By Jeff Smith
Photography BY THE AUTHOR
and Courtesy of Holley Performance

ne of the benefits of electronic engine control is that designers keep coming up with ways to make it better. As good as Holley’s original Sniper throttle body EFI has proved to be, the engineers from Bowling Green, Kentucky, couldn’t resist improving it with the Sniper 2. This is much more than just a superficial face-lift, and it will require most of this story just to outline all the changes, so let’s get cracking.

According to our Holley sources, the software is largely the same as the original Sniper except for the addition of the wireless Bluetooth connection and new transmission control–both of which we will detail in a moment. More importantly, the new ECU has been updated to be more robust in filtering out radio frequency interference (RFI), which can be a great benefit to resist electrical noise that is common with CD high-voltage ignition systems.

The throttle body has been completely redesigned to make it easier to install while also upgrading its functionality. For the basic system that will not control ignition, the main power harness only requires five connections to the vehicle for power, ground, switched ignition, fuel pump, and rpm. One additional upgrade is the throttle position sensor (TPS) is now integrated into the throttle body itself instead of bolted to the exterior. In addition, the throttle body has been redesigned to eliminate the outside fuel distribution hoses in favor of a cast-in fuel distribution channel.

hen car show promoters drum up the idea of putting on a new event, car builders, vendors, and enthusiasts might wonder what will make this new show different from any other. Well, it takes a couple of experienced and well-respected industry guys like Bobby Alloway and Gary Case, along with an all-star cast, to pull it off just right, and that’s exactly what happened at the inaugural Triple Crown of Rodding presented by PPG at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee, September 8th and 9th.

To many folks in and around the hot rod industry, Alloway might be known more for building award-winning hot rods and muscle cars than being a car show promoter, but having ran Shades of the Past from 1981-2022, working on the inaugural Triple Crown of Rodding as a “side hustle” in 2023 fared well for the Tennessee native. With the help of Case, who has a long history of promoting numerous successful automotive-related events, the duo knocked this one out of the park, or in this case out of the speedway, with just shy of 1,700 cars populating Nashville Superspeedway’s infield. Yes, we’ve been to shows that included many more cars, but the unmatched quality of the rides at the Triple Crown made it a most enjoyable two days soaking in some of the best hot rods, customs, street rods, muscle cars, and trucks in the country.

hen it comes to cooling a Tri-Five Chevy, the options are all over the map. Stock radiators typically need repairs, and they’re usually not efficient enough to cool most high-performance engines. For the past 20 years or so, it has been popular to swap the original copper and brass radiator for an aluminum unit. While aluminum radiators are physically lighter and do a good job of cooling, there is no replacement for a tried-and-true copper and brass radiator when it comes to durability and longevity.

Many years ago, Vernon Walker and the folks at Walker Radiator Works in Memphis, Tennessee, developed trick internal components that allowed brass and copper radiators to outperform most radiators on the market. Walker was known mostly for street rod radiators but later got into the ’50s and ’60s applications, including the Tri-Five Chevy. Shorter fins allow for more tubes to increase capacity, while louvers in each fin create air direction changes for much better cooling capability.

When Walker closed its doors, hot rod builder Alan Johnson bought the entire operation, including all the machinery, patterns, and notes that dated back for decades of design and production. The name wasn’t part of the purchase, so he renamed it Johnson’s Radiator Works and moved the machinery to a facility near his hot rod shop in Gadsden, Alabama.

here’s no better thrill than planning a road trip in your high-performance Chevy that will take you across the highways and byways of America, leading you to a large national event packed with like-minded car owners. From packing the trunk with your trip bits to rolling out of your driveway and topping off the tank with premium fuel, it’s the complete driving experience that makes it all come full circle. Regardless of whether your Bowtie is running the latest speed equipment to fuel a big-block, small-block, or LS, it’s all a blast, especially when setting a course to one of the biggest performance automotive fests in the Northeast, the 23rd Annual NAPA Auto Parts Syracuse Nationals in Syracuse, New York.

Arriving at the event you’ll find the expansive footprint of the New Your State Fairgrounds covering a massive 360 acres packed with an endless array of neat vintage buildings accented by perfectly paved roads for cruising and a wide assortment of state-fair-style eateries to check out when the call to refuel hits. As the event unfolds around you for the three-day get-together, the visually stunning grouping of muscle cars, classic trucks, hot rods, customs, and restos leaves you awestruck, thanks to plenty of vibrant candy colors fused with decadent chrome laid out across the venue. It’s all complemented by a vast array of both indoor and outdoor vendors showcasing plenty of industry-leading performance parts for your ride, select builders displaying their latest creations, and live music on multiple stages.

Throughout the busy weekend there was plenty of cool stuff to check out, starting with the nominees for the Designer Dozen Awards, sponsored by Pfaff Designs and Pilot Transportation, where a select team of well-known automotive celebrity judges canvass the grounds to assemble 100 vehicles to compete for one of the very desirable awards (which has now been increased to 16 picks to cover even more build styles). There was also plenty of competition for the coveted Tucci Hot Rods Style & Design awards.