MODERN TECHNOLOGY

MADE EASY! HUGE

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TRUCK, FULLSIZE,
S
WHATING
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NOVA STOPPU? FRONT END KITS
TILT CHEV YO
STEERING COLUMNS MORE
Stainless steel adjusting tilt
columns in 28", 30", 32" and Ask for Shown with
33" lengths and plain, chrome it by optional
and black finishes. Key and Name! upgraded
shift columns also available. calipers
starting at 289/ea
$

All kits include: upper and lower ball joints, inner

and outer tie rod ends, tie rod adjusting sleeves,
idler arm or idler arm bushing with upper and lower
COMPLETE FRONT AND REAR BIG BRAKE KITS POLYPLUS control arm bushings, and bump stops.

STEERING WHEELS These CPP Kits include front and rear rotors, front and CALIPER COLOR UPGRADES
AVAILABLE FOR MOST POPULAR APPLICATIONS!
Sway bar bushings and end
starting at 199/ea rear loaded calipers, hoses, front bearing and seals,
$
links sold separately. starting at
$
299/kit
front and rear mounting brackets, forged aluminum
STEERING ACCESSORIES hubs, with a 4-wheel master cylinder, a proportioning
valve kit and all necessary hardware. NEW!
Horn Buttons starting at $39/ea
CHROME Complete kits starting at $1498/kit Powder Coated Caliper Upgrades-starting at $55/pr
BILLET! Steering Wheel Hubs starting at 55/ea
$

ALSO WORKS ON
CPP TRACTION BARS NEW! Ask for it by Name! 2000 &
NEWER EFI
FOR 1962-67 NOVA
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FOR LS1, LS2, LS3 & LS6 MOTORS!
Includes exclusive FitRite adapter brackets
to allow you to fine tune engine placement
for optimal clearance and fit. Available with
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FUEL TANKS
CPPs Traction Bars are constructed from 1-inch
0.156-wall 4130, with 3/16-inch laser-cut, bent-steel LS ENGINE MOUNT KITS starting at $229/ea
mounts and self-lubricating plastic D-type bushings ALSO AVAILABLE SEPARATELY These are original-fit tanks and require
and 3/4-inch rod ends. no modifications to mount. Available
starting at 299/kit
$
POLYPLUS adjustable mounts.
starting at NEW FOR 1959-70 FULLSIZE CHEVY for 55-57 Chevy, 62-67 Nova, 64-72
Ask for it Chevelle, 67-69 Camaro and more!
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by Name! Straps included.
C
F S HYDRAULIC PUMPS, SENDING UNITS
ASSIST SYSTEM
SHO
& HOSE KITS #FPK-FI Fuel Pump Kit $220/kit
Ask for it by Name! Sending Units Only-starting at $49/ea
High quality, direct bolt-in unit puts out an amazing LS Hose Line Kit-starting at $235/ea
1800 psi. Available for many applications.
CPPS STREET REAR COIL-OVER
TOTALLY TUBULAR BEAST
CONVERSION KIT
UPPER & LOWER CONTROL ARMS ADJUSTABLE RIDE HEIGHT
FOR CHEVY FULLSIZE, CAMARO, NOVA, FROM 1"-7" LOWER!
CHEVELLE & EL CAMINO, AND G-BODY! Includes Complete
Kits include specially designed
master Systems
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C5 TALL SPINDLE
aftermarket products like AirRide, coil overs, rack and single or double adjustable
and pinion and CPP Big Brakes. Available in black BLACK OR RED prop valve aluminum shocks specific
and hose kit.
or silver powder coated finish and come 100%
assembled with ball joints. WHEEL BRAKE KIT CALIPERS
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necessary hardware.
Upper-starting at $
337/pr Tall spindle for improved geometry. Direct bolt-on Street Beast Bare Unit - available as
and uses original steering arms. Utilizes C5 hub & shown FOR 1964-72
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445/pr starting at $469/ea CHEVELLE! Single Adj. -
Complete Upper & Lower Set-starting at $
733/kit bearings, as well as C5 brakes or aftermarket starting at $569/kit
alternatives. Requires 17" or larger wheels.
Ask for it by Name!
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CONVERSION KITS 2ND GEN CAMARO SPINDLE ALSO AVAILABLE!
& WILWOOD MASTER

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SHOCK ABSORBERS STOCK OR LOWERED
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CPP carries all popular brands and CPPs own

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FOR NOVA, RATIO! 2" MODULAR nitrogen gas shocks. starting at $39/ea We carry a wide FLAT TOP
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CHEVELLE
DROP SPINDLES FOR MOST CARS AND
S
assortment of
master cylinders WILWOOD
ALUMINUM
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CHEVY FULLS design with pressed in alloy finishes and all popular bore sizes. Suitable for
CAR AND C-10 steel axle pin. Spindles install all applications. Sold separately or as an upgrade
with no modifications and to any kit.
lowers your vehicle 2". Substantially lighter than multileaf springs for starting at $119/ea
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NEW FULLSIZE AND AFX starting at $225/pr
conjunction with adjustable traction bars.
starting at $379/pr

CPP power steering CURRIE CRATE 9 REAR ENDS

conversion kits offer late model performance All Currie Crate Housing & Axle Kits come
steering for vintage and classic vehicles. All kitscomplete and ready to bolt in. Heavy-duty 31
include a power steering box ready to bolt to spline axles, all brackets are welded, and no fabricati
your frame.
starting at $629/kit Add your Third Member and brakes and youre ready
Rearends - starting at $1129/kit Third Members - starting at $
1499/kit
Classic Performance Products, Inc.
Steering | Brakes | Suspension
www.ClassicPerform.com
Prices ubject o change without notice. Please note that kits and prices may vary betwe n certain ap lications.
714-522-2000 | Fax: 714-522-2500
378 E. Orangethorpe Ave. | Placentia, CA 92870
 CONTENTS
APRIL 2016
UP FRONT
04 SHOP TALK
SEO madness!

08 ACTION!
No Mercy 6: The biggest small-tire race in the country.

HANDS ON
14 HORSEPOWER!
Don DeShas 806hp, 504ci Cadillac.

16 SPEED PARTS
These products should help you with that New Years
resolution to finish that project car.

18 SECTIONED
How to replace a quarter-panel.

26 HOW TO REPAIR PLASTIC BUMPERS AND TRIM ON THE COVER

Its not as difficult as you think. ZedSled gets a nose job.
Photo by Wes Allison.
34 ASK ANYTHING
Steve Magnante answers readers tech questions.
50 KRASS & BERNIE
Bernie finds his one true love.
PROJECT CAR 54 FOURTH TIMES THE CHARM
40 THIS GUYS GARAGE
Mike Buzzello is no stranger to cool cars and exciting projects. Shawn Days super-clean, LS-swapped S-10.

42 CUSTOM THREADS 58 LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP

Building a seat from scratch in 38 easy steps. Mike Falteseks 1965 Mustang Fastback.

62 JOBS IN CARS
What its like to drive for Uber and Lyft,
the ride-sharing services.

BACK OF BOOK
66 JUNKYARD CRAWL
Pick-Your-Part in Wilmington, California.

68 WHERES THE FUN?

Readers rides and letters!

42 74 REAR VIEW
Topless family fun.

08 58
APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 3
 SHOP TALK
SEO MADNESS
A
n alternative title for the col-
umn could also be Brave New
World. Its no secret that we
and many other media companies have
struggled with the transition of an audi-
ence thats more and more consuming
what we produce online, rather than
printed on a piece of paper. My degree
is in photojournalism, and fresh out of
college, I looked almost exclusively for
jobs as a newspaper photographer. Had
I succeeded in finding one, the odds are
very high that I would have been laid
off by now because online news outlets
have decimated the newspaper busi-
ness. Look at the newspaper delivered
to your house today compared to what
youd get 10 years ago (assuming you
even get a newspaper at all). Decreas-
ing ad revenue has led to staff cuts,
smaller trim sizes, and fewer pages
and sections than before. Entire photo
staffs from several major newspapers
have been laid off because digital cam-
eras are both affordable and easier for
the novice to operate than a film cam-
era, meaning a regular reporter can be
given a crash course in how to run the
camera, then sent out on assignment
with pretty good odds of getting a few
decent pictures.
Companies like ours have fared bet-
ter than daily newspapers for a variety
of reasons. Though we strive to inform,
car magazines are basically a form of
entertainment, and people still spend
money on entertaining themselves:
TV shows on demand, movies, Netflix,
and so on. However, we have not been
4 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016
immune to the effects of the decline
in print ad revenue. We are making
strides to improve our online presence,
though, and the investment is starting
to pay off. We offer digital subscrip-
tions and we continue to improve our
websites with a cleaner look, improved
search feature, and more incorporation
of video content. That forces a change
to the way we operate day-to-day, and
therefore, we pay a lot of attention to
statistics like page views, unique visi-
tors, and bounce rates, and you can
watch those numbers in real time.
Keywords are critical if we want
our online audience to find our work,
and SEOor search engine optimiza-
tionis one of the functions we have
to get right for Google to look at us
when compiling the list of results you
see when doing a search. For example,
words like barn find, Shelby Mustang,
Hemi Cuda, or 1969 Camaro are
popular searches among automotive
enthusiasts. Barn find is an even more
popular search word because its non-
brand specific, and people looking for
barn finds are less inclined to be looking
for a certain car. However, the perfect
barn-find article would be one that
unearths a Hemi Cuda, COPO Camaro,
and a Shelby GT350 Mustang. If you
get the keywords wrong on that article,
though, it will show much lower on the
results list. For example, if I put 1965
Mustang, 1970 Barracuda, 1969 Cama-
ro, and unrestored muscle cars as key-
words for that article, chances are slim
it would ever see the light of day online,
no matter how well-written, well-photo-
graphed, or how rare the cars are. Those
words, though accurate, dont have the
same broad search appeal.
There are ways to manipulate key-
words to get less-relevant content to
show up sooner in a Google search,
and Managing Editor Phil McRae and I
were joking about how we could break
the Internet with the combination
of our top searched Street Outlaws
articles with the new Star Wars movie
that has practically dominated my
Facebook timeline for the last few
months. Can you imagine that? An
article on Big Chiefs CrowMod and
Daddy Daves Goliath versus the Mil-
lennium Falcon and a TIE fighter in a
Cash Days street race would dominate
our website and draw millions of UVs
and PVs until people realize its click
bait and bounce out. Google is quick to
catch on to shenanigans like this, and
their crafty algorithms would look at us
less and less for future searches, ulti-
mately hurting our online presence. So
until we get all four of those vehicles to
square off at the next Cash Days race,
Ill have to settle for the page views
those keywords will generate for this
column! John McGann
CarCraft@CarCraft.com
Facebook.com/carcraftmag
CarCraft.com
Car Craft Mag
831 S. Douglas St.
El Segundo, CA 90245
 Theres a reason more people trust Hagerty with the cars they love.
We make the experience of owning classics better, with insurance, valuation
tools, an award-winning magazine and more all created by people who
share your passion for cars.

