They invited Garlits to Bakersfield to compete and in March 1959 he did just that. The result was the March Meet, often called the “Woodstock of drag racing.” Garlits’ appearance at Famoso spread the fame of the track, the March Meet and Bakersfield far and wide. Today the March Meet is the race and Auto Club Famoso Raceway is the place to see the best nostalgia racers from the United States and Canada, there was even a team who flew in from Finland. Another Californian in A/Gas is Jim Ferrin, from Anderson, CA in his ’67 Nova powered by a 621-cubic inch Chevy. March Meet Chevys - Page 1 of 5 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Andy Hiemstra, from Northridge, California drives Larry Ofria’s original owner A/Gas ’57 Chevy Bel Air. Ofria, of Valley Head Service ordered the car in late 1956 and the car has evolved over the years into a mid-seven second stormer with an injected 388 small block. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Brad Chaffee’s ’67 Nova sports a supercharged 540-inch big block (below); Brad and his dad Norm have always loved hot rods & drag racing and own B&N Custom Rods in southern California. Brad is the owner and driver of this drag car; it is a showpiece and also was the A/GAS class winner at the '07 March Meet. March Meet Chevys - Page 2 of 5 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT Local racer Rick Logsdon’s ’55 Chevy is another strong mid-seven A/Gasser who also runs his car in the competitive West Coast Hot Rod Association. Dave Matson’s runs a concrete and engineering company in Grass Valley, California and this clean 618-inch ’67 Camaro in the A/Gas class. Doug McDermott's campaigns his "Hott Stuff" B/Gas 1969 Camaro sponsored by Pelican Products advanced lighting systems. (above) Bill Thompson runs his C/Gas ’65 Nova with a 383 Small block to mid-nine second ET’s. (below) March Meet Chevys - Page 3 of 5 - MaxChevy.com ADVERTISEMENT Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT Doug Petrosky wheels his two-tone C/Gas ’64 Nova powered by a 496-inch big block. Nick Kendrick out of Lake Havasu City, Nevada races his clean ’65 El Camino in C/Gas with a 540-inch big block under the hood “Crazy” Connie Heinrich is a tough Southern California competitor who races this ’72 big block powered Vega as part of the Purple Reign Racing Team. “Crazy” Connie got her nickname when she raced a bumper dragging, wheelstanding Camaro with a Maverick sheet metal front end – Chevy powered, of course. Number one qualifier in B/Gas was Jerry Jahnsen, who at the end of competition was runner-up for the class trophy in his ultra clean '67 Nova when he broke out by .001 on the 8.60 Index to John Salami’s Camaro. B/Gas winner John Sallani was racing right on the index to win the class trophy with an 8.601 in the final round match against Jerry Jahnsen who broke out. March Meet Chevys - Page 4 of 5 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT Pat Walker carries the front wheels in his C/Gas ’70 Camaro 555inch big block. The Bakersfield driver went all the way to the Semifinal round when he broke out on a double break out contest with eventual runner-up Tom Fowler on the 9.60 index. Nostalgia Eliminator is filled with door cars, altereds and dragsters, none more beautiful than Doug Davenport’s Chevy-powered, frontmotored econodragster. The Las Vegas, Nevada resident piloted his blue-jewel to victory in the Nostalgia Eliminator II class. Davenport has been going to the March Meet since 1968 and won the Hot Rod Heritage Championship in 2009. If you’d like to see more of the incredible variety of the annual March Meet, check out our coverage of the special event in our sister publication Drag Racing Online March Meet Chevys - Page 5 of 5 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Bowties dress up Pro Mod winners Words by Kay Burk Photos by Todd Dziadosz, Steve Gruenwald, Debbie Gastelu and Ron Lewis Canadian flags waved in the grandstands as Manitoba’s Kenny Lang made drag racing history as the first to win a “Wally” (nickname of the winner’s trophy) in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series. This event was the first for the Pro Mod series as an official NHRA class, after nine seasons confined to “exhibition” status. It was Canada versus Sweden in the final round. (Todd Dziadosz photo) ADVERTISEMENT Lang became the first winner in NHRA’s newest national touring series as he drove his green 1953 Corvette to victory over Sweden’s Michael Gullqvist, who drove the ProCareRX 1968 Camaro owned by series supporter Roger Burgess. Lang powered his ’53 Corvette to a 5.908second run at 243.68 mph to earn the victory in the final round, but ultimately didn’t need the strong performance when Gullqvist fouled at the start. Lang is winner of the first NHRA “Wally” for Pro Modifieds. (Debbie Gastelu photo) “This