Shop Tour - Hardcore Drag Racing

         At Holley’s 2021 MoParty… Bill Rowe’s 1964 Dodge Polara 500 seemed like a nice restored classic… Until you see the supercharged 392 C.I. HEMI poking through the hood          You see Bill tends to lean towards much earlier iron, like his stunning 1934 Plymouth that was parked nearby, also HEMI powered. A group of Bill’s friends kept nagging him to build a 60’s or 70’s Muscle Car like a Charger or Challenger. But when Bill laid his eyes on this Polara, he knew he found his next build. He fell in love with the rounded fenders and unique front end that made it stand out in a sea of typical muscle cars.     Under the long hood, Bill started out with a Gen-1 392 Chrysler HEMI, the bottom end was built to handle boost from the polished 8-71 BDS supercharger. It’s mounted on a Hot Heads intake manifold. The fuel is mixed by a pair of Quick Fuel carburetors topped off with a BDS air scoop. Backing up the HEMI is a heavy-duty 727 Torqueflite automatic transmission,while an 8 ¾ rear end

  When Dodge introduced the Dodge Dart it was considered a compact car, it was built on the new smaller A-Body platform. The base engine was the inline 225 slant-6 with a tiny one barrel carburetor. The engine was weak in the horsepower department but the body had some cool crisp lines that were unique to the Dart .                                    The Dart rolls on super cool American Racing Torque Thrust D wheels, Coker Pro-Trac tires. The owner of this black beauty took this 1963 Dodge Dart to the next level. Starting with the wheelbase. The rear axle was moved up giving it the look of a 60’s Gasser, the straight front axle was moved forward five inches.   The Dart started out as a rust free California body, the black paint is so deep it looks like a mirror. The interior is a stunning bright red featuring A-100 van bucket seats up front and smooth rear panel where the rear seat once was. For safety a four point roll bar was installed.   Under the short hood a 700 horsepo

  Street Machine Spotlight ! Dodge had some tricks up its sleeve when it introduced the Dart. In 1963 Dodge built the Dart on the compact A-Body platform for the fourth generation, engine options ranged from a 225 C.I. slant-6 to a hot 340,and there was the GTS version that featured the 383 big-block. Even Dodge super-tuner MR.Norm built a Hopped-up street special called the GSS that was built with the 440 HP engine.         This Dart features a 340 small-block that has been stroked to 408 C.I. and it's backed up with a 727 automatic transmission built with a 3800 RPM stall converter and a stage-2 shift kit,giving it firm shifts that chirp the tires.     The chassis features heavy-duty torsion bars up front with disk brakes and the rear was upgraded with Cal-track bars with S/S leaf springs and factory drum brakes. Hooker headers and a 3 inch exhaust system let the engine breathe. Other features include a Holley 950 CFM carburetor and Edelbrock aluminum heads. Out back an 8 ¾

    This is the Mr. Norm's Grand-Spaulding Dodge Super Challenger Funny Car, the same that raced in 1971 following the notorious string of Dodge Chargers and one of the final machines under Gary Dyer’s control.   That electric blue metal-flake paint can probably be seen from outer space,it definitely makes the car stand out up in the bleachers, but there's plenty more subtle detail from the blown and injected Hemi to the ultra clean cockpit complete with a Pistol Grip shifter.   Norm Kraus was more than a car owner, he was also the owner of the most famous Dodge dealership from the super-Car era, Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago. Norm started his series of professional-grade funny cars in 1965 and were driven by Gary Dyer nationwide.  This time capsule began with a Romeo Palamides chassis, and it’s still equipped with some of the best speed equipment of the era.   The supercharged 426 CI Hemi V-8 engine hosts four-port Hilborn fuel injection and a Bowers magnesium blow

  This a serious supercharged Pro/Street Machine, with a blacked out hood, grille and tail panel it has a sinister look ! Powering this compact monster is a 383c.i. big block stroked to 438c.i.  It's a fulll-tilt setup that includes a Comp Cams camshaft, Comp Cams solid lifters & ARP bolts.    The top end is capped off with a set of 440 Source Stealth aluminum heads, a Mopar M1 single plane intake. The fuel system consists of a Holley Sniper electronic fuel injection.   The 438 is feed boost via a Paxton Novi 1500 supercharger, for an extra boost of power there is a nitrous oxide system on tap.  An MSD ignition system provides the spark . And an aluminum radiator keeps it cool . The Torqueflite 727  transmission was built to handle up to 1,000 horsepower, and it has a reverse manual valve body.     Equal-length headers snake their way under the car feeding into 3-inch pipes & Flowmaster mufflers with side exit pipes. The interior is race-ready. There's an 8- point roll

                                                      As far as the records show,Dodge only built  150 examples of the L023 Monsters !   Previously owned by Lou Mancini of Mancini Racing, and an Original Grand Spaulding car autographed by Mr. Norm. Possibly one of the most original LO23 Hemi Darts in existence with only 3,799 miles on the clock. Built at the Hamtramck, Michigan plant then sent to Hurst Performance for the final conversion with the under rated 426/425 HP race Hemi engine. Shipped from Chrysler’s Marine and Industrial Division,the unique 426 HEMI engines had been built offline by hand-picked technicians. The HEMI blocks were iron with a 4.250-inch bore and a 3.750-inch stroke,12.5:1 compression and aluminum heads. It features a magnesium Cross- Ram intake manifold with two big Holley Carb's,a solid lifter camshaft and an early transistorized ignition system.   The Hemi exhales through big tube Hooker headers connected to 3 -inch pipes that end at a pair of muffle

This is the second car we are featuring from Manson Myles , it is a 1968 Dodge Dart 270.  The car will be on display at the Summit Racing store in Atlanta , Georgia   March 15th 2021 . The previous owner was Pat Moore from North Carolina.  His dream was to build a street strip machine that was respected and feared.  After 2 blown engines and some health issues he simply wanted something he could drive and unloaded the car in a trade to his good buddy David Robinson.  Before David got too attached to the car, Manson talked David into selling it to him.  As soon as Manson Brought it home he began the work of completing Pats dream.     The engine is a  fresh short block with 10.5:1 compression,  and a  Hughes camshaft with over .550lift bumps the valves. Manson installed aluminum Eldebrock heads with mild port work and 1.5 roller rocker arms.  Topping off this high winding small block is an Eldebrock RPM intake manifold.    While a Quick Fuel 850 drag race carburetor lets the en