Drive with us. Hagerty.com | 877-922-3403

Hagerty determines final risk acceptance. All coverage is subject to policy provisions and availability. Hagerty is a registered trademark of The Hagerty Group, LLC. 2015 The Hagerty Group, LLC.
All auto make and model names and logos are the property of their respective owners. The third parties featured are not sponsors of Hagerty or any of its products or services.
 CARCRAFT.COM

EDITORIAL ADVERTISING
General Manager Jeff Dahlin
FORD
Network

B I G B L O C K Content Director Douglas R. Glad Advertising Coordinator Bre Rekenthaler

General Managers Asst./
29/460
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U L L I T T 4 Managing Editor Phil McRae Event Coordinator Yasmin Fajatin

B Contributors Wes Allison,

Tommy Lee Byrd, Dominick Damato,
Taylor Kempkes, Jeff Lilly,
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s!203TUDS s(ARDENED$UCTILE)RON SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES EVP, Chief Financial Officer Bill Sutman
6ALVE3EATS Email carcraft@emailcustomerservice.com, call President, Automotive Scott Bailey
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s0ACALOY2ACING3PRINGS s3ILICONE"RONZE'UIDES write to Car Craft, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, EVP, Sports & Entertainment Norb Garrett
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MANIFOL
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888-544-1175
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Visit our website for a free catalog & decals
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 The Biggest Small-Tire Race in the Country
By John McGann / Photos: Dominick Damato

A
s always, the action was red hot in Valdosta,
Georgia, as Duck X Productions put on No Mercy 6 at
South Georgia Motorsports Park. There were several
sub-4-second passes in the eighth-mile as the competitors
continue to find ways to get thousands of horsepower to
the ground through drag-radial tires. The top class, Radial
vs. The World, saw six cars out of the top 10 qualify with
e.t.s of less than 4.00 seconds. Out of the whole 32-car
field, just 0.65 seconds separated the number-one qualifier,
Jeff Stitton, from the number-32 qualifier. Also noteworthy,
Daniel Pharris and Dewayne Mills both qualified with trap
speeds exceeding 200 mph. Daniel went 204.91 mph to
Mills 202.42. Unfortunately, the race weekend was cut
short before the final round due to inclement weather, so no
overall winner was crowned. In spite of the rain, its always
worth the trip to Valdosta, Georgia. Check out these pics
from photographer Dominick Damato.

8 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 9
NO MERCY 6!

10 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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12 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

Jekyll and Ride.
On the outside, its sleek and beautiful. Under the hood, however,
are a few hundred ponies waiting to break free. We can help
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 HORSEPOWER!
806HP, 504CI CADILLAC
Don DeSha / Harriman, TN
Cadillac engines have always been cool because they came from the factory
with a bunch of cubic inches. Topping out at 500 ci, the Cadillac big-block
never made an incredible amount of horsepower, but had plenty of torque on
tap. Don DeSha probably couldve built three big-block Chevy engines for what
hes invested in this crazy Cadillac mill, but its a killer piece of horsepower
nonetheless. This 504ci Cadillac engine cranks out 806 hp and 747 lb-ft of
torque. The wildest part of the whole deal is that it powers a vibrant land-
speed-racing-prepped Buick Regal thats knocking on the door of 200 mph in
the standing mile.

By Tommy Lee Byrd / Photos: Tommy Lee Byrd

AIR/FUEL/SPARK
Atop the massive Cadillac engine is a custom
Cadillac Performance Parts Boogie-Man single-
plane intake, which is then topped by a 2-inch
carb spacer and a Stan Justusprepared, 1,050-
cfm Holley Dominator carburetor. Spark is pro-
vided by an MSD ignition system and fed
through Taylor 8mm plug wires. Air exits the
engine through custom headers to fit the G-body
platform.

CAM AND VALVETRAIN

To take advantage of the big cylinder heads,
Dons engine features a sizable camshaft. Its a
solid roller with 266 degrees of duration on the
intake side and 271 degrees on the exhaust side,
measured at 0.050-inch lift. The camshaft is
ground with a 113-degree lobe-separation angle,
and maximum lift is 0.763- and 0.734-inch. The
shaft-mounted T&D rocker arm assembly fea-
tures a 1.7:1 ratio.

14 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

THE CAR
Oddly enough, this Cadillac engine doesnt power a 2-ton Coupe de
Ville. Instead, its in a G-bodya 1985 Buick Regal, to be exact. The
bright paint definitely grabs your attention, but youd never guess that
a 504ci Cadillac engine lives beneath the cowl induction hood. The
fender-exit headers add a little more in-your-face action to this wild
combination. Although pictured here on the dragstrip, this car spends
most of its time on longer courses, such as the Ohio Mile.

HEADS
The trio in charge of the build also developed
custom cylinder heads for Cadillac engines, but
since the engine was built, they have gone in
separate directions. Dons engine features a set
of its custom Cadillac Performance Parts alumi-
num cylinder heads, which feature relocated
valves, sized at 2.275 and 1.800 inches. As cast,
these cylinder heads feature 295cc intake run-
ners and flow 402 cfm on the intake side and
278 cfm on the exhaust (measured at 0.800-
inch lift). Combustion chamber size is 70 cc.

BLOCK
Coming in at 504 ci, this Cadillac engine features
a stock crankshaft, Scat 6.750-inch connecting
rods, and a set of JE forged pistons. The custom-
built pistons for this application provide a 13.0:1
compression ratio. Jerry Potter, Matt Thompson,
and Stan Justus handled the buildup of this mon-
ster Cadillac mill. Their research shows that
stock Cadillac blocks and crankshafts can handle
tons of power, and this build proves it.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 15

 SPEED PARTS
NEW CRAFTSMAN TOOLS
What it is: Timesaving tools from
Craftsman.
Why you care: Craftsman Tools is an
iconic brand, and if youre like us, your
first set of tools bore the Craftsman
name. We stopped by the companys
booth at the 2015 SEMA Show to see
what was new and were pleased to see
several thoughtful and timesaving tools.
LIGHTING UPGRADE
What it is: Easy Performance
sequential LED taillights.
Why you care: Nearly every new car
on the road is sporting a set of LED tail-
lights. Its partially for form but also for
function, as LEDs use far less voltage
than an incandescent light bulb does,
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16 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016
First up is the adjustable wrench with
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When time is money, you dont want to
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shopping, be sure to check out Crafts-
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How much: Depends on application.
Learn more: Craftsman;
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Why you care: You probably know ATI
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How much: Pricing to be determined.
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 SECTIONED
HANDS ON

How to Replace a Quarter-Panel

By John McGann / Photos: John McGann

On the surface, its a simple

job: cut the old quarter-panel
off and weld a new one on.
Like all things in life, however, its not
quite so easy. Because youre welding
the new panel on, undoing a poorly
done install can be a major pain in the
butt. Fenders, doors, and hoods bolt
onto the car, and their position can be
fine-tuned with shims and slotted bolt
holes. Get the alignment of a quarter-
panel wrong and youll be grinding the
welds off and starting over. Thats why
when our Chevelle needed a quarter-
panel, we farmed the job out to the
professionals at Mascar Autobody and
Paint Repair in Costa Mesa, California.
After watching the job, we feel confi-
dent in being able to do it ourselves the
next time, and hopefully you will too
after reading this. Follow along as we
slice our crusty quarter off and replace
it with fresh sheetmetal from Original
Parts Group.

18 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

You dont need any special tools to replace a
quarter-panel; a basic drill, grinder, shears,
and a MIG welder will get the job done.

Because quarter-panels are usually large

and unwieldy to work with, it helps to
remove the bad one in sections, rather
than removing the entire thing at once.
Here, Danny starts by cutting a pilot hole
just above the wheel opening after first
removing the wheel molding.

With the
pneumatic
shears, he cuts
out a large
section of the
panel just inside
its perimeter.

He uses a grinder to locate the spot-

welds, because the paint can hide them
sometimes. After finding all the spot-welds
With a large section of the quarter-panel removed, Danny can now begin to remove all the holding a section of the panel on, he drills
edges, which are generally held on the body with spot-welds. through the spot-weld completely.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 19

HANDS ON

A group of spot-welds is located above
the rocker panel. Use a chisel or scraper
to remove the seam sealer they are buried
under.
In areas where a drill may not fit, you can
use a grinder to cut through the spot-welds.
To ease access, Danny has cut a section of
the quarter-panel off the wheel arch.
Danny removes this section of the panel
by driving a chisel through the welds
with a hammer. Steck makes a dedicated
tool for this called a SeamBuster, which
is sharp on one side (for cutting through
seams and pinch welds) and broader on
the striking surface.

The same method is used to remove this section

near the taillights and bumper. Based on the number
The section of quarter-panel remaining at the wheel opening is removed the same way, first of spot-welds located in this small section of real
grinding or drilling through the spot-welds and using the chisel and hammer to peel the estate, you can see there are hours of grinding,
metal from the wheelhouse. drilling, and hammering involved with this job.

20 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016


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HANDS ON

Different methods were used to join the quarter-panel to the roof. Some were soldered on
and filled with lead, ours was spot-welded and the flange was filled in with a large swath
of seam sealer that needed to be removed with a Scotch-Brite pad and a grinder in a tag-
team effort.

Take care not to damage parts of the inner

structure that the quarter-panel is attached
to. Here you can see several braces and
structural pieces that form the structure of
the trunk. Work slowly and peel away the
quarter-panel away from these pieces in
small sections.