is a great event and I am thrilled to win it,” said Lang who qualified sixth and defeated a tough group of drivers in earlier rounds including JEGS.com’s Troy Coughlin, In-N-Out Burger ’63 Corvette driver Melanie Troxel and Al-Anabi driver Khalid Balooshi. “It definitely hasn’t all sunk in yet,” said Lang about being the first official Pro Mod winner in NHRA history. “We are one of the lesser-funded teams out here but we do a good job and we do it because we love it. I wasn’t surprised to see those flags out there because we get a lot of support wherever we go. We had a great car today.” Pro Mods at the NHRA Gatornationals - Page 1 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 (sequence by Todd Dziadosz) It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Roger Burgess earned the first official No. 1 qualifying position of the new NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series Saturday with a performance of 5.856 at 248.39 mph in his ProCare RX Corvette. But Sunday, it all turned bad as Burgess, who almost singlehandedly brought the series out of its former nineseason exhibition status, brushed the retaining wall of Gainesville Raceway. The accident eliminated Burgess from competition as, by rule, the wall is considered out of bounds. "That's the first time I've been that far out of shape," Burgess said. "But you know how it is -- you always press a little too hard trying to win the round. If I had it to do over again, I would have done the same thing. Sometimes you think you can drive through it and you try. That time I couldn't.” Mike Castellana’s 1970 Camaro was named Best Engineered Pro Mod, but the Westbury, NY, driver didn’t make the 16-car field. (Todd Dziadosz photo) Pro Mods at the NHRA Gatornationals - Page 2 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Melanie Troxel drove both in Funny Car and Pro Mod. Kenny Lang eliminated her ’63 Corvette in the Pro Mod quarter-finals. (Steve Gruenwald photo) K.A. Balooshi ran 5.909/245.49 in his semifinal match up with Kenny Lang, who got the win with a 5.932 at 244.03 mph. Balooshi changed from a nitrous oxide-injected car last year to a supercharged Camaro. (Debbie Gastelu photo) Rick Distefano’s’s 1970 Camaro glowed in the dark, but couldn’t make the field at Gainesville. (Ron Lewis photo) Pro Mods at the NHRA Gatornationals - Page 3 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 “Tricky” Rickie Smith at the wheel of his ’68 Camaro from King, NC. He lost in the first round to Auxier. (Todd Dziadosz photo) Burton Auxier Jr. is the driver of another Al-Anabi Racing Pro Mod. His ’68 Camaro had problems in the semifinal, where Michael Gullqvist got the win. (Ron Lewis photo) Brad Personett’s turbocharged “Big Stuff” Camaro didn’t make the Mike Knowles knows drag racing is just like burnin’ money. His field either. (Debbie Gastelu photo 2009 Corvette is out of Grand Junction, Colorado. He qualified number 5 but was out in the first round of competition. (Debbie Gastelu photo) Pro Mods at the NHRA Gatornationals - Page 4 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Tach it up: Sunpro 5” Super Tach III Tachometer Installation A tachometer is a valuable piece of equipment in any high performance automobile, but installing one can be a tricky proposition. Don't let that scare you off though; with a little preparation you can do an install job that would make your local speed shop proud. For the purposes of this article, we'll be putting a Sunpro 5" Super Tach III into an '87 Corvette. The installation directions are specifically for this tach, but for the most part they'll apply to any brand of tachometer. Likewise, the installation directions will be more or less the same for any model of car. We'll make sure to point out areas where you'll need to do something different for another type of car. Total install time should take about one hour, give or take, but as always, budget more time if this is your first time installing an item like this. Now without (much) further ado, let's get crackin'! First thing first: This is what the thing you're putting in your car looks like. The Sunpro 5” Super Tach III. Ooh, so shiny.... And look! It has a blue light on it! Tach it up - Page 1 of 4 - MaxChevy.com ADVERTISEMENT Click NEXT PAGE to skip ad MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Choose your weapon: these are the tools required to install the tach. Nothing too exotic. If you don't have at least most of these lying around in your toolbox, maybe you should just go ahead and have someone else do the install for you. First things first. Remove the plastic casings surrounding gauge cluster and radio. Carefully pull the radio out of its dock without disconnecting any wires. Splice the white wire from the tachometer to the dark green wire coming from the headlight switch/dimmer