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LS Engine
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’67 Chevelle
Wiring Upgrade
Small-Block Party
Old-School Build, Part 2
377ci Stroker WrapUp
’67 Chevelle
Wiring Upgrade
Small-Block Party
Old-School Build, Part 2
377ci Stroker WrapUp
G-Body Coilover Install
March 2022
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On the Cover
Not long ago, Al Verschave’s ’66 Nova was a competitive 8.70 street/strip car always on the hunt to go quicker and faster. It was recently transformed into an old-school gasser done so well it turns heads more so than 8-second time slips. Check out the full feature starting on page 16.
Photography by Wes Allison
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All Chevy Performance ISSN 2767-5068 (print) ISSN 2767-5076 (online) Issue 15 is published monthly by In the Garage Media, 370 E. Orangethorpe Avenue, Placentia, CA 92870-6502. Postage paid at Placentia, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: All Chevy Performance c/o In the Garage Media, 1350 E. Chapman Ave #6550, Fullerton, CA 92834-6550 or email ITGM at subscription@inthegaragemedia.com. Copyright (c) 2022 IN THE GARAGE MEDIA. Printed in the USA. The All Chevy Performance trademark is a registered trademark of In The Garage Media.
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Departments
Features
Al Verschave’s AF/X-Style ’66 Nova
Jim Vogel’s ’67 Camaro
Terry Housley’s ’55 Chevy 150 Gasser
Albert Galdi’s ’69 Beaumont
Lou Baltrusaitis’ ’69 Camaro
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Tech
10 Smart Spending Strategies for Building Your Next LS Engine
Part 2: Top-End Revival
Our 377ci Small-Block Build Concludes With the Accessory Drive System and Dyno Results
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We Improve Suspension Responsiveness and Adjustability With Bolt-On Coilovers From Aldan American
Upgrading the Wiring Harness in an Early Chevelle
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FIRING UP
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A square portrait photograph of Nick Licata posing for a picture with his arms crossed
 BY NICK LICATA
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pparently, that reoccurring subject of electric-powered muscle cars is a hot topic these days. Case in point was at the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, a certain high-profile yellow ’57 Chevy showed up with an electric motor underhood. Needless to say, that didn’t go over very well with the majority of muscle car enthusiasts who have been following that magazine project car for decades, as they voiced their displeasure rather loudly on social media. Many of the comments were brutally honest and even more were just plain brutal. Most were upset to see an iconic muscle car known for having robust power surprisingly morph into a spokesmodel for EV power—and not much at that.

For those who have been playing with cars and reading automotive magazines for years might remember the early to mid ’70s when the sky fell on everything muscle car related due to the gas crunch of the era, which sent fuel prices to the moon. So, how did the magazines respond? By doing articles on how to get more horsepower from your ’70s-era Vega or Pinto. Suddenly there was a plethora of information on how to get more horsepower out of your four-banger, including head-porting and just about every bolt-on you could imagine.

Most readers just glazed over those articles and did what any red-blooded hot rodder would do: Move forward with V-8 swapping their econobox. It didn’t really matter that the magazines continued to cover how to get more ponies from their half-sized engines, these guys were more interested in shoehorning bigger cubic inches where smaller cubic inches once resided.

 Parts Bin
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Scott's Hotrods 'N Customs' new billet CNC-machined LT Valve 'n Coil Covers; Wilwood's Compact Tandem Master Cylinders; Summit Racing exhaust resonators
Scott's Hotrods 'N Customs new billet CNC-machined LT Valve 'n Coil Covers
Wilwood's Compact Tandem Master Cylinders
Summit Racing exhaust resonators
1. LT Valve ‘N Coil Covers
There’s no better way to dress up your LT engine than with a set of custom valve covers, but those stock coils are an eyesore. Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs’ new billet CNC-machined LT Valve ’n Coil Covers solve that problem with its stunning two-piece design. These covers are precision CNC machined in-house out of solid 6061 billet aluminum for top-quality fit and finish and are designed to work with the stock GM coils. The covers hide all of the stock wiring and have ports for the plug wires to exit. Custom machining is available for an additional charge.