The rear window needs to be removed to

gain access to the spot-welds under the Danny removed this section of metal to gain access to the spot-welds that join the quarter-
window frame. panel to the structure under the roof and around the windows.

Again, the
spot-welds
are either
drilled or
ground
through.

Danny uses a chisel to separate the

sections of metal that were welded
together; in this instance, the upper section
of the quarter-panel that fits under the roof.

22 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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HANDS ON

Before you can install the new quarter-

panel, all the flanges where it attaches to Rust and old seam sealer must be removed prior to welding the new panel on. The bare
the inner structure must be reshaped and steel gets a coating of weld-through primer, which prevents corrosion from forming at
straightened out. the spot-welds.

Danny now begins to trial-fit the

new quarter-panel, the top of
which needs to get tucked under
the roof panel. He is using light
pressure on a long screwdriver
to lift the roof up enough to fit
the new panel underneath.

SOURCES
Mascar Auto Body and
Paint Repair; 949/631-5201;
MascarAuto.com
Original Parts Group, Inc.;
800/243-8355; OPGI.com
Steck Manufacturing;
800/227-8325; SteckMFG.com

Sighting down the side of the car, Danny inspects the alignment of the reproduction
quarter-panel, paying close attention to the fitment to the wheelhouse, rocker panel,
and window frame and the gaps at the door and decklid.

Small sections of the replacement quarter-panel needed to be removed so it would fit

the car better. Here Danny trims a section of the flange that forms the trunk opening,
which will close the gap between the decklid and quarter-panel.

The whole panel needed to be installed

and removed several times, trimming small
sections in a few different areas to get
all the panels to line up correctly, but we
finally got gaps that matched all around. We
stopped here before welding the quarter-
panel on completely, because our Chevelle
needs a lot more metalwork, which may
change how this panel ultimately fits.

24 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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 HOW TO REPAIR PLASTIC
HANDS ON

BUMPERS AND TRIM

Its Not as Difficult as You Think
By Kevin Tetz / Photos: Kevin Tetz

Cars from the late-1970s

and 1980s are becoming
more popular builds among
enthusiasts, and thats why we
thought the time was right to take on
a late second-gen Camaro as a project
car. This era of manufacturing brought
the integration of plastic and urethane
into the construction of these cars,
giving us a whole new set of chal-
lenges when repairing or refurbishing
them today. Unlike cars from the
1960s, which were mostly con-
structed from steel, the 1970s brought
a shift in focus toward weight reduc-
tion as one step in a host of measures
taken to increase fuel economy.
Replacing steel parts with urethanes
and plastics was one step taken, and
typically these materials first appeared
as bumper-filler trim pieces, which
evolved to take more and more real
estate, as is the case with ZedSled,
Car Crafts 1978 Camaro project car.
Its entire front fascia is made from
urethane. These early plastic com-
pounds didnt weather the test of time
so well, and that forces us enthusiasts
to scour the junkyards and classifieds
for acceptable used replacements,
wait for the aftermarket to fill the void,
or repair what is presently on the car.
Here are some suggestions and tips
on restoring and repairing 30-year-old
OE parts thatll get you back on the
road fast.

URETHANE BUMPERS

26 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

 Any repair has to start with a clean surface,
and most repair materials need some kind
of mechanical bond, a textured surface to
Our replacement front fascia (fancy word for bumper cover) came from Molts Used Auto adhere to. This carbide burr both cleans
Parts in New Jersey, and though it was in much better shape than ZedSleds original (rotten) and leaves grooves in the surface of the
bumper, it had license-plate mounting holes that we dont need to use where we live, so we bumper, which the filler will grab on to.
decided to fill them in for a cleaner appearance.

There were several holes around the headlight openings (possibly

where a set of headlight covers had been installed at some point. The back side of the fascia needs to be prepped, too, as it will
They are too large to cover with typical polyester filler, so were take a backing plate to support the repair. Here, were using an
enlarging them and prepping the same way. 24-grit sanding disc.

Valvolines Plio Grip plastic repair works

with all types of plastic. You can find it at
most autobody supply stores or through
the mail from The Eastwood Company, and
it will bond nicely to our bumper and serve
as a permanent repair.

Another way to use this glue is to

To apply this product, you need a double-
barrel calking gun and one of these
intermix tips, which blends both parts of
this two-part adhesive. By the time it leaves
the tip, its mixed in the perfect ratio.
dispense a small amount onto a mixing
board with the tip removed, making
sure there are equal proportions. Use
this method if your intermix tip gets
clogged or you run out of tips.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 27

HANDS ON

Were using ABS sheet plastic for our backing panels, which is
compatible with this adhesive. We roughed the surface up with
24-grit sandpaper, giving these backing pieces a maximum amount With the back side hardened, we mixed more adhesive and applied
of surface area for the adhesive to stick to. it to the front side of the fascia to fill the holes.

Left: After giving it 30 minutes to cure,

we leveled the adhesive flush with the
bumper using an 100-grit sanding disc.

Below: Bumper Bite is a polyester filler that

works perfectly with the flimsy urethane parts
like our front fascia. It remains highly flexible
even when fully cured. It takes traditional
cream hardener, just like all polyester fillers.

We spread the filler past the repair areas,

creating a larger area that can be block-
sanded flat and will become invisible.

This product feathers nicely and sands

just like any other polyester body filler.
We needed two applications to completely
cover the holes for an invisible repair.

28 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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HANDS ON

With the repair work done, we

applied a 2K urethane primer to
the bumper cover, using a 1.6 fluid
tip in our spray gun. Because the
bumper is so pliable, we need to
add a flex agent to the primer. To
work properly, it gets mixed in at
10 percent by volume. Most mixing
cups have this measurement scale
printed on them somewhere. We let
the primer cure for a week before
prepping it for the topcoat.

INTERIOR TRIM

These staples come in various shapes to

match the repair and act as a splint when
melted into the plastic or urethane. Here
you can see the various shapes, as well as
the way they can be mounted to the wand
for easy access to many different repairs.

Interior trim is typically hard plastic, and as it gets old, it gets brittle. Eastwoods Hot Stapler Our victim for this exercise is this screw
system is a great fix for broken tabs and mounts. pedestal that was broken off in disassembly.

Match the staple to the repairhere a

cold test run checks for an accurate fit.
Here you see exactly what happens. When the wand is activated, it heats the staple up
The trigger on the wand activates the heat.
enough to melt the plastic. Bury the staple in the plastic, release the trigger, and hold
Three heat settings are available; were
everything in place until the plastic cools enough to remain in position. The repair gets
using slow so we can take our time and not
stronger as you add more staples.
burn through the piece.

30 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

 This repair took about 20 minutes total, and it allowed us to save
We cut the tails off the staples for a cleaner look and to keep from this part, which would be difficult or impossible to find in many
stabbing ourselves as we handle and reinstall this piece of trim. Be cases. Considering that the Hot Stapler can be used to save
sure to wear safety glassesthe tails go flying when you snip them. irreplaceable parts, its worth the investment.

BUMPER TABS

Mounting tabs on modern bumpers are

critical for holding them on the carcurbs,
speed bumps, light collisions, and even
careless disassembly can tear them.
Bumper covers are designed for aesthetics;
they are not structural pieces, so they break
off easily in light impacts.
Eastwood sells a Universal Urethane We cleaned the area with acetone, then
Adhesive that works well for these types of used a carbide burr to cut a V shape
repairs. It sets faster and is also compatible around the edges of the break. This
with most plastics and urethanes. creates a foundation for the repair.

This is a two-part adhesive, with the glue and activator packaged

in different compartments within the tube. With the intermix tip in
This mesh has an adhesive back. We applied it to both sides of place, we ran a 6-inch bead on our mixing board prior to applying it
the repair area, which will add strength to the adhesive and give to the repair. This ensures the mix ratio is correct by the time you
it support while it cures. squeeze it onto your repair.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 31

HANDS ON
With a second layer of mesh on top, we use a spreader to
work the adhesive into the repair and the mesh.

Apply a liberal amount. Once its dry, you can grind or

sand excess away. Whats most important is that the
backing mesh is fully saturated.

Once the adhesive has cured for an hour, you can sand and blend
the repair with 80-grit paper, then re-drill the opening and recreate
the OE adjustment and fitment capability. Structural repairs are
better left overnight. The ability to recycle broken parts is just good
hot rodding, and while we wait for the aftermarket to come up Even with all the flex agents and careful repair techniques, the OE
with replacement and repair parts for some of the oddball cars we bumpers will develop stress cracks and sag along the top at the
wrench on, its nice to know that with a little ingenuity we can get hood over time. Though we disguised ZedSleds facia with flat paint,
these cars on the road faster and cheaper. the sagging becomes more apparent when the car is wet.

National Parts Depot now offers new Flex Glass

front and rear fascias for 19781981 Camaros.
These bumpers retain flexibility, but will never
break down and sag like the OE bumpers. You
can see the top of the nose has a perfect shape
that itll never lose, and since its shipped
with a gelcoat finish, standard paint and body
techniques are easily used to perfect these
pieces. These are more expensive than the
urethane reproduction, but the quality of fit
over time justifies the additional cost.