switch unit. Connect the black wire to the negative battery terminal or to a clean unpainted chassis ground using a ring terminal or other suitable means such as solder, electrical tape or butt connectors. Connect the red wire to any vehicle harness wire energized with battery Hint: For personal safety and to prevent possible damage to your vehicle’s electrical voltage when the ignition key is in the “On” position. We used the orange wire coming system, disconnect the negative battery cable during the installation. from the ignition switch. Tach it up - Page 2 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 This ’87 Corvette has an electronic spark timing distributor with an HEI module. Splice the green wire to the white wire on the distributor. This wire provides the tachometer with the engine RPM signal. Hint: For this specific installation, a longer wire was required to connect to the distributor, which is why the image shows a white wire. Mark hole locations and drill holes for mounting bracket and install the two provided #10 screws. Hint: The Sunpro Super Tach III is designed to be mounted on any flat or curved surface, or on the steering column. For this install, the bracket was fixed to the side of the radio panel that was earlier removed. Tach it up - Page 3 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Reattach the plastic coverings surrounding the gauge cluster and radio. Connect the Tighten the button head screws. The last thing you need is more screws loose. steel cylinder to the mounting bracket and carefully set the gauge inside. Adjust the shift light. To view the shift light trip point, push and hold the lower knob. To set the shift light trip point, push and hold the lower knob and push and rotate the upper knob at the same time. Hint: You will need both hands free to set the shift light trip point. And that's it! Time to crack open a cold drink in celebration of a job well done. Tach it up - Page 4 of 4 - MaxChevy.com ADVERTISEMENT Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Dart Drops the Big One DART’S NEW RACE SERIES TALL-DECK BIG-BLOCK It’s not coincidental that warfare is often a metaphor for racing. Like front-line generals, racers talk about an arsenal of engines, armies of mechanics and a race car’s firepower. While the consequences of losing a race are not as dire as the aftermath of losing a war, the incentive to succeed is the same in both venues. Losing sucks, whether on a drag strip or on a battlefield. If the analogy of racing as combat holds true, then Dart’s new Race Series tall-deck big-block is the doomsday weapon in the rapidly escalating arms race among engine builders. This new block can accommodate displacements of up to 763 cubic inches, with the promise of even larger engines to come. Armed with features that give this heavyweight casting massive strength and unprecedented versatility, this Dart big-block is a warhead aimed straight at the heart of the big-inch competition classes. The figure with his finger on the button to drop the Big One is Richard Maskin, Dart founder and president. Maskin’s “take-no-prisoners” style is well documented. He’s taken Dart from a part-time business in a two-car garage to a full-line manufacturer with nearly 100 employees. His complement of high-tech equipment rivals the Pentagon’s, and his capacity for strategic thinking would bring a smile to George Patton’s stern face. When Maskin perceives weakness in an opponent, he pounces, whether it’s creating raw castings from scratch or supplying state-of-the-art parts for thousands of racers. In the case of the tall-deck Race Series block, Maskin had a clear plan of attack to achieve his objective. “When Dart opened for business, my long-term goal was to manufacture blocks,” Maskin explained. “The racing industry needs specialized, high-quality components. We’ve made the investment in equipment, people and technology to design and machine complex components in-house that are both affordable and adaptable to what racers really need. ADVERTISEMENT “The trend in drag racing is toward bigger and bigger engines,” he continued, “and to do that you need larger cylinder barrels and you need to get the camshaft out of the way to clear a long-stroke crankshaft assembly. That was the thinking behind the Dart tall-deck Race Series big-block.” A bit of background is in order. In the beginning, the original Chevrolet bigblock was introduced in 1965 and produced with a 9.800-inch distance from the crankshaft centerline to the deck surfaces. Soon a so-called truck block appeared with a 10.200-inch crank-to-deck dimension. For decades, the truck block was the favored casting for big-inch engines, but its fundamental design still imposed harsh limits on engine size. The main oil gallery located in the left-hand oil pan rail restricted clearance for connecting