Shop Tour - Hardcore Drag Racing

  Mark McGuire has been a truck driver for over 40+ years, currently he hauls heavy equipment. In the past he did a 10-year stretch driving a transporter for Dick Simon racing and he was also on the pit crew. Mark was just a child when his father was drag racing and said that's how he got hooked on racing. Mark was just 19 years old when he bought his first race car, it was a 1969 SS Chevelle dirt track car. He was lucky enough to land a sponsorship from a local California radio station 99.1, which helped with expenses.  He had fun, but after three races he realized that asphalt was for racing. He went on to race circle track cars for the next 30+ years, from street stocks to super late-models.      The Nova wagon didn't start out this pretty, this is a before photo of what this killer looked like in a previous life.           With help from Gilbert "Mel" Meltvedt the car was transformed, the Nova was named "The ...

  This 1972 Nova received the full Pro-Street treatment and looks fast sitting in a parking lot. There isn't a hood that can contain the Scott Shafiroff built 540 cubic-inch monster that sits between the frame rails.  The engine features Dart Pro-1 heads, and a Blower Shop 8-71 supercharger with a Hilborn electronic fuel injection system that’s topped off with an Enderle hat.    The chassis was upgraded with a Chris Alston front clip and subframe connectors to keep the body from twisting. The horsepower flows through a Mike's Transmission TH400 transmission that’s outfitted with a reverse manual valve body, transbrake, billet shafts, and a 10-inch converter.  All of this mayhem hits the pavement with ease thanks to a Ford 9-inch rear-end that’s filled with a Currie 3rd member and 35-spline axles. The rear end is mounted to the chassis with a 4-link suspension, and QA1 coil-over shocks.  The interior of the Nova is very comfortable thanks to a pair of recove...

      In the 1960’s the Chevrolet Nova was sold as an economy car. Most of them were built with tiny 4-cylinder engines or with the larger boat anchor inline six. They were compact and lightweight and the racers of the day took notice.       Like this example here, the owner built his idea of what the Gasser’s and A-F/X cars of the day looked like. The inline six is long gone and in its place is a fresh Merlin big-block packing 496 cubes and an original Hilborn mechanical stack fuel injection system feeds all those thirsty cubes.  For street-ability the injection system was converted to electronic and it’s controlled by a FAST ecu. Other goodies include ported aluminum L88 cylinder heads with stainless valves and Crane roller rockers. An MSD ignition system including a Pro-Billet distributor and Blaster-3 coil light the fire. For a little pizzazz period correct polished and finned valve covers top off the heads.       Backing up th...

  This 65' Nova is one of the most significant Pro/Street builds of all time. Since the time it was built in 1982 by Rick Dobbertin it won so many awards it literally put the worlds car builders on notice.  Rick devoted more than 3,000 hours over the course of three years to create this legendary Nova. The Nova was featured on the cover of the September 1982 issue of Hot Rod magazine and a full feature inside as well, it won the Grand Champion award at the 1982 Car Craft Nationals as well as Best Pro Street, Best Engineered and Best Engine awards. The main reason for those awards happens to lie beneath the hood, a 454 big block Chevy that was shoehorned into the little compact. Most builders would have called it a day at that time, but not Rick.  He installed a BDS 6-71 Supercharger that is feed boost via a pair of Rotomaster turbochargers that inhale the fuel mixture from a pair of Holley 750 CFM carburetors. Wow that was a mouthful. If that wasn't enough there is ...

Chevrolet introduced the compact Nova for the 1962 model year. They were available in 2-door coupes with hard tops & with post's, a wagon was also offered . If you wanted to show off there was a convertible option . They were a big hit with Hot Rodder's ,stuffing hot small blocks under the hood were the norm . For all out Drag Racing you could find Gasser's with injected 327's or the new big block 427's with superchargers and mechanical fuel injection . This freshly restored 63' Nova known as SNAFU is all steel and fitted with a hot small block. For power a 1968 Chevrolet  327 C.I.  block was bored .030' with 13.5:1 pistons was put into action.     It was capped off with a set of Dart cylinder heads and a Weiand intake manifold. The fuel system checks out with A 750 CFM. Holley double pumper carb., a Holley Blue fuel pump with braided lines run from the custom tank to the engine compartment. Te ignition system is by MSD, with a 6-AL Box and Blaster coil...

  Quick look ! This 1975 Chevy Nova is a one of a kind , with its first generation Camaro front clip. The bright orange paint pops in the sun , letting everyone know you arrived . The body is all steel with the exception of the fiberglass front clip. Powering this odd-rod is a 454 CI big block running on alcohol with mechanical injection , An MSD ignition lights the fire. It's backed up with a TH-400 transmission with an 8 inch converter and a trans brake . The chassis was upgraded with a 2x3 square tube back half , the 12-bolt rear end is suspended by ladder bars and coil over shocks.  The front runs tubular control arms with QA1 coil over shocks . The car is tied together with a full roll cage certified to 7.50.       With the front end off we can see the front mounted five gallon fuel cell, aluminum radiator & breather tank . Everything is designed for one purpose , to go fast !  This Nova rolls on 14 inch wide Weld wheels with bead-locks and st...

  This 1966 Chevrolet Nova Pro-Street Wagon is amazing! The car was completely customized,as it started off as a 4-door that was professionally transformed into a 2-door. The wagon was tubbed to fit giant meats in the rear, then a roll cage was added to keep the body from twisting. The award winning paint is a two-toned metallic blue and silver with green and orange painted on pinstripes. Powering this Chevy II is a 372 C.I. small block V8 with an 8/71 supercharger from The Blower Shop,and sucking fuel from a pair of Holley Carburetors.      The exhaust flows through Doug's long tube headers and 3-inch pipes that exit before the rear tires.  The power is sent to a TCI Turbo 350 3-speed automatic transmission ending at a Dana 60 rear end filled with 3:73 gears. The owner states the car only has been driven 1500 miles since being completed .   The interior features two bucket seats with 3- point saftey harness ,an 8-point roll cage with carbon fiber interior ...

                                                  This 1968 Nova is a tribute to the past with the Yenko stripe treatment over the refrigerator white paint job . With its supercharged big block sticking through the hood and tubed out Pro/Street rear-end ,Don Yenko would call this a modern super car !         This Pro/Street special features a Chevrolet 8.1L 496 Stroker big block that makes  850+HP on 93 Octane Pump Gas.   It features a Scat Steel Crankshaft, Eagle forged H-beam rods & pistons. And the star of the show is the Weiand 8-71 Supercharger with a nitrous oxide injection system.   The big block is finished with a set of Brodix 360CC aluminum heads.    An ISKY roller cam with Crane lifters bump the valves. A polished BDS finned air scoop covers a pair of  Holley Pro-Series XE 950CFM 4...