SOURCES
Eastwood; 800/343-9353;
Eastwood.com
Molts Used Auto Parts; 845/471-2377
National Parts Depot;
800/874-7595; NPDlink.com

32 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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 ASK ANYTHING
Stroker kits are currently available for virtually every engine type under the sun. As they say, theres no replacement for displacement.
TORQUE OF THE TOWN
Clayton Steffensen; Cambridge,
MN: Im a longtime subscriber to Car
Craft and love the magazine. I am a
Chevy guy at heart, but also like seeing
engines from Ford, Mopar, Pontiac, and
so on just to see the differences in
engine design and the tricks used to
make them all work. One thing that
screws me up every time you write
about it is how an engine makes
torque by increasing the cubic inches. I
always thought a longer stroke makes
more torque, yet every time I read
something in the magazine, you
always mention cubic inches make
more torque. This confuses the heck
out of me. The reason Im asking is I
have a Yamaha Stratoliner motorcycle
(I also have a 1965 Malibu SS with a
hot 350). The bikes engine has 3.94-
inch bore and a 4.64-inch stroke to get
113 ci. If I had a motor with 4.55 bore
and 3.5-inch stroke, it would also result
in 113 cubes. Wouldnt the engine with
the longer stroke make more torque?
34 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016
I just dont understand how this all
works out.
Steve Magnante: Thanks for the kind
words, youre correct that we can all
learn by comparing our favorite engine
type against the others. OK, I made it a
point to read your letter very closely
(and reproduce it accurately). It seems
you may be under the mistaken
impression that cubic inches are pri-
marily the result of the diameter of the
cylinder bore. Your words, an engine
makes torque by increasing the cubic
inches, support my assumption. The
fact is, cylinder bore (and piston) diam-
eter and stroke work together to deter-
mine the total cubic-inch displacement
of any engine. Torque is the measure
of the twisting force delivered at the
end of the crankshaft. Generally speak-
ing, the more cubic inches on hand,
the more torque youll enjoy. But there
is so much more to it than that. The
parent of torque is cylinder pressure,
which is the result of the trapped,
expanding combustion gases forcing
the piston down the bore after the
spark plug fires.
Cylinder pressure can be manipu-
lated artificially with a turbo, blower, or
nitrous, but in a naturally aspirated
engine, adding displacement (through
bore and/or stroke increases) is also a
primary means of increasing cylinder
pressure. Simply stated, enlarging the
volume of fuel/air ingested during the
intake stroke means there is more fuel
and air trapped in each chamber to be
compressed and then ignited by the
spark plug.
In our multifaceted world of Detroit
production V8 engines, the physical
limitations of the mass-produced
engine blocks available to us is deter-
mined by bore spacing (center-to-cen-
ter) and deck height. The bore-spacing
king isnt the Chevy big-block (4.84
inches) or even the 426 Hemi (4.80
inches). The highest bore-center mea-
surement is shared by the Caddy 472
500 and Packard 320374 at 5.00
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 stwood.com/CC513A | 800-343-9353
ASK ANYTHING
PRECISION inches center-to-center.
But since every liquid-cooled engine
FLARES has to have coolant surrounding the
bores to dissipate heat, the bores are
only so thick. Generally speaking, we
MADE EASY! can only enlarge the cylinder bores by
0.080 (some more, some much less)
before theyre weakened beyond
SALE! safety. Less is more in this department.
A 0.060 over-bore yields only about 6
99 *
19VE950!
to 12 measly cubes. But if we juggle
$ the crank throw, rod length, piston pin,
and crown specifications, we can draw
$ the piston down farther in the bore at
SA BDC (we cant go any higher at TDC
because the head is in the way). Enter
the stroker kit.
Here it is possible to boost displace-
ment by more than 25 percent by
swapping the rotating assembly
(crank, rods, pistons). In fact, Im in the
Creates 3 kinds of ares! middle of two stroker V8 engine builds
right now, a Mopar 383 and a Ford
side-oiler 427. The Mope is growing to
Item 496 inches while the Ford is blossom-
#25304
Single Bubble Double ing to 488all through added stroke
Flare Flare Flare and a minor over-bore. Youll read
about these engines here in Car Craft
45 PRO FLARE TOOL pretty soon.
And lets not forget about leverage.
Create 45 single, double & bubble ares The same factor that lets you move a
Turret-style head switches ares on-the-y 1-ton boulder with a simple pry bar is
the point of a stroker kit. If viewed on
Use for brake, fuel, and transmission lines
end, a stroker crank will show the dis-
Includes brake-are forming tool; 3/16", tance between the centerline of the
1/4", 5/16", 3/8" & 4.75mm tube-retaining main bearing journal and the connecting
dies; handle; instructions and case rod journal has been increased. So when
the combustion pressure forces the pis-
37 FLARE DIE KIT AVAILABLE ton down the bore upon ignition, the rod
acts on the crankshaft farther outboard
Item #30005...........................$99.99 each of its centerline than before, adding
leverage. Thats torque.
As for the 113-cube V-twin aboard
your Stratoliner, with its 3.94-inch bore
and 4.64-inch stroke, Im surprised
ONLY Yamaha employs such an under-square
99 *
8E9ach
(stroke greater than bore) formula.
$ Then again, maybe Im not. Thats a
hefty cruising bike. If theyd gone with
your hypothetical (over-square) 4.55-
inch bore and 3.50-inch stroke, the
HANDHELD TUBING Easy 1.14-inch reduction in stroke would
STRAIGHTENERS To Use! severely reduce the leverage exerted
Straightens coiled, or bent lines by the rods on the crank and really hurt
Works on steel, stainless, copper, and aluminum low-end torque delivery. Though the
Great for brake lines, fuel lines and more piston crowns, rings, and skirts would
endure less friction and the 0.61 inch of
Item #30537 ........3/16" METRIC
Item #30538 ..........1/4" Item #30654 .........6mm extra piston crown diameter would
Item #30539 ..........3/8" Item #30655 .........8mm offer more surface area for the expand-
Item #30598 ........5/16" Item #30656 .......10mm ing combustion gases to work upon,
Item #30658 ..........1/2" those gains wouldnt replace the lost
Item #30657 ..........5/8"
torque. I hope this helps make things
clearer to you.
eastwood.com/are3
or call 800-343-9353
* Enter source code CC416 before checking out.
Expires 4/30/2016. Other exclusions apply.
MORE INFO
Scat Industries; 310/370-5501;
ScatCrankshafts.com
FANNING THE 280Z/28
Steve Stallings; via CarCraft.com:
Im trying to wrap up a three-year
build on a 1977 Datsun 280Z that I
repowered with a 1990 350 TPI and
T5 transmission. It runs great with
upgraded brakes and even has Vin-
tage Air AC. But the cooling system is
driving me nuts. Im using a 1995
Ford Taurus two-speed cooling fan in
a fabricated full shroud. I designed
my own wiring circuit to start the
low-speed fan at 190 degrees using a
pair of relays and an ISSPRO
#R363D-03 water temperature
switch. The second fan is triggered to
kick in when coolant temperature hits
230 degrees and an Auto Meter
210230-degree water temperature
switch (PN 3247). I positioned the
low-speed fan temperature probe in
the stock location in the threaded
hole at the front of the GM TPI lower
manifold and threaded the high-
speed fan trigger sensor into the hole
drilled in the top of the Edelbrock alu-
minum water pump. My problem is
that I can run the engine all the way
up to 240 degrees and neither fan
will engagezero, zip, nothing. I
could cop out and run the relays from
a manual toggle switch on the dash,
but that defeats the purpose of trying
to do it right.
Steve Magnante: The early Z is an
excellent V8 swap candidate. The dif-
ferential and half shafts are surpris-
ingly robust, and most V8 upgraders
historically leave them in place. Speak-
ing of history, your home-brewed
280Z/28 taps into the legend of the
Scarab. No, not Woolworth depart-
ment store heir Lance Reventlows
swoopy, late-1950s road racer (also
Chevy small-block-powered), but
rather the mid-1970s efforts of Scarab
Engineering. This SoCal outfit was the
first to recognize the Datsun 240Z as a
perfect home for the SBC. By 1978,
Scarab Engineering was selling com-
pleted Scarab Zs as well as engine-
swap kits, only to be squashed by
emissions regulations.
Back to your Tuned Port 280Z. It
sounds like youre on to the right
combo of cooling-system components,
but may be suffering from a failed sub-
component. You say the trick signs of troubleexcept for the plugs for this purpose. Or why not
dual-fan blower assembly dead fans! skip the wet approach all together
comes from a 1995 Taurus. Without some pictures of your and change over to the adjustable
Thats great and no doubt a cool setup, I have to guess. In the mean- temperature sensors and rotary-dial
tip for other applications, but if time, it sounds like your wild, little Z fan trigger switches that come with
those fans are from 1995 (i.e. is running, so long as you keep an most high-end auxiliary cooling fans.
snatched from a wreck at Pick- eye on the fans and trigger them Stick em right in the middle of the
A-Part), dont rule out faulty manually, right? That gets old fast. If radiator core and twist the dials to
motors or inner bits thereof. My all else fails, change the location of 190 and 230 and you should be
pal has a 1996 Mustang GT with the temperature probes to the cylin- good to go. Then again, since your
an electric fan he has to rattle der heads. Most TPI-era SBCs have V8 is physically shorter than the
with a hammer once a week to threaded holes adjacent to the spark original Datsun OHC six, there ought
wake up. Maybe a pair of fresh
fan motors would solve your
problem? It worked for him.
Also, Im wondering why
youre taking coolant tempera-
ture readings from two loca-
tions (TPI manifold base and
water pump). Know that the
stock Chevy CTS (coolant tem-
perature sensor) is a thermistor-
type unit. That is, the onboard
ECM supplies it with a constant
5-volt flow of electrons. As

Power &
changes in coolant temperature
occur, the resistance within the
CTS toggles from 70 ohms at
255 degrees to 100,000 ohms

Precision
at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The
ECU reads the resistance and
uses its dataand data from
numerous other sensorsto
run the engine.
If your setup isnt feeding the
CTS the 5-volt baseline, the sen-
sor is effectively dead and cant
deliver the signal to activate the The basic criteria for Goodguys Street Machine of the Year award
fan motor. As for the water- is fairly simple; its presented to the 1954 through 1972 car that best
pump-mounted temperature
sensor, thats usually a foolproof
exemplified masterful build quality with extreme performance. The
location to stick a probe 2015 winner, Sonny & Debbie Freemans Revelation 1967 Corvette
assuming the overall coolant built by Mike Goldman Customs, certainly fits the bill. Its fast,
level is high enough to ensure
the probe is covered with water handles well, and the workmanship is beyond reproach.
at all times. As you know, steam Inside the gorgeous Vettes potent 427 c.i.d. LS3 engine built by
doesnt trigger capillary-type
sensorsthey must be Mast Motorsports youll find a wide array of ARP fasteners employed
immersed. Is it possible that to ensure optimum performance and reliability. Goldman also
your space-challenged Z has its used them for various other functions. Says Mike I really love
radiator laid back at an angle
that is messing with the coolant the 12-point design as it compliments many components.
level? Is your radiator a closed All fasteners are proudly manufactured in ARPs ISO
unit with an external expansion
tank/fill cap? If thats the case, 9001:2008 and AS9100 registered Southern California
you could have a series of air facilities. And you can be sure that
pockets in play that are prevent- each and every one is of a quality
ing the sensors from sensing.
Here, if there is enough coolant worthy of an award-winning build.
at work to carry away the heat
generated by the small-block,
you could have a flawed system
that still does the job without

