Innholdsfortegnelse for Volume 2, Issue 24 - December 2022 i All Chevy Performance

Patina [puh-tee-nuh]. A surface calcification of implements, usually indicating great age. That’s one definition found on dictionary.com, although when it comes to vintage cars we’d likely include the word “cool” to said definition. It would make that interpretation a more accurate description regarding the finish on Mike Everett’s ’67 Chevy Nova. There’s been quite a bit of hoopla regarding patina cars these days, and although it’s nothing new, many car guys have gone through great lengths to emulate the aging process via unauthentic means. Although we appreciate those efforts, Mike’s ’67 scored its natural finish by sitting in the previous owner’s Moreno Valley backyard for the past 30 or so years. The Southern California town sits about 60 miles east of Los Angeles and is known for its relatively dry,…

When Chevrolet’s Gen V engine hit the market, it was a radical change for GM V-8 enthusiasts. The pushrods were still present, the cylinder heads were aluminum and reminiscent of the outgoing LS generation, but the fuel injectors were in a radically different place. Rather than incorporate the muti-port fuel injection that had long been the industry standard, for the Gen V (LT-based) engines, GM chose to add high-tech direct-port injection. This new style of fuel delivery placed the fuel injector outlet directly in the combustion chamber. The effect is much more control over fuel per cylinder with a host of other efficiencies. However, for the hot rodder, it seemed, well, intimidating as these new systems require extremely high fuel pressures, upwards of 2,000 psi. This is accomplished in OEM…

Mike McClish’s entry into the racing world began a couple generations before him and today he’s carrying the torch of that family tradition. “I can’t remember a time when my dad or grandfather weren’t working on an engine or car of some sort,” Mike reminisces. “That passion goes all the way back when my grandfather raced speedsters on wooden tracks in the very early days of circle track racing.” Once Mike’s dad was old enough, he followed suit and raced on dirt and asphalt oval tracks back in the ’60s—Sprint Cars and Midgets, mostly. He also worked for Performance Engineering, a company that built racing engines for modifieds. Needless to say, being immersed in cars his whole life, led to him acquiring the racing bug as well. With all that…

It is the way of the world today. Technology improves the breed. Flat tappet cams had their day but if performance is your goal, one step that can really complement a good set of cylinder heads is the upgrade to a hydraulic roller cam. Yes, the cost to convert to a hydraulic roller is higher than just replacing a flat tappet cam. But there are multiple advantages to a hydraulic roller cam engine that we’ll go over before we show how easy it is to convert an ’86 and later model 350ci small-block Chevy over to a roller. To update a pre-’86, two-piece rear main seal small-block Chevy to a roller, beyond just the cost of the cam and lifters, the conversion will also require a reinforced timing cover and…

1. MOCK BLOCK LS engine swaps show up in everything from vintage Chevy V-8 applications to Porsche 911s and more. While those first-gen Chevy V-8 fitments are the easiest, Speedway Motors’ Chevy LS Mock Up Engine Swap Dummy Block Kit makes it even easier to confirm driveline, engine placement for clearance issues, custom header fabrication, and more. At 18 pounds for the short-block and 35 for the long-block, this LS mock-up block can be lifted in and out of the vehicle by one person with no engine hoist necessary. For more information, contact Speedway Motors by calling (855) 313-9173 or visit speedwaymotors.com/allchevyperformance. 2. GOOD ADVISE The Summit Racing Connecting Rod Vise is designed to hold steel and aluminum connecting rods to make removing and installing rod bolts, beam polishing, or…

When it comes to upgrading the drivetrain on a vintage Chevy, it doesn’t come much easier than using a crate engine from Chevrolet Performance, especially when it comes to their Connect & Cruise systems. Complete from pan to throttle body, these offerings come equipped with a factory-tuned ECU that makes for a literal plug-andplay situation, with a few caveats. Being car guys at heart, when it came time to dress their LS crate engines they knew that fitment would be an issue, depending on accessory location and installation configuration. Put simply, some vehicles have more room than others, especially when it comes to the lower-mounted accessories, namely the power steering and A/C compressor. Additionally, not every installation would require all three accessories, with some opting for a simple alternator mount…