For more information, contact Scotts Hotrods ‘N Customs by calling (856) 951-2081 or visit scottshotrods.com.

2. Perfect Pressure
Wilwood’s Compact Tandem Master Cylinders have been re-engineered, with the correct pushrod length and clevis thread size, for direct mounting to the original-equipment pedal on all ’63-67 C2 Corvettes with manual brakes. The master cylinders are offered in two bore sizes to provide the correct volume and pressure output to complement Wilwood big brake kits. These new master cylinders will provide lower braking effort with a better pedal feel. The master cylinders are available with either a media-burnished polished finish or a glossy black e-coat to complement personal preferences and style.

For more information, contact Wilwood Disc Brakes by calling (805) 388-1188 or visit wilwood.com.

3. Tone Down The Drone
What’s the difference between an exhaust resonator and a muffler? A resonator is designed to modify the sound of the exhaust system while a muffler reduces sound volume. You can use a resonator to reduce drone, buzzing, and other unpleasant noise without reducing exhaust flow. These Summit Racing exhaust resonators are made from 304 stainless steel and are easy to incorporate into a new or existing exhaust system. They’re available in several sizes for 2.25-, 2.5-, and 3-inch-diameter tubing.

For more information, contact Summit Racing by calling (800) 230-3030 or visit summitracing.com.

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’63 Chevrolet Nova Wagon
’63 Chevrolet Nova Wagon Title

Text and Rendering by Tavis Highlander

 Instagram@TavisHighlander TavisHighlander.com
Vehicle Build by: Bux Customs, Pottstown, Pennsylvania
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n 2003, Chris McClintock started this Nova project with the intention of using it as a rolling business card to promote his new upholstery shop Bux Customs. Like many projects, elements were finished as time was available and the car ended up at the 90 percent mark years later. With the upholstery business flourishing, the little Nova was sidelined, but its time has come for a thorough refresh.

A 6.0L backed by a T56 had been installed early on and remained while many other pieces were updated. A new Scott’s Hotrods frontend, Schott wheels, and Clayton pedals are some of the upgraded parts that are now being installed on the wagon. Some metal and mechanical work is being performed by Steel Town Garage in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, for extra safety. Vaughn’s Restoration in Norristown, Pennsylvania, will handle the paint and body.

Which color combo should Chris go with? We’ve narrowed it down to three, and the toughest choice is now picking the final one!

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Al Verschave’s AF/X-Style ’66 Nova
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here seems to be a bit of a resurgence in what is commonly referred to as the “gasser style”—cars built with a straight-axle or dropped-axle frontend, aiming the nose sky high to replicate the look of the AF/X and Gasser drag racing class cars of the ’60s, and we absolutely dig it. The look is totally old school and cars built with this personality are rewarded with tons of attention wherever they are spotted.

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blue '66 Nova on road
BY Nick Licata Photography by Wes Allison
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BY Barry Kluczyk Photography by The Author
10 Smart Spending Strategies for Building Your Next LS Engine
BY Barry Kluczyk Photography by The Author
Bang For Your LS Buck
10 Smart Spending Strategies for Building Your Next LS Engine
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few years ago, a colleague of ours spent more than a few bucks to elevate the performance of his LS1-powered fourth-gen Camaro SS. It was a bolt-on extravaganza, with long-tube headers, a snazzy-looking intake manifold upgrade, and a larger throttle body, along with a cold-air intake and more. The engine looked great under the hood and sounded even better through the headers.

On the chassis dyno and with proper tuning, power to the tires definitely increased, but the gain wasn’t dramatic. Worse, the car’s crisp street performance was dulled like your mom’s old caravan down a cylinder or two. To put it nicely, it was a dog, particularly at low rpm, where what little torque the LS1 made down there all but evaporated.