800-826-3045 Get a FREE copy of the

w w w.arp -bolts.com new 2016 catalog online
ASK ANYTHING
to be enough room between the water
pump and radiator for agasp!
clutch-driven mechanical fan. With the
crazy power-to-weight ratio already in
effect, you wont miss the 5 or so
horsepower the fan blades consume
as they claw the air.
SHIFT KIT TIME
Mark Smith; Maple Valley, WA:
I am looking for a simple upgrade to
improve the holding power of my
stock TH350. My 1969 Camaro street
car is also used for casual bracket rac-
ing and weighs 3400 pounds with a
383 small-block, 3.73 gears in the
12-bolt rear end, and a Hughes Pro 8
converter. The best run is an 11.89 at
113 mph in the quarter-mile. I launch
off the foot brake and have no inten-
tions of using a transbrake, and I also
prefer to continue using the stock
valvebody. The fluid does not show
signs of slipping, but I keep thinking I
am at the limits of a TH350. I have
heard of machining the direct drum for
an additional clutch, but cannot find
specifics. I also want to avoid the
expense of swapping to a TH400 and
the loss of power that comes with it.
Steve Magnante: Youre correct in
your belief that youve approached the
limits of your essentially stock TH350.
But, again, yours is truly stock (aside
from the converter). Im amazed that
you say youre still using the stock
valvebody. If thats the case, you need
to understand that even the most
basic performance-oriented transmis-
sion shift kit will surely improve your
already decent 11.8s. Thats because a
universal goal of most all shift kits is to
reduce the inherent slippage that GMs
Hydramatic division engineered into
your transmission. Their goal was to
soften the jerking sensation caused by
each upshift as the unit transitioned
from 2.52, 1.52, and 1:1 First, Second,
and Drive ratios. It impressed granny
and grandpa but consumes time and
power if your goal is the quickest pos-
sible point A to B blast.
Since the very earliest efforts of
Art Carr, Winters, B&M, Fairbanks, and
others in the mid-1960s, TH350 shift
kits are configured to increase internal
hydraulic line pressure while some
alter the flow of fluid to effect quicker
apply and release functions of major
power-flow components. This delivers
the neck-snapping sensation and
satisfying tire chirp associated with a
worked automatic. Im surprised,
really, that youre hip enough to go for
an 8-inch converter (a pretty exotic
item) but havent already added a kit
to your TH350.
Come to think of it, the lack of a kit
and the harder hit to the transmissions
gutsmay be whats preserved your
transmission to this point. Just sayin. It
could be that the sharper jolts inside
the case after you install a kit will trig-
ger the next weakest link to fail. Thats
where things like deepened drums (for
fitment of extra friction plates) come
into play. But were car crafters, we
dont allow fear to control us!
Id say your best course of action
would be to skip the TH400. Youre
right, itll last forever, but unless you
spring for an exotic Stock Eliminator
type unit with low inertia guts, get
ready to step back to 12.0s in the quar-
ter. Keep your TH350 and 8-inch con-
verter, but install a shift improver kit. It
can be done in the car on a Saturday
afternoon and could very well chop
one-tenth off your e.t.
MORE INFO
B&M; 707/544-4761; BMracing.com
APRIL FOOLS? NO WAY
ITS ANOTHER
ALUMINUM SLANT SIX!
I wouldnt usually waste Ask Anything
space on an engine equipped with a
single exhaust system and a one-barrel
carburetor. But this one is special.
Thanks to the Internet, I recently
became the owner of an aluminum-
block Dodge Slant Six engine. A what?
Yep, you read it correctly: in 1961 and
1962, Dodge and Plymouth offered
Tennessee Mopar racer Ben Watson pulled
this A826 aluminum block from a 1962
Lancer GT to make way for a stroked small-
block. The lack of freeze plugs and vertical
cylinder barrel outlines tell us theres
aluminum under that red paint. This one
is engine number 37415. This is the sixth
aluminum block 225 Ive owned. I think Ill
stick it in my 1963 Dart GT.
buyers of the compact Lancer
and Valiant (the first Mopar
A-bodies) a lightweight, die-cast,
aluminum engine block in place of
the standard cast-iron block.
Designated the A826 engine
program by Chrysler, somewhere
around 50,000 were released
before manufacturing problems
with flawed castings and high
scrappage killed it. Slashing 76
pounds off the front tires, the
A826 aluminum block added a
mere $47.35 to the window
sticker. For comparison, the basic
AM radio was priced at $152.85!
This one runs, but the delicate
free-standing cylinders and notori-
ously finicky head gasket rule out
high-performance use.

A decade ago, I worked with California

Slant Six guru Doug Dutra on another
aluminum block Slant Six build that
appeared in Mopar Muscle magazine.
Notice the unique open deck and free-
standing cylinder barrels. This was
block No. 49292, pretty close to the
end of the 50,000-unit production run.

The end result was this 220hp all-

aluminum Hyper-Pak that ran 15.2s in
a 1962 Valiant two-door. The sand-cast
aluminum cylinder head is from an

NASCAR
aborted factory prototype test from
1960. This engine and the Valiant are
currently in Australia. Someday Im
getting it back.
Hotrods to Hell HANDLING &
A CADDY RIDE
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El Segundo, CA 90245 and goes straight.

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 THIS GUYS GARAGE
A 2008 Dodge Charger R/T with the
Road and Track package in Torred is
Mikes daily driver. He purchased the
four-door sedan new and has added an
SRT-8 hood and Hotchkis Y Sport
wheels with Kumho tires. The 5.7L Hemi
V8 and automatic transmission are
unmodified but offer plenty of punch
for his daily commute.
As the rouge GM product in Mopar
Mikes garage, he purchased this Ontario
Orange 1972 Corvette from friend Steve
Gantz in 2014. An amazingly clean driver
that required very little maintenance,
Mike felt it was too nice to pass up. Its
equipped with its numbers-matching,
350-inch small-block V8, Turbo-400
transmission, and 3.36:1 rear axle. Gantz
had the 66,000-mile body repainted and
freshened up the drivetrain before Mike
purchased from him.

For an attractive floor appearance that

requires little maintenance, Mike used a
U-Coat-It system in medium gray with
flakes, with grip sand and clearcoat. He
applied the epoxy floor covering him-
self and found the detailed instructions
provided professional results for a frac-
tion of the cost.

MIKE BUZZELLO / La Vista, NE

Mike Buzzello is no stranger to cool cars and exciting projects.
His customized 1961 Plymouth Fury was awarded the Grand
Champion award at the Car Craft Summer Nationals in
St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2007. He uses the 1,920-square-foot
garage attached to his modern ranch-type home in La Vista,
Nebraska, to complete such projects. The garage looks like a
typical four-car unit from the street with two doors that each
measures 16 feet wide. Once inside, daily transportation is
parked through the left door, while the right door permits full
access to a work area that extends nearly 60 feet back. A total
of 24 eight-foot, high-output florescent bulbs overhead provide
plenty of illumination, and I increased standard power service
from 150 amp to 200 to ensure there would be no issues with
power loss when using the 220V outlets for the air compressor,
welder, and lift, Mike tell us.

By Rocky Rotella / Photo: Rocky Rotella

40 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

A Hot Dawg garage furnace uses natural gas
to emit 125,000 Btu and keeps Mikes
garage at a balmy 65 degrees during the
winter. Hes had it as warm as 80 degrees
while painting parts.
The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T is Mikes most recent purchase. Hav-
ing known about the car for decades, only recently was he able to
purchase it. The Challenger retains its original TX9 Black exterior fin-
ish and has 44,000 miles on its odometer. Its powered by a U-code
440-inch four-barrel thats backed by the numbers-matching A833
Hemi four-speed and Track Pak 3.54:1 Dana rear axle. After having
sat in storage for several years, Mike is currently updating its condi-
tion for street use by adding new rubber components and enhancing
its factory-correct details without compromising originality.
A RapidAir air-
delivery system
provides pres-
surized air from
the 60-gallon
compressor
throughout
Mikes shop area.
A 48-inch Crafts-
man tool chest
and cabinet com-
bination houses
all of Mikes
handtools.
A two-post Challenger lift was added so
that Mike can easily work under any
vehicle. With a rated capacity of 10,000
pounds, safety and reliability is a
nonissue.
Mike purchased the 1969 Dodge Super
Bee in 2010. The Spring Green two-door
sedan is equipped with the desirable A12
package and retains its numbers-match-
ing, 440-inch Six Pack engine, an A833
Hemi four-speed, and a 4.10:1 Dana rear
axle. The car was restored in 2000 and
Mike has since freshened up the interior
and drivetrain, returning everything to
factory specifications. The original hood
was treated to a fresh coat of black
Organisol textured lacquer to enhance
the original appearance.
APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 41
PROJECT CAR

CUSTOM THREADS
Building a Seat from Scratch in 38 Easy Steps
By Taylor Kempkes / Photos: Jeff Lilly

When building a one-off

classic car, the first thing you
think of is usually something
like wheels, paint, or the powertrain.
Seats are usually last on the to-do list,
but theyre also one of the most impor-
tant aspects of a car when it comes to
tying the whole project together.
Sometimes it works to simply throw a
blanket over a torn-up bench and call it
a day. But if you really want your build
to look nice, it might be worth spend-
ing the money to do it right.
That was the plan with this classic
Mustang. For the front seats, we sim-
ply ordered a pair of Cobra Misano
bucketseasy enough if you can get
over the $2,500-a-piece price tag.
Unfortunately, Cobra doesnt sell a
matching back seat to fit a car with
widened wheeltubs like ours. We
needed to build a matching rear seat
from scratch, so follow along to see
how we did it.

42 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

 2. To lay a good foundation, we
wrapped the base with a burlap
1. We started by cleaning the original fold-down base. We dipped it to remove any oily weave to support the springs and
residues, then mediablasted and painted it black. keep the foam from pushing through.

