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...

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 Nova  started life 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-tone 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 and an 8-point roll cage with carbon fiber interior accents, other bits in...

  This 1977 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport is a Street Racer Special. It features a big block 427CI V8 with large amounts of compression.   Fuel is mixed by a Holley 750 CFM. double pumper mounted on a vintage Weiand Team-G single plane intake manifold.   It's running a full roller valve-train by Comp Cams with over .500 lift. Spark is handled by a full MSD ignition system, 6AL Box,Pro-Billet distributor and 8MM wire set.   Connected to that 427 is a heavy-duty Turbo 400 three speed automatic. Hard launches are courtesy of a 4000 RPM torque converter & trans brake, that's controlled by a Cheetah shifter. The chassis was back halved with ladder-bars which hangs a 12 bolt rear end filled with 4.56:1 gears and a spool. A set of three way adjustable coil over shocks keep the rear tires planted. The front features old school 90/10 drag shocks and six cylinder coil springs. For rolling stock ,huge Cragar wheels- 15x14 in the rear and 15x5's up front. Traction is not ...