It’s all because our buddy took the traditional bolt-on approach to building horsepower—the things we all grew up reading about when people were trying to coax an extra 25 hp out of a smog-laden two-barrel small-block. Opening up the restrictive intake and exhaust systems were the keys to make 275 hp back then, but it’s the total opposite with an LS engine.

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BY NICK LICATA Photography by John Jackson
Dream Machine
Jim Vogel’s ’67 Camaro
1967 Camaro
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M’s first outing with the stylized and sporty F-body was just the beginning of what was to become arguably the most popular muscle car of all time: the ’69 Camaro. Not to take away from the ’67 though, which has a strong following of windwing fanatics who praise this incarnation of the first-gen Camaro. There’s no doubt GM came out swinging into the ponycar wars, as it was an absolute hit with young drivers of the late ’60s. The marketing worked and the car worked even better. In no way could the designers of this car imagine it would remain so popular well over 50 years later, but here we are.

Jim Vogel had always had a hankerin’ for a first-gen Camaro, but never pulled the trigger. That was until he spotted a promising ’67 at a used car dealership in Detroit. The body style was the main attraction but at some point he wanted a vintage car with all the modern accoutrement to make it run and handle like a late-model hot rod similar to his ’15 ZL1 Camaro.

Jim finally pulled the trigger on the Camaro and drove it for a while until the newness wore off, which happened rather quickly. It didn’t handle well, stop well, and its ability to accelerate left him kinda flat, too. But he wasn’t totally caught off guard as he had low expectations for the vintage ride’s performance, or lack of it. Knowing full well at some point the car would go through a complete resto, it wasn’t long before he wheeled it from his home about 7 miles down the road to Automotion Design and Fabrication in Obetz, Ohio, for a body-off restoration and a Pro Touring treatment. He needed his new pride and joy to become the car he’d always wanted.

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Speedway’s double-hump heads (PN 910-3782461)
1. Speedway’s double-hump heads (PN 910-3782461) come packed with a ton of value. Any machine work upgrades you would have done on a factory set of heads have been taken care of already. The combustion chambers have improved port/chamber shape for high efficiency, quench, and burn. They come 20 pounds lighter than factory cast-iron 461 double-hump heads, threaded stud bosses accept 3/8- or 7/16-inch rocker arm studs, raised valve cover rails that accept factory-height valve covers, and hardened valve seats. We decided to take it a step further by adding some of our own goodies.
Homebuilt Old-School Small-Block
Part 2: Top-End Revival
BY Jason Lubken Photography by The Author
I

f you have been following along, in last month’s issue we gave you the rundown on how we assembled the bottom end in our little homebuilt small-block Chevy. Now comes the fun part—heads, valvetrain, and the finishing touches. Working with a basically stock rotating assembly, it’s still very feasible to squeeze out some extra power. The next big priority was bolting on a great set of heads. It’s a practice hot rodders have played with for over a century, and the concept is simple: higher compression plus better airflow equal more power. But we also wanted to be careful not to sacrifice reliability and driveability.

The horsepower per dollar scale is always tough when you’re on a budget. You want that best-bang-for-your-buck type of thing. Reliability and longevity are worth something, too. I was looking for the best of both worlds when it came to the engine—that perfect mix of driveability but with an old-school muscle vibe.

When you dive into it, it’s not hard to find a great set aftermarket heads, or even factory options when budget is a high priority. A set of iron Vortecs (L31 ’96-00 truck and SUV) could work for some applications, but with higher-lift cams they require additional machine work at additional expense. After some cost analysis and shopping around, I looked to Speedway Motors for help.

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BY Tommy Lee Byrd Photography by The Author
Max Effort
45-Year Drag Racing Veteran Steps Back in Time With a Period-Correct Gasser
Front side view - Max Effort
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rag racing has changed a lot since the gasser wars of the ’60s. The basic principles are still the same, but the manner in which they’re accomplished is wildly different. This is the case at the majority of dragstrips across the country, where modern marvels impress the masses with seemingly effortless quarter-mile passes.