3. When building the car, we widened the wheelhouses by a total of 4. With the seat frame fitting between the widened wheelwells, we
7 inches, so we had to narrow the seat frame 3 inches on each side. could begin to lay the foam, starting with side bolstering. We want
We made adjustments side to side while folding the seat up and to match the look of the front seats, Cobra Misano buckets, which
down to ensure adequate clearance and ease of operation. have a pretty wide wing width and a tall headrest.

7. With the foam pieces glued in place, the overall shape of the seat starts to take shape.

5. We stacked sections of 1-inch foam,

spraying each layer with DAP Landau Top
Contact cement from a siphon-feed HVLP
spray gun.

6. We cut out one 3-inch and two 8-inch-

wide pieces for the actual seat section on
one side, then repeat it for the other side.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 43

PROJECT CAR

8. The center hump was rounded using a 9. This black foam is stiffer than the other
grinder with 36- and 40-grit, then finished foam weve used so far. Its also shaped
by hand using 50-grit. The foam we are more easily and is well-suited for areas of
using is made by Ronco and is shapeable. the seat with more complex shapes.

15. We glued in the black arches and

added beveling (angle cuts) to the
bottom edge to allow the seat to fold
down easily.

16. Wanting a deeper shape, we added

another layer for more depth.

10. With the bottom cushion roughed in, it was time to check the fitment again to ensure
the fold-down mechanism still worked properly.

17. With the seatback installed, you can

11. To form the top cushion, we sliced
strips of foam with our Bosch foam saw,
using specific-size squares to get close to
the desired shape.
12. We trimmed the rectangles to round
off the corners and glued them together.
see the headrest was starting to take
shape, but more trimming was needed to
better match the front seats.
18. Viewed from the back, the
headrests look wider than we like,
so they would be trimmed until
they match the look we want.

1314. With all the separate pieces glued together, the top cushion started to take shape.
Using our mock-up, the inserts were traced into this 1-inch-thick black foam.

44 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

 22. We tacked the vinyl in place one
by one using superglue and pins. This is
19. We installed the Cobra front seats and essentially taxidermy taken to a whole
ordered matching
leather for the rear seat. As seen other level. Notice the voodoo-style holding
, we also started chalk-
marking the rear seat for a simil pins we used to hold the pieces in place.
ar pleat style.

20. When cutting the foam to make the

headrests, trim them down bit by bit until
you nail it. Its much harder (and incorrect)
to add little pieces to make it bigger.

23. The top section is harder to build because the rolled

edge around the perimeter of the base is smooth.

21. We then mocked up some vinyl,

starting with the armrest section of the
bottom cushion. The vinyl pieces will be
used as templates, fitted and trimmed until 24. We removed the templates from the seat and laid them out on foam. To push
they are exactly the right shape. the leather really tight, we used this 12-inch-thick pink foam for a final covering.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 45

PROJECT CAR
25. We transferred the shape of the
templates onto our piece of leather.
Here, the shapes are chalked out and
ready to be cut with scissors.

26. We laid the shapes

on to their respective
positions as an initial
check of our work.

27. Time for stitching! This long-arm

machine can be set at a very slow rate
for precise work.

29. We bent a section of 18-inch rod to use as support rings, which

28. To support the cover properly, a few of the encircled the upper seat section. We inserted and sewed them in
smaller pieces will be sewn directly to the foam. to place.

46 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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PROJECT CAR

30. Though the covers look wrinkled

and disheveled here, they wont be once
stretched across a base.

35. Here is the

upper section,
covers stretched
out and installed
in place.
31. We glued the final pieces of foam and
shaved all the edges into a rounded shape.

36. Installed
in the car, the
seats fit the
space perfectly
and are a great
match for our
front seat, giving
this Mustang a
truly custom but
subtle look.

32. This side profile shows the sliced and

contoured foam all ready for new covers.

37. We
performed
33. The wires were installed into the the same
covers and sewn on the edges to keep steps on
them intact.
the bottom
section.
The custom
back seat
folds down,
clearing
everything.

34. With a little steam and massaging,

the upper seat cover was stretched for the SOURCE
first time. Jeff Lilly Restorations; 210/695-5151; JeffLilly.com

48 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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Shawn Days Super-Clean, LS-Swapped S-10

Y
ouve heard the saying, third times the charm, but if work in their favor. In his case, this is the fourth engine com-
youve been around fast cars and drag racing for very bination to be used in his 1983 Chevy S-10, but it seems to be
long, you may also realize that only trying something treating him well so far.
three times might be a bit optimistic. Going fast with a home- All of the previous combinations have been variations of the
built car (or truck) is all about trial and error, and its guys like tried-and-true small-block Chevy. After three engine failures,
Shawn Day who relentlessly flog their machines until things hes stepped up the game with an LS-based transplant, but

54 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

he kept it simple by converting it to a single four-barrel carbu-
retor. Although the truck has changed a lot over the last
decade, it has always been black and extremely well-detailed
and clean. Considering his creation started as a worn-out
$300 truck, Shawn poured a lot of time and effort into build-
ing his truck to look as good as it runs and vice versa.
A pleasant byproduct of this trucks buildup is the rekin-
dling of Shawns relationship with his father, Jack. They spent
many years apart, but when Shawn hit a few roadblocks
with his project truck, he reached out to his father for help.
The rest is history, as the two gearheads have spent the past
12 years turning wrenches on the truck in their spare time.
The new carbureted LS combination proves to be a step in
the right direction for Shawn, as the truck has run a best of
6.80 at 118 mph in the eighth-mile. The big-time trap speed
confirms that the truck is making plenty of power in natu-
rally aspirated form, and it should really come alive with a
healthy dose of nitrous. Shawn continues to tweak the sus-
pension and the tune-up, and plans to spray the LS engine as
soon as the bugs are worked out. For now, hes putting the
hammer down every chance he gets and proving that the
fourth engine is the charm for this slick pickup.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 55

FOURTH TIMES THE CHARM

56 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

TECH NOTES
Who: Shawn Day
What: 1983 Chevy S-10
Where: Summerville, GA
Engine: Under the fiberglass cowl-
induction hood is a stroked LS-based
engine built by Shawn and his father,
Jack. It started life as an LQ4 Vortec
truck engine, and a 4.030-inch bore
and 4-inch stroke results in a 408ci
displacement. The iron block is packed
with a K1 Technology crankshaft,
Wiseco 6.125-inch connecting rods,
and Wiseco forged pistons, offering
bulletproof performance and a 12.5:1
compression ratio. The aluminum cylin-
der heads are GM 243 castings, ported
and polished by Shawn and shaved
0.030 inch by Andy Key at D&A
Machine Shop in Canton, GA. The
heads are outfitted with Comp Cams
pushrods, Comp Cams valvesprings,
and Harland Sharp roller rockers, which
keep the Ferrea valves moving
smoothly. The camshaft is a Comp
Cams unit, featuring 286/293 duration
with a max lift of 0.660/0.655 inch. Up
top is an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake
manifold, sporting a Quick Fuel 1,050-
cfm carburetor, which is fed by a Holley
blue fuel pump. An MSD 6LS box con-
trols the ignition, while a set of Hed-
man headers with 134-inch primary
tubes sends the spent fumes into a
pair of single-chamber mufflers and
3-inch pipes.
Power-Adder: Although he hasnt
used it yet, Shawn plans to deploy an
Edelbrock nitrous system when the
bugs are worked out of the new com-
bination. The plate kit is jetted for a
100hp shot.
Transmission: Shawn and Jack gave
the TH350 transmission an overhaul
and threw in a bunch of new parts
from TCI to give it additional strength
and performance. A TCI torque con-
verter stalls to 4,000 rpm on the line,
while a B&M shifter selects the gears.
Rearend: A Ford 9-inch offers plenty of
strength for Shawns pickup, and its
narrowed 2 inches on each side to pro-
vide ample tire clearance. Inside the
narrowed housing is a Detroit Locker,
connected to a 4.11:1 gearset and
Moser axles.
Suspension: The front suspension fea-
tures Moroso coil springs and Competi-
tion Engineering shocks to help
transfer weight to the rear of the truck.
Out back are stock leaf springs,
equipped with Cal-Tracs bars and Com-
petition Engineering shocks to keep the
rear tires planted. The 2-inch drop spin-
dles up front and 2-inch lowering
blocks out back create the lowered
stance.
Wheels/Tires: Shawns S-10 rolls on a
set of Weld forged wheels, measuring
15x4 and 15x10 inches. Traction comes
from a pair of Mickey Thompson slicks,
which come in at 28x10.5 inches. Rim
screws (inside and outside) keep the
bead from slipping.
Paint/Body: Shawns day job as a
bodyman and painter gave him a great
excuse to straighten the body panels
and treat this truck to a slick paint job.
Its been painted for more than 10
years, and the PPG Global base/clear
still looks fresh and new. Even the
inside of the bed is slicker than most
vehicles you see at the dragstrip.
Smoked taillights and a rear roll pan
add to the trucks clean appearance.
Interior: The cockpit isnt spacious in
these trucks, but Shawn made the
most of the available real estate. He
swapped the original bench seat for
Summit Racing bucket seats, fit with
RJS harnesses. He also built a custom
gauge panel and console to tie in all of
the racing goodies and make them look
right at home. As if the cab wasnt
already cozy, Shawn plans to add a roll-
cage soon, as the truck is well past the
safety threshold at most tracks.
Performance: Shawn is still tweaking
on the combination, but has run a best
elapsed time of 6.80 at 118 mph in the
eighth-mile at his home track of Para-
dise Drag Strip in Calhoun, GA. So far,
so good, for his fourth engine combina-
tion, and it should get even better with
a 100-shot of nitrous.
APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 57
 Mike Falteseks 1965 Mustang Fastback
By Tommy Lee Byrd / Photos: Tommy Lee Byrd
Y
our first car says a lot about your personality, and it
says a lot about your parents if they have anything to
do with the car. Some folks ended up with a Pinto or
a Gremlin, but Mike Faltesek mustve been doing something
right as a teenager, as his dad bought him a 1965 Ford Mus-
tang as his first car in 1974. Granted, the car was wrecked and
it was nearly 10 years old at the time, but it was still cool, and
his dad helped him restore it to original condition at a cost of
$800, plus the cars stunning price tag of $90.
With a cool car to drive in high school and less than $900
invested in the whole thing, Mike enjoyed his time behind
58 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016
the wheel. It had a 289ci small-block engine and a four-
speed transmission, so it was a blast to drive, and Mike
decided to hang onto it, even when other daily drivers were
tossed in the mix. Fast-forward a few decades, and Mike
decided to restore the car again in 2000, at a cost of
$12,000. Then, he got the wild idea to make a street-
friendly drag car out of it in 2014, which is the configuration
seen here.
Mike didnt do anything to the car that couldnt be
undone, and he plans to put it back into fulltime street duty
within the next five years or so. But for now, hes enjoying
the cars mild-mannered combination, which is competitive
in the local 7.0-second eighth-mile index class. His home
track is Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip in Ringgold, Georgia,
and he races as often as possible. The car still has plenty of
street-friendly qualities, so he drives it on the street occa-
sionally, but with high compression and race rubber, he
doesnt push his luck with it. Despite the cars new attitude,
its still Mikes first car, so it holds a special place in his
heart. That doesnt keep him from beating on it every
weekend and getting every ounce of fun out of his long-
term relationship.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 59

