ld Anvil Speed Shop is renowned for its exceptional builds. For this project, they began with a pristine 1962 Chevrolet Impala convertible. They designed and constructed a stout full-perimeter chassis, incorporating air suspension and a 1,200hp Nelson Racing Engines powerplant. We will have several articles about this build; this one focuses on the construction of the floor and the wheelwells for the massive 24-inch rear wheels.

Old Anvil designed and built a very robust chassis in-house for this project, which will have the body welded to it, creating a unibody structure. They wisely decided to start constructing the floor before the body was joined to the chassis, allowing unrestricted access for fitting the largest panels. The forward section of the floor is flat, featuring footwells for the rear seat passengers. The floor follows the framerails behind the rear seat, where they rise over the rear suspension. Behind the rise, the trunk floor is completely flat.

Gettin’ Connected

idden in a dark corner of Modern Rodding’s super-secret Northwest Research and Development center (also known as the storage building where languishing project cars collect dust) is our 1960 Dodge Dart station wagon. Editor Brennan has dubbed it the magazine’s version of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster seen in National Lampoon’s Family Vacation, and after years of his verbal abuse about the lack of progress, we’ve decided to drag it into the sunlight and take the necessary steps to make it roadworthy once more. That first step is replacing the dilapidated wiring with a new American Autowire Highway 22 Plus kit.

Chrysler Corporation had a unique method of protecting the electrical system of its cars of this era. Rather than one central fuse block, there was a main circuit breaker and a number of inline fuse holders—all cleverly hidden to make finding them a challenge. By contrast, the replacement American Autowire has a 22-circuit panel with 16 fuse locations, one of which has a circuit breaker for the headlights. The hazard and turn relays are also fused with 20-amp micro fuses next to the micro relays.

hile the popularity of EFI has grown exponentially in recent years as kits became more affordable, technology more advanced, and tuning abilities more user-friendly, it’s hard to imagine that a company with such a pedigree as Edelbrock would turn its attention back to the past with a completely redesigned four-barrel carburetor. But that’s exactly what they did with their new line of VRS-4150 race and performance carburetors. The argument for upgrading to EFI has been beaten to death, and there’s no denying its value in today’s hobby, but for all-out performance and ease of tunability, it’s hard to argue against the tried-and-true traditional carb. And for those of us who might be racing in a class where one is required, a better carburetor will always be well received.

Edelbrock’s experience with carburetors dates back to the very first Flathead that Vic Sr. and his team tuned on the company’s dyno. By the early 1970s Edelbrock not only sold Holley carburetors but also offered an on-site tuning service. From this experience Edelbrock created Holley upgrade kits and fully calibrated carburetors. When Colt Industries bought Holley, there was a parting of the ways and Edelbrock started working with Carter AFB carburetors. As a result, Holley started making intake manifolds and the competition was on. Eventually Edelbrock developed its own AFB-style carburetor with Magneti Marelli. This simple carb design has been installed on thousands of hot rods, muscle cars, street machines, and classic trucks over the years, filling a significant gap in ready-to-run carburetors. However, Edelbrock realized that while the Performer carb served that niche, there was another group still looking for a solution—the race and street performance enthusiasts. That’s where the VRS-4150 comes in.

hile on the road recently for Modern Rodding, our journey took us to ABS Classic Muscle Car Restorations in Manchester, New Hampshire, to explore one of their latest project builds being finalized for the new season. Not every day do you get to witness a completed bare metal masterpiece, the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro featured in our pages, and you appreciate all the intricate details infused into it. Thanks to longtime client Pat Floyd of Chester, New Hampshire, ABS had the opportunity to elevate one of GM’s most iconic muscle cars. Shop owner Jay Doerfler masterfully incorporated the right style and innovation into the mix. Collaborating directly with team member Nicole Boisvert, the duo achieved a flawless balance of subtle design modifications and performance, ensuring the car stands out when it hits the scene.

When undertaking a build of this magnitude, true dedication to custom fabrication is essential when deciding to refine the lines of such a revered model. Let’s delve deeper into what makes this 1969 Camaro so special. Once the car was completely disassembled, it was cleaned thoroughly to prepare the bare shell for its new front and rear suspension.

found myself wandering the Pomona Fairplex just as the 59th Los Angeles Roadsters Father’s Day Show & Swap Meet was about to begin, when I ran into an old friend. The first time I met “SIROD 2,” the 1927 Ford track roadster originally built by Pete Chapouris II and Pete Chapouris III in 1978, was early in my career as a magazine editor. Pete III, who is now well known for Pete & Jake’s Hot Rod Parts and SO-CAL Speed Shop, called me and asked me to come over because he had a nifty little roadster to show me. The track roadster emerged from a conversation of a father-and-son noontime bench-racing session. I had heard about the car from its appearance in Hot Rod, but now I had my chance.

I remember photographing SIROD 2 for the Dec. ’80 cover of Rod Action. Our paths would intersect one more time in 2004 when the car was featured as a “Milestones” story in the Mar. ’04 issue of Street Rodder. The track roadster made its debut in the Jan. ’79 issue of Hot Rod with words by the one and only Gray Baskerville (“Yer Ole Dad”).