Meanwhile, Terry Housley, a 45-year drag racing veteran from Lenoir City, Tennessee, took a few steps back from the modern approach of drag racing, having spent a couple decades behind the wheel of various drag cars. Terry strapped himself into a car that requires max effort and commands the attention of everyone in the stands when he pulls to the line. This ’55 Chevrolet is purpose-built to replicate a car that would’ve competed in NHRA’s Gas Coupe and Sedan class during the mid-to-late ’60s. Terry and his son, Blake, built this car to compete in the Southeast Gassers Association, which is a group of dedicated racers who believe in paying tribute to the pioneers of the sport.

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Tested, Tuned & Torque for Days

a small block engine
Our 377ci Small-Block Build Concludes With the Accessory Drive System and Dyno Results
BY Ryan Manson Photography by The Author
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uilding an engine from scratch isn’t a relatively difficult thing to do so long as one is fastidious and pays attention to all the details. It’s also very rewarding (albeit stressful) when that handbuilt engine is fired for the first time and put through its paces on the engine dyno. There’s a bit of a pucker factor to be sure, but the satisfaction of a job well done is much more gratifying than dropping that credit card on a crate engine. Building an engine from the ground up also gives one a better idea of what’s going on inside the engine, making diagnosis and repair easier. And for some of us, just getting our hands dirty and spending the time in the shop building something is better therapy than any fancy spa can provide!

We wrapped up the build side of the engine in our previous story, but that doesn’t mean that things were complete. As it were, we still had to add the induction and ignition components before our date with the guys at Westech Performance Group in Mira Loma, California, arrived. Which brings us to the importance of utilizing an engine dyno when building custom engines. Installing an engine in a vehicle and getting things in running order is no small feat. There are a myriad of electrical and plumbing connections that need to be made, fluids added, exhaust built and installed, torque converters, bellhousings, and so on. Going through all that work just to find something in need of repair that requires the removal of that new engine can be frustrating, to say the least. But by running the engine beforehand on an engine dyno, any little finicky issue can be addressed beforehand and in a situation that makes doing so much easier. It also presents a convenient environment for initial break-in, saving your neighbor’s nerves to be tested another day.

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Canadian Uprising! title
Canadian Uprising! title
Raising the Stakes, and the Front End, on a Big-Block Beaumont
BY Scotty LachenauerPhotography BY The Author
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h Canada! How we love your majestic mountains, ice-cold brewskis, and gooey maple syrup. Your polite citizens make us feel right at home when we cross the border, and the country’s spotless cities and raucous hockey arenas make us want to go through customs time and time again.

Though Canada is clearly a worldwide leader in many of the things stated above, we can still find most of them (to some extent) right here in the good ol’ USA.

However, there are a few things that rarely cross the Canadian border into the lower 48. And I’m not talkin’ Wayne Gretsky or even Tim Hortons badass cup o’ joe. I’m speaking automobiles—the special models built by GM Canada back in the heyday of muscle rides—the sporty Acadian, and the car at the top of the muscle car food chain, the A-body–based Beaumont.

Albert Galdi of Somerset, New Jersey, is a muscle car aficionado and GM addict who just can’t get enough of the company’s A-body platform. Over the years, he’s tended to quite a few top-notch restorations on models from the ’60s and ’70s and has wrenched these rides into award-winning examples.

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G-Body G-Machine
We Improve Suspension Responsiveness and Adjustability With Bolt-On Coilovers From Aldan American
BY Jesse Kiser Photography by The Author
S

ince its completion, our ’82 Malibu Wagon hasn’t experienced a significant breakdown … yet. A fun, reliable street cruiser, it wasn’t until our first autocross at UMI Motorsports Park that we discovered its performance shortcomings. We spun out in clouds of smoke, murdered some cones, and went home with a lackluster finish. The combination of the wagon’s parts—750-rwhp LS1, built 4L80E, Strange Engineering 9-inch, and UMI Stage 3.5 tubular suspension—is unrealized. Our wagon has untapped potential. Luckily, that’s what an East Coast winter is for: more projects.