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP

60 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

TECH NOTES
Who: Mike Faltesek
What: 1965 Ford Mustang
Where: Ringgold, GA
Engine: It doesnt get much simpler
than an all-motor, small-block Ford.
Mikes powerplant starts with a Bennett
Racingbuilt, Boss 302based short-
block, which now boasts 363 ci, thanks
to a 4.125-inch bore and 3.400-inch
stroke. Inside the block is a Scat forged
crankshaft, accompanied by Scats
forged 5.400-inch H-beam connecting
rods and forged Ross pistons. A pair of
off-the-shelf Edelbrock Victor Jr. cylin-
der heads provides plenty of airflow,
thanks to 210cc intake runners and
2.05/1.60-inch valves. The 60cc com-
bustion chambers help create a 12.0:1
compression ratio. Valvetrain actuation
is controlled by an AFM hydraulic roller
camshaft, featuring 320 degrees of
duration and 0.576-inch lift. An Edel-
brock Victor Jr. intake manifold mounts
a Holley 750-cfm carburetor, while an
MSD ignition system lights the fire. The
exhaust system consists of Hooker
headers and Flowmaster mufflers, con-
nected with 212-inch pipes.
Transmission: Behind the small-block
Ford is a C4 three-speed automatic
transmission built by Performance
Automatic. The Super Competition
model features bulletproof internals, as
well as a Dynamic Pro Tree Trans Brake.
The TCI torque converter stalls to
5,600 rpm, allowing the small-block to
get in its powerband when Mike
releases the transbrake button. He
operates the reverse manual valvebody
with a B&M shifter.
Rearend: A Ford 9-inch rearend is
packed with Moser internals and a
4.29:1 gearset. Brackets are welded to
the housing to utilize the Fox-body-
Mustang-style rear suspension.
Suspension: AJE suspension compo-
nents are used in the front and rear of
Mikes Mustang. The front features a
tubular K-member, Strange coilover
struts, and a Flaming River rack-and-
pinion setup. Out back, the Fox-body-
style triangulated four-link setup uses
AJE upper control arms and Cal-Tracs
lower control arms, while Strange
coilovers soak up the weight transfer
and keep the rear tires hooked. Braking
consists of lightweight Aerospace disc
brakes with drilled rotors and billet alu-
minum calipers.
Wheels/Tires: Rolling stock consists of
Mickey Thompson wheels, measuring
15x3.5 and 15x8 inches, with 4 inches
of backspacing out back. Hoosier race
rubber rolls on all four corners, with
26x4.5-15 front runners and 28x9-15
rear slicks.
Paint/Body: Mike handled all of the
body and paint on his prized Mustang
Fastback, replacing many panels due
to rust. While it was torn down, he
added square tubing to tie in the front
and rear subframe and offer mounting
points for the custom rollcage. After
the body was straightened and aligned
to his liking, Mike sprayed it with PPG
base/clear in Ford Performance White.
The only body modifications are the
fiberglass cowl-induction hood and the
Shelby-style quarter windows.
Interior: An open door reveals a clean
and simple interior, which is race ready,
but could easily be converted to street
trim. A Jaz racing seat resides on the
driver side, while the passenger gets to
ride in the stock Mustang bucket seat.
Most of the interior is still stock, includ-
ing the carpet, door panels, and steer-
ing column, with race-friendly updates
coming in the form of Auto Meter
gauges, various switch panels, and a
smaller Grant steering wheel.
Performance: Mike races the Mus-
tang regularly and typically tries to dial
it in to a 7.0-second elapsed time in the
eighth-mile. On test-and-tune nights,
hes run as quick as 6.75 at 102 mph,
which isnt too shabby for a 3,050-
pound Mustang with an all-motor
small-block that could easily make a
run to the local cruise-in after a night
of racing.
APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 61
 r Uber and Lyft,
What its Like to Drive foes
the Ride-Sharing Servic By Tori Tellem
/ Photos: Uber and Lyft
T
here will be barf. Ask an Uber or
Lyft driver about their job, and
more than likely there will be
barf stories.
Car Craft had an opportunity to talk
to two people for this edition of Jobs
in Cars. One was, until recently, a
driver for Uber and the other drives for
Lyft (both drivers are based in Los
Angeles). Uber and Lyft are ride-shar-
ing services, or, simply put, rather than
using a taxi, you use the Uber or Lyft
app on your phone to request a ride,
then the driver will take you to your
destination. Its a Regular Joe driving
you around in a regular vehicle.
Petey has been driving for Lyft for
nine months and decided to do it as a
way to help pay for her new car. Get-
ting the gig was pretty easy: A quick
in-person meeting with another Lyft
driver, one whos been doing it a long
timethey call them mentors, I
thinka background check, making
sure I had a license, insurance, and
clean driving record. David drove for
Uber for about a year and a half
because of the flexibility since he
already had a fulltime job. Just log into
the app whenever you want to make
money, he explained. Uber had the
same requirements for its drivers, and
both services wanted vehicles that
were in good shape. Once approved,
62 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016
Day 1 happened. But there wasnt really
any training for that.
All I knew came out of having been
a Lyft passenger, Petey explained. I
misunderstood the pickup/drop-off
buttons for the first two passengers, so
I lost money, and I got lost on both
those first rides, too. It was a lot to
drive, navigate, and talk to a stranger
all at the same time. It was pretty
scary, actually. Its the type of the thing
you just have to learn on the job. For
Davids first time, I was a little nervous
at first, but it quickly subsided [as I
took] a couple of semi-tipsy women
from Santa Monica to Manhattan
Beach, which was a solid $30 fare at
the time. I thought they all would be
that lucrative.
Youre probably wondering whether
driving people around really is a lucra-
tive gig. Well, weekends can keep a
driver busy, especially at night in hip-
ster areas, or when theres a big event
or concert. Neither service has a mini-
mum or limit for how much a driver
can drive. Both services keep 20 per-
cent of the final tally. Petey noted,
There are bonuses. If you drive a large
number of hours a week, they take less
percentage out of what you make.
And there is no cash exchange
between driver and rider; everything is
done through the app and a credit card,
which means the drivers dont get
stiffed if a card is declined. Tips are dis-
couraged by Uber; in fact, drivers are
instructed to decline twice, but if
theres a third offer, then they can
accept. I know that most drivers dont
do this and will accept a tip the first
time, myself admittedly included,
David said. If someone wants to tip
you for doing a great job, let them!
Lyft recently added a tip option to the
app. We asked two friends who Uber
and Lyft if they ever tip drivers and one
said never, while the other said only
sometimes. But you might ponder
doing it for that extra TLC some drivers
give: Petey offers bottled water and
gum, plus lets the rider pick the radio
station. David would give out gum and
offered phone chargers.
If a driver arrives to a job, but theres
no rider present, the driver doesnt get
paid. Drunk people will call you and
then forget. It sucks and is a huge
unpaid waste of your time, Petey said.
David, the driver for Uber, said no-
shows happened quite a few times,
actually. You dont get paid unless its
been over 10 minutes since the rider
requested the ride; in that case, they
get charged and you get paid a $5 fee.
The most money Peteys made in a day
is $100, since shell typically punch in
at the end of the night after work.
David once made $400. Insurance,
fuel, and so on are the drivers respon-
sibility with both services. There are no
employee discounts when the drivers
themselves take Lyft or Uber, either.
Then again, whether they are employ-
ees or independent contractors is a
whole other animal that a recent law-
suit will eventually sort out. About the
only job perk for David was Ubers deal
with AT&T that reduced his monthly
phone bill by $10.
Not to mention, keeping a clean car
is the drivers responsibility, too, and
its awful to spend my own money
doing it, Petey said. Ubering regularly,
I would wash my car every week or
two, or at least dust it off with a car
duster. Its amazing how much cleaner
your car stays when youre not driving
Uber, David pointed out.
Which brings us to a nice segue into
the worst parts of this particular job in
cars. For David, its that the messes
people leave in your car can be disgust-
ing! When a drunk person is scarfing
down a massive burrito in the back-
seat, I usually assume Im gonna find
some carne asada in the floor mats. I
think people just forget theyre in
someone elses personal car, not some
fleet vehicle thats rented to them.
Peteys worst part is picking up drunk
slobs; however, she added that what
no one understands about her job is
that I like being able to get drunk peo-
ple home safe. Its kind of cool.
In fact, drunk customers are pretty
much commonplace when youve got
this job (there are reports and studies
that claim DUI arrests are decreasing,
thanks to ride-sharing services). Hence,
barfing stories. I picked up this girl and
her guy friend one night, both of whom
were super-drunk, David recalled.
Within a few minutes, she was pass-
ing out in the front seat, groaning and
making gurgley noises and even tried
to use my shoulder as a pillow! The
noises were pretty disconcerting, so I
asked her several times if I needed to
pull over, and she repeatedly said no,
she was fine. We were about to turn
left at a fairly major intersectionluck-
ily, no one was around that latewhen
I could tell that she was definitely get-
ting sick. I reached over her, opened
One time, I accidentally started
driving away while a passenger was
still getting in the car. Whoops.
the door, and nearly had to shove her
toward the street, and did so just in the
nick of time. Actually, I should say
almost in the nick of time, because she
got some right in between the door
and the seatyou know, the place
thats impossible to reach, let alone
clean. Luckily, the damage was limited
to that spot, but the smell wasnt fun.
On the bright side, by filling out a form
and sending pictures, Uber made it
possible for him to go the very next
day for a $100 detailon her tab. And
Petey recalls backing out of a job once:
It was 3 a.m. and the call was for a
pickup way in the middle of nowhere.
And once I wished I had backed out
these drunk guys got in my car and
one barfed out the window. David
once also had a drunk cougar give him
a shoulder massage from the backseat
during the entire ride.
But its not only booze that drivers
might encounter. David drove during
the Coachella music festival in 2014,
and one girl offered me a bunch of
coke and molly in exchange for a free
ride. Peteys first day involved picking
up someone high as a kite. He wasnt
her worst customer, though. That title
belongs to the young guy who kept
telling me how big his wiener was.
On that note: I dont necessarily
hate chatty, but some people can get
pretty incessant. There have definitely
been a few times where I was like, OK!
I get it! Shut up now! David explained.
But that happens when Im a rider,
too; getting a really chatty driver can
be the worst or it can be a great con-
versation, just depends on the person.
Petey agreed. Im pretty good at
quickly understanding whether they
want to chat or be left alone, and what
type of relationship they wantcasual
or more formal. Its amazing what you
can learn from a strangersomeone
youll never see againin a 10-minute
drive.
Do they ever get scared? I dont
think Ive gone so far as canceling
based on appearance, David explained.
But Ive been creeped out a few times,
sure. Im also 6 foot, 3 inches and 220
pounds, so if someone is trying to
intimidate their Uber driver, then Im
probably not gonna be their ideal
David, Uber driver
APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 63
JOBS IN CARS

