Road and Driver

If you feel like burning this issue to a crisp after reading this story–assuming you actually make it to the end–we feel your pain. Why would anyone pull an automotive Pearl Harbor by putting a Toyota Supra motor in a ‘67 Camaro, an original show-quality RS/SS at that? We’ll save the message board trolls some time by throwing out our own official “WTF?” For decades, Chevy boys have been chuckling on the sidelines while Mouse motors and LS1s were dropped into everything from Porsches to Datsuns to BMWs to Mazdas to Hondas and even Fords. The purists balked. The heretics went fast. Now that the tables have been turned, however, maybe hybrid warfare isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. At least that was our knee-jerk reaction to this sushi burger; but there’s far more to this machine than controversy.

Photo Gallery: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro - Hot Rod Magazine

Edelbrock and the Center for Learning Unlimited have once again teamed up in support of helping children with learning disabilities to present the 4th Annual Rev’ved Up 4 Kidz VIP gala charity auction and car show, April 25-26, 2009.

Photo Gallery: Don’t Miss Edelbrock’s 4th Annual Rev’ved Up 4 Kidz Charity Car Show - Hot Rod Magazine

Evolution Of The ZZ 350 Crate Engine
Introduced in 1996, today’s ZZ4 crate engine evolved from a long line of ZZ 350s that first debuted back in 1989 with the ZZZ 350, an assembly that arguably began the modern crate engine era. Prior to the ZZZ, GM sold only “service-replacement” short-blocks and long-blocks based on production high-perf engines from the ’60s and ’70s. By the late ’80s, the obsolete engines could no longer be economically machined on a standard production line-hence the birth of the crate motor.

Photo Gallery: Small-Block Chevy Bolt-Ons - We Add 117HP To The ZZ4 Crate Engine - Hot Rod Magazine

Photo Gallery: Small-Block Chevy Bolt-Ons - We Add 117HP To The ZZ4 Crate Engine - Hot Rod Magazine

Let’s just address the cost issue right off the top, since it is what first made us take notice. This ‘67 Mustang has had $1.3 million invested in its build. That’s right, a one, then a three, then five zeros, followed by a decimal point and two more zeros. “What the hell?” you may ask. That’s OK, so did we.

Photo Gallery: 1967 Ford Mustang - Hot Rod Magazine

Photo Gallery: 1967 Ford Mustang - Hot Rod Magazine

We announced it in the March issue’s Where It All Began section and now the rules and details have been finalized - the HOT ROD Drags is back, and it’s aimed at getting as many late-model cars on the track as possible. The original HOT ROD Drags was held at Riverside (California) Raceway from 1964 to 1970, in conjunction with the NHRA, and it was a hotbed of the country’s best doorslammer racers in some independent teams, but many with factory support.

Photo Gallery: HOT ROD Drags Dates, Classes, Venue and Rules - Hot Rod Magazine

Forget what you think the lines are between a race car a real street car, because Larry Larson’s Pepto-pink Chevy II blurs them all. The first time he attended Drag Week, in 2005, Larry had a practice of showing up, making one 8-second run, then packing up and leaving. We were so sure he was cheating that Editor Kinnan shadowed him to make sure there wasn’t a trailer waiting somewhere. There wasn’t. Larry just knew what the car could do, and once he had his number, he was satisfied. He did the same thing in 2007 with the same combination: a 14-71 atop a 555ci big-block Chevy backed by a Lenco, netting a best e.t. of 8.08 and winning the title of Quickest Without a Trailer. This year, Larry returned with the car’s most radical drivetrain to date-still 555 ci but now built by Mike Moran with two big Precision Turbo 88mm turbos-and still no trailer.

Photo Gallery: 2008 Hot Rod Drag Week - 7-Second Chevy II Drag Car - Hot Rod Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2008 Hot Rod Drag Week - 7-Second Chevy II Drag Car - Hot Rod Magazine

Forget what you think the lines are between a race car a real street car, because Larry Larson’s Pepto-pink Chevy II blurs them all. The first time he attended Drag Week, in 2005, Larry had a practice of showing up, making one 8-second run, then packing up and leaving. We were so sure he was cheating that Editor Kinnan shadowed him to make sure there wasn’t a trailer waiting somewhere. There wasn’t. Larry just knew what the car could do, and once he had his number, he was satisfied. He did the same thing in 2007 with the same combination: a 14-71 atop a 555ci big-block Chevy backed by a Lenco, netting a best e.t. of 8.08 and winning the title of Quickest Without a Trailer. This year, Larry returned with the car’s most radical drivetrain to date-still 555 ci but now built by Mike Moran with two big Precision Turbo 88mm turbos-and still no trailer.

Photo Gallery: 2008 Hot Rod Drag Week - 7-Second Chevy II Drag Car - Hot Rod Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2008 Hot Rod Drag Week - 7-Second Chevy II Drag Car - Hot Rod Magazine

‘63 Ford Galaxie 500 XL
Scott Bergkamp
Salina, KS
The first rebuild of Scott’s ‘63 Galaxie 500 XL was through a teenager’s eye to get it ready for high school; looking good with loud pipes was priority, we’d guess. It did end up with cast-iron headers, 428 CJ cam, and an Edelbrock four-barrel carb on the 390, however. Scott put it in storage during college and then built a street rod after he graduated, which resulted in the Galaxie only recently coming back out. This time it’ll get a real resto to even better than its former glory, now that he’s no longer a teenager and has a better idea of how to do things right.

Photo Gallery: Readers’ First Cars - Hot Rods That Didn’t Get Away - Hot Rod Magazine

Photo Gallery: Readers’ First Cars - Hot Rods That Didn’t Get Away - Hot Rod Magazine