The wagon is a family hauler, burnout monster, and great street car, but we want to turn up the heat: A T56 six-speed manual swap so we’re always in the right gear, a Holley Terminator X for better tuning, and Aldan coilovers for better road response and adjustability. We’re starting with possibly the easiest of them all: coilovers, so we installed Aldan American coilovers on our Chevy G-body.

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Like a Hurricane title
Like a Hurricane title
A Redone ’69 Camaro Done Better
BY Nick LicataPhotography BY Jason Matthew
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tarting a vintage muscle car build from the ground up is a tall order—doing it for a second time is a next-level time suck that no one cares to deal with, but Lou Baltrusaitis did just that. With his ’69 Camaro ready to hit the body shop for final sanding and paint, Hurricane Sandy hit Lou’s place and filled the car with water. “Sadly, we had to take the car apart and completely redo it,” Lou states. “There was water throughout the whole house and unfortunately the car got it, too.”

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Messing with a wiring harness
Make the Connection
Upgrading the Wiring Harness in an Early Chevelle
By Jeff Smith Photography by The Author
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t’s an unavoidable fact of life. The object of our ’60s and ’70s Bowtie muscle car affections are well past long in the tooth. They are well past silver anniversaries and are sneaking up on 60 years of extended service. Time tends to take its toll on items that we often take for granted—like the electrical system.

Another fact of muscle car life is that electrical systems also suffer some of the greatest abuses. Electrical hacks, botched wiring attempts, cheesy add-on mistreatment, and a host of other sticky black electrical tape exploitation over decades of modifications have left these machines often in need of attention.

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Chevrolet body frame on wall
In 1917, Chevrolet was just 7 years old, but that didn’t stop it from releasing a nifty 288ci overhead-valve V-8 with 55 hp. For use in a new line of larger, upscale D-Series cars, its 3.36×4.00-inch bore x stroke was much closer to being “square” than its horrifically under-square GM rivals. Unfortunately, this advanced V-8 wasn’t offered in the light 2,600-pound Model 490s where it could have earned legend status as one of the first muscle cars. Just 6,350 of these OHV V-8s were built before the plug was pulled on the big D-Series at the end of 1918. This display chassis is part of the Coker Tire historical collection in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Other GM V-8s of the day included Cadillac’s 70hp 314 flathead of 1915 (3.12×5.12-inch bore and stroke), Oldsmobile’s 246.7 cube—with advanced overhead valves and hemispherical combustion chambers (2.87×4.75-inch bore and stroke)—also of 1915, and Oakland’s 50hp, 346-cube flathead of 1916 (3.50×4.50-inch bore and stroke). American V-8s aren’t just a post–World War II phenomenon!
One Century Ago
By Steve Magnante Photography by The Author
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he year 1929 was a big one for Chevrolet. That’s when the 194ci overhead valve (OHV) six-cylinder engine arrived as standard equipment in all Chevrolet passenger cars. This new six was just about as big a piece of news for Chevrolet–and its customers—as the small-block V-8 of 1955. Chevrolet marketed the new engine as “a Six at the price of a Four,” instantly rendering Ford’s existing flathead four obsolete. Better still, even though the 194-cube Chevy OHV six was 6 ci smaller than Ford’s 200-cube four-banger, it was 6hp stronger (46 hp versus Ford’s 40 hp).

Oddly, Chevrolet didn’t assign a spiffy, whizbang marketing name to the 194 six until 1934 when a revised cylinder head with canted exhaust valves and modified burn characteristics earned it the official title: Blue Flame Six. But among the general public, the rather generic-looking pan head fasteners securing the camshaft cover plate to the side of the engine block earned the title “Stovebolt Six.” These “Stovebolt Sixes” became so prevalent in the following decades that Chevrolets became known generically as “Stovebolts” among those of us with greasy fingernails, a term used well into the ’70s.

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Thanks for reading our March 2022 issue!