target. And then theres Peteys creepi-
est: I wish I had driven away from the
kid who barked out the window. I did
kick him out once that happened,
though. But to be safe, she also hides
her wallet and trusts the GPS on the Lyft
app to keep tabs on her whereabouts.
Uber also follows its drivers routes
through GPS in his phone. This helps the
services keep track of miles, too.
David also recalled his best custom-
ersthey were heading to a dive bar
and asked him to join them. That was
pretty cool, just because it was so spur
of the moment. I nearly had to call my
own Uber that night. Petey has stayed
friends with one of her riders. Its
cheesy, but its trueI get to drive
people around and sometimes make
their day a little better. Sometimes
theyre late to something or their car is
in the shop, and me giving them a ride
when they need it and being friendly to
them can be a bright spot.
But heres how to not make friends
with your driver: My biggest pet peeve
is customers making me wait while
they finish their drink or say goodbye
to their friends, Petey said. I dont get
paid a single cent waiting outside for
people, and it really sucks to be forced
to waitand then find out theyre going
a mile away. Its a huge waste of my
time and makes me feel like garbage.
Your app tells you exactly when well
be there! Please be ready.

Theres no way to do it without the app. Otherwise, Im

just a stranger giving you a free ride.
Petey, Lyft driver
Top three Car Craft recommendations to have if youre ever considering becoming a driver:
1. Pepper spray, 2. GoPro camera surveilling driver and passenger, 3. Plastic (vomit-proof) floor mats.

64 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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 JUNKYARD CRAWL
Pick-Your-Park in Wilmington, California
By John McGann / Photos: John McGann

Late fall in SoCal looks like this. It was a great day to spend in the junkyard.

I
t was a fine day one Saturday in
November, so we decided to hit the
local Pick-Your-Part, because thats
what we like to do in our free time. As
always, there was plenty of interesting
stuff to see, and there were a couple
old cars there, too, which was a sur-
prise. As youll see in the pictures, both
of them fully deserved to be in the junk-
yard, unfortunately, as there was little
to be had from them. We did manage
to grab two fans and a pulley, which we
put to use in Truck Norris, Car Crafts
project 1967 C10.

We stumbled across this 1972 Chevelle wagon that had been all but picked clean. The frame
itself may be useful to someone restoring a rusty car, and the double-hump transmission
crossmember is good for a dual exhaust installation, but the dangling small-block was full
of rust and the few remaining exterior panels were all bashed.

66 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

Though its tough to recognize, these are the near-skeletal remains of a 1984 Corvette, with its Cross-Fire injected engine intact, which is no
surprise. The Cross-Fire engines have such a miserable reputation for electronic and driveability issues, they are among the least-desirable
of all Corvettes.

away, maybe, but to fully

Nice Valiant, right? From 30 feet
ciate the destruction this car has suffered, one need
appre
take a peek below the vinyl top.
only

Uh oh, is that daylight

showing through the
roof? Yes, it is, and this
is why the vinyl roof
option was always a bad
idea. Cars of this era,
especially Chryslers,
generally didnt get
much in the way of
protection (paint, primer,
or otherwise) applied
to the bare steel of the
roof before the vinyl roof
was glued on. As the
material aged, it became
porousallowing

SOURCE moisture inand worse

yet, holding it to the roof
LQK Pick-Your-Part; 800/962-2277; like a wet sponge and
LKQPickYourPart.com causing the destruction
you see here.

APRIL 2016 CARCRAFT.COM 67

 WTF? (Wheres the Fun?)

RETIRED NOT RETIRED

GEARHEAD
Who: Douglas Puterbaugh
Where: Warsaw, IN
What: 1957 Chevy 210
Why: Douglas is a retired CNC machin-
ist and has been a gearhead for life totally apart and started with the frame then rebuilt and installed a 1976 Chevy
restoring classics, drag racing, and and suspension, including new springs 350 four-bolt engine and Saginaw four-
building street rods. He got a 1957 and disc brakes. I installed all-new floors speed transmission with the stock rear
Chevy Bel Air at age 17, but when he and rear quarter sections, and after a lot end. I have some finishing work yet to
retired, he found this 57 on Craigslist. It of bodywork, I painted it myself. A lot of do and plan to drive it a lot. Its built to
looked like someones parts car. I took it assembly and parts from swap meets. I be a driver. Much like, Douglas.

ITS ALL CCS FAULTAND THATS GOOD

Who: David Ayers
Where: Richmond, VA
What: 1968 Cougar
Why: Twenty-five years of reading Car Craft helped me produce this 1968 Cougar, with a few performance parts, such as
a Comp cam, Eaton posi 8-incher, Holley Street Avenger carb, Laurel Automotive 302, and Ford top-loader four-speed trans,
plus Mags for rolling stock. David left the interior alone.

68 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

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WTF?

LETTERS
LET IT OUT, JOHN. LET IT ALL OUT
For years I keep seeing how Pro Street is dead in Hot Rod and all the other
magazines that want to see an LS/six-speed in everything. Have any of
these dweebs showed anywhere in a big-tired car? Big shows, local
shows, and, most importantly, daily, you rumble through in a big-tired car
and everyone stares. Badass is badass, no matter what the flavor of the
day is. A $100K Pro Touring car cruising through a parking lot or cruise-in
gets nods from car guys who appreciate the craftsmanship. A rowdy, big-
tired car gets everyones attention. Anyone can drive a 2015 car wrapped
in 1969 Camaro sheetmetal, but a car guy has high-stall converters, big
exhausts, and deep gears. Theres a reason everyone doesnt get it. Id
rather have 500 hp in something that hammers the ground than 800 hp
with a Toyota idle. Remember, there are some crazy-fast Honda Civics, but
are they cool? No. DRIVING THIS TRUCK
John Cain, via email MADE HER WALK
Who: Candice Halford
What: 1996 Chevy 1500
TURBO TALK Why: Candice got this Bow Tie
In the Nov. 2015 issues Shop Talk, you mentioned diversity of people at from her father-in-law two years
shows and wondered where all the turbo guys were? Then you mentioned ago, and in that time, she repainted
the easy and affordable LS turbo, thanks to modern technology, and with it in the backyard. The story behind
that said, why not do a junkyard turbo on older engines for those of us the 383: I saved up for two years to
who are tired of seeing everything with an LS in it? Small-block Chevys, build [it] working a second job. She
Fords, and Dodges all can be found in salvage yards across the country also put in a five-speed and changed
some even still have big-blocks there. The LS and Mod motors may be the rear gears to 3.90s. Since this is
considered to be modern marvels, but dont you guys get tired of writing my only ride, it meant I was walking
about them? to work while I was swapping the
Kacy Hicks, via email motor and transmission. For a
300,000-mile truck that used to
only haul lawn mowers, it does
pretty goodother than not nearly
enough traction.

BURNOUT!!

a stock 305 and TH350 with

This is my 1983 Monte Carlo. It has
where burnouts were
68,000 miles in front of my house,
invented.
Ronnie Wofford, via email

70 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016

BLOWN-UP
PARTS
This still ran!!! Its a 2.8 in my
88 S-10 Blazer. Obviously, one
rod is destroyed and two more
are loose. I have a 3.4 Im going
to swap in. Its out of a 95
Camaro at Pull-A-Part for $150.
This is my 22nd square-body
S-10. I love em!
Josh Satterly, via email

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Burnouts, please. While youre
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musings, or pet pictures to us.
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mail: 831 S. Douglas St.,
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we will make your work compre-
hensible. That includes making up
stuff we thought
you meant.
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 WEIV RAER

body incorporating the grille and headlight bezels, taillights, and even a separate trunklid (nonfunctional, of course). On later Funny Cars, these features were
molded in and painted on. The 426 was slowly replacing the 398 Hemis, and Garlits had established a long history of winning with Hemi power. The original

tional slingshot with some architectural enhancements. Cook drove the mighty roadster to a 200-mph pass in Florida to grab headlines proclaiming a mile-
Emory Cook and family prep the Don Garlits 1966 Dart 2 Ultra Stock/Funny Car. It was basically a short fueler tucked under a topless production-style glass

Garlits Dart project was a mid-mount 426 door-slammer that never got sorted outin a fairly destructive way. The 2 configuration was more like a tradi-

stone for early Funny Cars. The rough, unrestored Dart 2 (Swamp Rat #9) can be seen at The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida.

By Thomas Voehringer / Photo: Bob DOlivo

TOPLESS FAMILY FUN

CAR CRAFT (ISSN 0008-6010); April 2016, Vol. 64, No. 4. Copyright 2016 by TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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74 CAR CRAFT APRIL 2016