rods. Furthermore, the truck block retained the original 5.150-inch dimension between the crankshaft centerline and the camshaft centerline. Racers devised inventive solutions to solve the inevitable problems produced by interference between stroker cranks and high-lift camshaft lobes, including cams with reduced base circle diameters, but these solutions presented their own set of problems with cams that had the torsional stiffness of an overcooked noodle. Dart Drops the Big One - Page 1 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Dart Drops the Big One DART’S NEW RACE SERIES TALL-DECK BIG-BLOCK It’s not coincidental that warfare is often a metaphor for racing. Like front-line generals, racers talk about an arsenal of engines, armies of mechanics and a race car’s firepower. While the consequences of losing a race are not as dire as the aftermath of losing a war, the incentive to succeed is the same in both venues. Losing sucks, whether on a drag strip or on a battlefield. If the analogy of racing as combat holds true, then Dart’s new Race Series tall-deck big-block is the doomsday weapon in the rapidly escalating arms race among engine builders. This new block can accommodate displacements of up to 763 cubic inches, with the promise of even larger engines to come. Armed with features that give this heavyweight casting massive strength and unprecedented versatility, this Dart big-block is a warhead aimed straight at the heart of the big-inch competition classes. The figure with his finger on the button to drop the Big One is Richard Maskin, Dart founder and president. Maskin’s “take-no-prisoners” style is well documented. He’s taken Dart from a part-time business in a two-car garage to a full-line manufacturer with nearly 100 employees. His complement of high-tech equipment rivals the Pentagon’s, and his capacity for strategic thinking would bring a smile to George Patton’s stern face. When Maskin perceives weakness in an opponent, he pounces, whether it’s creating raw castings from scratch or supplying state-of-the-art parts for thousands of racers. In the case of the tall-deck Race Series block, Maskin had a clear plan of attack to achieve his objective. “When Dart opened for business, my long-term goal was to manufacture blocks,” Maskin explained. “The racing industry needs specialized, high-quality components. We’ve made the investment in equipment, people and technology to design and machine complex components in-house that are both affordable and adaptable to what racers really need. ADVERTISEMENT “The trend in drag racing is toward bigger and bigger engines,” he continued, “and to do that you need larger cylinder barrels and you need to get the camshaft out of the way to clear a long-stroke crankshaft assembly. That was the thinking behind the Dart tall-deck Race Series big-block.” A bit of background is in order. In the beginning, the original Chevrolet bigblock was introduced in 1965 and produced with a 9.800-inch distance from the crankshaft centerline to the deck surfaces. Soon a so-called truck block appeared with a 10.200-inch crank-to-deck dimension. For decades, the truck block was the favored casting for big-inch engines, but its fundamental design still imposed harsh limits on engine size. The main oil gallery located in the left-hand oil pan rail restricted clearance for connecting rods. Furthermore, the truck block retained the original 5.150-inch dimension between the crankshaft centerline and the camshaft centerline. Racers devised inventive solutions to solve the inevitable problems produced by interference between stroker cranks and high-lift camshaft lobes, including cams with reduced base circle diameters, but these solutions presented their own set of problems with cams that had the torsional stiffness of an overcooked noodle. Dart Drops the Big One - Page 1 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 The Dart Race Series block takes the venerable big-block design to new heights, offering crank-to-deck dimensions of 10.600 and 11.100 inches – nearly one inch taller than the truck block. Raising the decks provides support for the pistons even with crankshaft strokes up to 5.50-inch. Moreover, the camshaft is raised .600-inch above the stock location and the main oil gallery is located alongside the camshaft tunnel, well away from the crank assembly. The Dart block’s oil pan rails are widely spread to eliminate potential interference with connecting rods and crankshaft counterweights. “We offer the flexibility to custom machine blocks in a production environment,” Maskin noted. “For example, a engine builder can specify standard bigblock babbit cam bearings, or 55mm or 60mm roller cam bearings, which have become the standard in Pro Stock-style engines. If a racer wants a biginch engine for a sportsman dragster or an offshore boat, he can use a conventional big-block cam core – but if he is building a high-rpm Pro Mod motor, he can use a stiffer 60mm cam core. Increasing the diameter of the cam bearing bores is relatively simple for Dart to do during the manufacturing process, while it’s difficult for an end user to do in a typical machine shop.” ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The lifter valley is another example of the versatility of the Race Series tall-deck block. The lifter bosses are essentially a blank slate – two solid-cast surfaces that can accommodate virtually any lifter configuration. The choices in big-block cylinder head designs have increased: In addition to conventional siamesed-port big-block heads, there are spread-port heads such as the Dart Big Chief and symmetrical port heads such as the DRCE family of castings. Each of these heads requires specific lifter bore spacing and angles for optimum valvetrain geometry. The Dart block’s massive lifter bore bosses can be drilled to accommodate all of these lifter layouts. Dart machinists can finish the lifter holes for .842-inch, .903-inch, .937-inch or 1.063-inch diameter lifters, and install bushings for either standard tie-bar or keyed lifters. Dart can even supply unground camshaft spools with lobes located for non-stock cylinder head designs. The lifter valley has four head stud bosses that take the place of the big-block’s “missing” head bolts on cylinder Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 7 – a cure for head gasket leaks and failures when using high compression ratios or nitrous oxide. The bosses are slotted to allow the use of studs instead of hard-to-install bolts. The Dart tall-deck block also offers a choice of cylinder bore spacing. Stock spacing between cylinder bores in a big-block is 4.840 inches; which imposes a practical limit of 4.625-inch on cylinder bore diameter. Spreading the cylinder bore spacing to 4.900 inches provides the material in the cylinder walls to increase the bore diameter to 4.700 inches. And if that’s not enough to satisfy the big-inch arms race, be warned that Maskin has plans for an even more massive version with 5.00-inch bore centers. Dart redesigned the Race Series block’s oil system to create a true “priority main” design that oils all of the main bearings before the lifters for extra reliability at high rpm. The main oil gallery is stepped (9/16-inch to 1/2-inch to 7/16-inch) to ensure a uniform oil supply for all five main bearings. In a conventional big-block, oil for the even-numbered cylinder bank is routed through a groove in the distributor housing. This can cause an internal oil leak if the distributor hole or the distributor shaft are incorrectly sized, increasing windage losses and causing burned pushrods. The Race Series block’s oil crossover is located at the front of the block, bypassing the distributor shaft entirely. This system delivers maximum oil volume to the main bearings and ensures reliable lubrication for the lifters and pushrods on both cylinder banks. The oil flow to the lifters can be easily metered with restrictors. Dart Drops the Big One - Page 2 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 The bottom end is bolstered with steel four-bolt main bearing caps that are manufactured in-house by Dart to ensure quality and compatibility with the block. The three center caps have splayed outer bolts that anchor the caps to the strongest part of the casting, while the front and rear caps have vertical bolts for oil pan clearance. The rear cap uses a standard two-piece crankshaft seal without any adapters or crank modifications. Despite its many advantages over a production-based casting, the Dart tall-deck Race Series block retains all of the features of a stock block. It has provisions for a conventional block-mounted oil filter, a mechanical fuel pump, and even uses a stock water pump. So unless a potential rival can spot the increased deck height and enlarged cylinder barrels, it’s possible to pass off a 763ci Dart engine as a stock 454 – a stealth weapon in the truest sense. Remember, all’s fair in love and war – and in drag racing. Dart’s new Race Series tall-deck big-block takes the venerable Rat motor to new heights with a choice of 10.600-inch or 11.100 deck heights and cylinders that can be bored to 4.700 inches – the recipe for a 763-cubic-inch monster motor. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Dart Drops the Big One - Page 3 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 The Race Series block’s oil pan rails are spread to provide Dart manufactures the Race Series block’ steel four-bolt main bearing caps in-house to ensure they meet connecting rod clearance with a 5.50-inch stroke crankshaft. quality standards. The three center caps have splayed outer bolts for strength. Aftermarket oil pans are readily available with bolt patterns to fit the Dart block. Note the block-mounted oil filter, provisions for a blockmounted mechanical fuel pump, and the standard two-piece rear crankshaft seal. There is plenty to see in this photo of the Dart big-block’s lifter valley. The solid-cast The camshaft is raised .600-inch from the stock location to provide more clearance for lifter bosses can be machined to accommodate virtually any combination of lifters and stroker crank assemblies. Dart offers a choice of cam bearings that includes standard cylinder heads. The slotted bosses on the decks accept head studs that improve head big-block babbit bearings and 55mm and 60mm roller bearings. The main oil gallery is gasket reliability in the long spans between the upper head bolts on cylinder Nos. 2, 3, 6 located alongside the camshaft tunnel. The Race Series block has provisions for and 7. The oil crossover on the front bulkhead routes oil to the lifters after the main standard motor mounts and uses a stock water pump. bearing feeds to improve reliability at high rpm. Dart Drops the Big One - Page 4 of 4 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Words by Darr Hawthorne Photos courtesy Lingenfelter performance Engineering For more than 30 years, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (LPE) has created a matchless heritage of bringing astounding new capabilities to the world’s most sought-after sports cars, especially the Chevrolet Corvette. Our friends at LPE are very pleased to announce their 2009 C6 Corvette ZR1 recently made four 9 second passes down the Maryland International Raceway quarter mile, hitting a best of 9.813 quarter-mile at 145.74 mph at the Budds Creek, Maryland facility. ADVERTISEMENT Building on a rich history of finely engineered vehicle packages, Lingenfelter has refined the high-performance Corvette ZR1 to deliver maximum horsepower and torque utilizing the stock factory engine. The Lingenfelter ZR1 has been upgraded with the company’s LS9 designed components to provide 739 rear-wheel horsepower and 720 rear-wheel torque. The Vette ran a solid 6.390 elapsed time at 114.70 miles per hour to the 1/8 mile, all of the 9 second quarter-mile passes were run with stock exhaust manifolds and a factory catback exhaust with a “Mild-to-Wild” switch. “The track is the ultimate proving grounds to showcase Lingenfelter’s years of engineering expertise and to test the performance capabilities of our ZR1,” said Ken Lingenfelter, owner, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. “We are excited to continue developing product that pushes this sports car to the limit.” Lingenfelter ‘09 ZR1 runs first nine second 1/4 mile pass - Page 1 of 2 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 Hot Rod Horsepower Handbook David Freiburger New $16.47 Chevys and Rio Bravo Fresh Mex Cookb... Chevys Inc Staff New $11.53 Haynes Chevrolet and GMC S10 & S-15 ... John Haynes New $24.95 Catalog of Chevy V8 Engine Casting N... Cars & Parts Magaz... New $16.47 How to Rebuild GM LS-Series Engines ... Chris Werner New $16.47 How to Build HighPerformance Chevy ... Will Handzel New $16.47 Privacy Information OBX Votex PowerFlow Throttle Body Sp... OBX There were additional upgrades to the Lingenfelter ZR1 including a Lingenfelter cast aluminum supercharger air intake snout and air intake system, Lingenfelter 8.5” diameter harmonic balancer – 11 rib and Lingenfelter 2.60” diameter supercharger pulley – 11 rib. Other modifications included a 4’ diameter air intake tube with mass air sensor with a match ported stock throttle body, and a double capacity intercooler heat exchanger sporting a larger capacity intercooler reservoir system. Also for the testing, Lingenfelter added a set of Mickey Thompson R345/35R18 ET Street Radial rear tires with a pair of M&H Racemaster P185/50R18 front tires, mounted on CCW aluminum wheels. ADVERTISEMENT Corvette ZR1 enthusiasts can purchase individual components such as the upper pulley kit and the lower balancer kit to modify their own ZR1. For more information, visit www.lingenfelter.com , contact Lingenfelter Performance Engineering at 1557 Winchester Road, Decatur, IN 46733, or call 260.724.2552. For the Mickey Thompson R345/35R18 ET Street Radial rear tires, visit mickeythompsontires.com . OBX Votex PowerFlow Throttle Body Sp... OBX 1958-86 Chevy Small Block 283305-32... CFR Performance New $20.99 MSD Ignition 8467 Racing Rotor MSD Co. New $8.90 1958-79 Chevy Small Block 283305-32... CFR Performance New $68.99 1962-67 Chevy II/Nova Small Block Dr... CFR Performance New $72.99 Privacy Information Lingenfelter ‘09 ZR1 runs first nine second 1/4 mile pass - Page 2 of 2 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 What do you have to say? A FAN Looking forward to enjoying Max Chevy Magazine. I'll be sending you some pictures of my