t’s not exactly breaking news that LS engine swapping is a big part of just about any Bowtie horsepower plan. Sure, there are the many traditional small-block Chevy holdouts who just don’t like the LS. But frankly when a near-stock 5.3L LS can make more horsepower than a similarly built 350ci small-block Chevy, why mess with 75-year-old technology?

Also not surprising is the fact that the LS world is changing. Everybody wants big-displacement aluminum block engines, so we’re not going to spend any time on them. It also used to be that you could sidle up to an iron-block 6.0L truck engine on nearly any street corner. Not anymore. That ship, as they say, has sailed.

So, for the budget-oriented car guy who wants an LS engine, the best bet is to search for the smaller displacement iron-block 4.8L and 5.3L engines. These are by far the most prevalent truck engines in the LS series. But even these engines are not all the same and accurately differentiating a 5.3L truck engine from its 4.8L sibling will take a little knowledge and effort.

etalwork is an art that requires patience and experience to produce a show-quality finished project. There are many techniques when it comes to metal fabrication. We followed along with Old Anvil Speed Shop in Orange, California, as Brandon Gerringer tackles a challenging project. He was tasked with filling in the original fuel filler door on Mike Selvaggio’s 1966 Chevelle station wagon. While some might say you could simply lay a piece of metal in the existing stamped hole, this wouldn’t provide a flush fit, and the stamped edge wouldn’t allow any extensive metalworking to straighten the panel. The result would be too much body filler.

When Gerringer took on the project, he planned it out so he could utilize the strongest areas of the quarter-panel, while also positioning the panel in an area that could be hammered and dollied before, during, and after the panel installation. He used an assortment of tools, most of which are readily available. He used an angle grinder, cut-off wheel, and body saw for the slicing and dicing, and then used various hammers, dollies, and body spoons for working the metal. A MIG welder was used for tack welds and a TIG welder was used for final welding.

A project like this is not for the faint of heart. It requires a tremendous amount of patience and a keen eye for detail. Expect to spend several nights in the shop fine-tuning a custom panel of this nature. Gerringer makes it look easy, so follow along with the step-by-step process of shaving the fuel door on this highly customized Chevelle station wagon.

et’s face it, cruising around in a classic Chevy should be an enjoyable experience, but as our pal Bruce Valley found out, doing so at the height of Summer in Phoenix was anything BUT. With temperatures peaking somewhere near the melting point of Tungsten, the inside of Valley’s fishbowl Handyman Wagon was akin to being an ant under a prepubescent teen’s magnifying glass. It was hot, uncomfortable, and you felt like a hot dog under a heat lamp. Unfortunately, that meant that the Valley family found that they were only able to enjoy their Tri-Five for a few short months at either end of Summer each year. Wanting to add a few months to that timetable, they tapped the Clampdown Competition workshop to add a fully functioning A/C system while it was there getting a myriad of other upgrades.

ast month, we started part 1 of the story of 15-year-old Hunter Hay and his dad, Ron, building a 408ci LQ9 stroker engine to run in a drag ’n’ drive 1966 Nova when Hunter turns 16. In part 1, Dunsworth Machine of Enid, Oklahoma, balanced and blueprinted the LQ9 stroker short-block, then Ron and Hunter gathered up the Summit Racing Pro LS 6.0L rotating assembly (PN SUM-R24400308). Dunsworth finessed and carted the LQ9 home in kit form where Ron guided Hunter how to build a high-horsepower engine to endure thrashings.

Shane Dillon at Dunsworth knocked the cam bearings in then Hunter fed Summit Racing’s cam (PN SUM-822R1) into the block. In part 1 we focused on the short-block going together but disclosed that Hunter and Ron completed the 408ci LQ9 right up to installing a pair of Trick Flow heads (PN TFS-3061T002) straight from the box.

he Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) stands as a testament to the unparalleled allure of the finest hot rods, customs, roadsters, muscle cars, and everything in between, uniting them all at the Fairplex in Pomona, California. The 2025 event celebrates the 75th anniversary of bringing the coolest cars in the country to the West Coast, continuing a legacy of showcasing the very best in the classic car hobby.

A look back at the history of the GNRS reveals its humble beginnings in 1950 as The National Roadster Show. Over the years, it evolved through various Northern California locations before finding a permanent home at the Pomona Fairplex in 2004. The event takes place within multiple large exhibit buildings, each unique to a specific theme. In one building you’ll find top-tier rides competing for the esteemed Al Slonaker Memorial Award, while in another building the finest roadsters can be found competing for the crown jewel for roadster class: the prestigious America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award.

The GNRS caters to a wide audience, featuring a stunning array of classic rides vying for awards across multiple classes. From vintage muscle cars and customs to lowriders, hot rods, and trucks (both patina and pristine), the event offers something to satisfy the taste of just about every classic car enthusiast.