Brian Henderson has images of a vivid metallic green ’72 Z28 deeply engraved into his memory. As co-proprietor of Super Car Workshop (SCW) in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Brian is reminded daily of the power of such recollections, as it’s part of what pushes him to search, restore, and collect these muscle car mementos of his youth. Along with his partner, Joe Swezey, SCW continues the good fight, wrenching and restoring these rides back to driveable status and returning them to a life in the public eye. Back to that Camaro. As a young, burgeoning muscle car aficionado, Brian would travel to nearby Keystone Raceway Park in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania, to get an eyeful of the racing action. One of his favorite cars was that Rally Green Z28 owned by Wally Nicol—a…

In a perfect world, every car build starts out with a brand-new rolling chassis from Roadster Shop, Art Morrison, Scott’s Hotrods, or some other quality builders. But, in our world, that dream will just have to live in our heads a little bit longer. Still, there are things you can do on a limited budget to help bring an old chassis back to life. That’s exactly what we were faced with when we dragged this ’80 Corvette home. The engine was shot, the transmission and most of the interior was missing, and, generally speaking, it was a basket case. But we got it for a good price, and the birdcage seemed to be in good shape—if you know anything about old Corvettes, that’s a big deal. So, it seemed worth…

Owner Terry Davlin and I worked together to determine the visual battle plan for his ’66 C2 project. His intent was to maintain as much of the stock look as possible while taking every step to upgrade the performance of the vehicle to his liking. That foundation of performance would center around a Roadster Shop chassis equipped with big Baer brakes. Power is coming from an LMEbuilt aluminum 427ci LSR putting out 685 hp at 7,200 rpm. With all that performance handled, the attention was then put on how to make the car look the part. The interior would remain stock-looking but quite modified. Sculpted bolsters hold you in place while a reworked dash houses modern A/C vents and controls for comfort. On the outside, the wheels demanded some big…

G-bodies are becoming quite popular within the muscle car world–and compared to a ’60s-era muscle car they are relatively affordable. But if you have a hankerin’ to get into one of these boxy late-’70s to mid-’80s Malibus and El Caminos, it’s best to make a move soon as they are starting to spike in value. Typically, they were born with a 231ci V-6 and 305 and 350ci V-8s–all of which perform better as paperweights than powerplants by today’s standards. The good news is these cars readily accept a robust small-block or LS engine for a wake-up call. Now that these onceignored family commuters are gaining popularity within the muscle car world, the aftermarket has begun stepping up their G-body game. G-body fans have a few choices to go with: a…

When you’re dealing with a budget beater, it’s hard to justify dumping tons of money into it. Such is the case with our ’77 Nova four-door beater. It’s a little rough, and definitely tired, but for a total investment of $2,000, we’re embracing the low-buck nature of this project. As we’ve been driving it regularly, the Nova developed a squeal in the front brakes, and upon inspection we noticed that the pads were worn down to the wear tabs and the rotor surface appeared to be glazed over badly. This inspired a full overhaul of the front braking system, but we wanted to keep a strict budget to stay in line with the theme of this car. We hopped onto SummitRacing.com to start shopping around for the least-expensive parts. Our…

We all feel a connection with cars. Every one of them has a story. It’s why we write about them, and it’s why you buy this fine publication. Some are tedious to write, especially ones that were bought and just sit in a garage like a piece of jewelry. They are wiped down every now and then and maybe make it to the local cruise-in or ice cream shop, racking up a whopping 50 miles a year. No matter how much they cost, those cars have no soul. Those are the hard ones to write. Then there are cars like Dave and Laura Linn’s ’55 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop that virtually write themselves. Dave didn’t do all the work himself (he probably could have), but he had all the…