Chevy. See Geoff Stunkard is one of your contributing writers. Great guy! He photographed a Baldwin Motion Corvette I restored. Your name: George Rubistello Lake Peekskill, New York Your location: Well George, we certainly can't wait to see your car. Glad to hear that you're enjoying the magazine. HELP! Hi, my name is Fabiano Zanon, I'm from Brazil and I would like to know the R07 firing order? Is it the same firing order from GM V8 street engines? I was looking to the exhaust pipes (header) and I would like to know the firing order to try to understand the pipes linkage at the header. Thank you very much. Your email: Do you want to subscribe to our FREE email newsletter? Yes No Letters which do not include a full name will not be considered for publication. Send It! Fabiano Zanon Brazil * Your letter may (or may not) be published in our "MaxChevy Mailbox " section. Anyone able to lend a hand here? ACCOLADES (RE: http://www.maxchevy.com/features/carfeature/iii_9-different-4.html) NASCAR notebook: Teams test new spoilers Fantastic.... Way to go Dave. Edwards, Keselowski set to resume battle at Bristol Ray Isaacs Galax, Virginia Peugeot driver sets fast test time at Sebring Click for more AutoWeek stories ACCOLADES PART THE SECOND ADVERTISEMENT (RE: http://www.maxchevy.com/features/carfeature/iii_9-different-4.html) Like a true racer! Orlin Epp Niagara on the lake Ontario, Canada JOIN THE AUTOWEEK NETWORK MaxChevy Mailbag - Page 1 of 1 - MaxChevy.com Volume V, Issue 3 March 17, 2010 KATECH OFFERS LS9 DAMPER FOR CORVETTE ZR1 Katech Performance offers its new LS9 Damper designed for supercharged Corvette ZR1 LS9 engines. The LS9 Damper (KAT-A6042) features a 10% supercharger overdrive and provides four psi of additional boost for a total of 14.5 psi. The Katech unit is a direct replacement for the original unit and uses proven crankshaft dampening technologies. To ensure long-term durability, the unit is hard coat anodized. Purchase of Katech's LS9 Damper includes the belt. For more information or to request a catalog, call 866-KATECH1 or visit Katech Performance online at www.katechengines.com . MID AMERICA MOTORWORKS INTRODUCES CORVETTE TYPHOON CAR COVER Mid America Motorworks, marketer and manufacturer of Corvette parts and accessories, today announced the addition of the Corvette Typhoon Car Cover for 1963-2010 Corvettes. This cover weighs twice as much as the traditional multi-layer polypropylene outdoor car cover and will protect the Corvette in nearly any type of inclement weather. Additional benefits and features of the Corvette Typhoon Car Cover: Vinyl waterproof outer layer Custom air vents to release moisture during car storage Soft inner layer protects the paint from scratches Indoor/outdoor car cover 5 year limited warranty against manufacturing defects Includes FREE storage bag Includes FREE lock and cable The 1963-2010 Corvette Typhoon Car covers retail for $199.99 and are in stock and ready to ship. For additional information go to www.mamotorworks.com . ADJUSTABLE, READY TO RUN POWERFIRE IGNITION SYSTEM FROM PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS Joining Professional Products ever growing line of innovative new products, is this SEMA Award Winning ignition system. POWERFIRE features an external timing adjustment knob, which provides advance or retard in ½-degree increments with each knob click. Vacuum advance, plus vacuum advance lockout is included in every kit. POWERFIRE is an easy 3-wire install with no external spark box, and will hold accurate super hot spark all the way through 10,000-rpm. A hardened ½-inch steel shaft, with sealed roller bearing upper support, and bronze bushed lower support, ensure extreme stability at maximum rpm. OWERFIRE provides a nearly infinite advance curve, while a high-quality injection molded cap, with brass terminals, provide long life and maximum conductivity. POWERFIRE is available for the SB and BB Chevy (#30000), SB Ford (#30001), the SB Ford 351W (#30002). POWERFIRE™ coils are also available. Retail price for this revolutionary distributor is approximately $175.00. Visit www.professional-products.com for more on the POWERFIRE system and to preview their complete line of high-performance street/strip products. Check It Out! - Page 1 of 1 - MaxChevy.com ADVERTISEMENT Click NEXT PAGE to skip ad Search Advanced Search The Raddest Ride Wins! RATE All | Car Art | More Categories | New Rides | Raddest Rides | Read Comments Display: badfish67 | Car smokes87 | Car Offline smokes87 | Car Create a RADorBAD account Upload your rides Create a garage Compete for cash Easy to use With Pictures Offline smokes87 | Car Offline silverado_ss_04 | Truck / SUV Offline Offline customshop1 | Car Offline Sign up in seconds eamos002 | Truck / SUV Is your ride RAD or BAD? Read more. 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