Why do you do it? The countless hours in the garage, the late nights wrenching, the drained bank accounts, the worn-thin credit cards? Why endure the cold shoulder from the spouse, the questioning stares from the neighbors, your brother-in-law's mocking? Why get up at o-dark-thirty to scour swap meets, or stay up into the wee hours to catch the end of that online auction?
We know why. Few things in life are more rewarding than turning an automotive dream into reality. Unless, that is, you can compound the glory by showing off your handiwork to those who can appreciate just where all those buckets of elbow grease went. What follows is a gallery of some of the best street machines we've seen during our travels around the country. Each of the owners represented here should be congratulated for a car-crafting job well done.
The Specs
Engine: '72 350 small-block displacing 355 inches, steel crank, GM rods, TRW 8.5:1 turbo pistons
Camshaft: Isky turbo cam
Induction: Edelbrock/Weber fuel injection with 36-lb/hr fuel injectors and a Paxton fuel pump, twin Roto-Master turbochargers
Ignition: GM HEI with Mallory coil and Taylor plug wires
Exhaust: Custom 111/42-inch headers, Torque Tech 3-inch exhaust system, DynoMax mufflers
Output: 500 hp @ 5,000 rpm, 500 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission: TH400 trans with B&M 2,500-stall converter, Quicksilver shifter, and trans cooler
Rearend: GM 12-bolt with 3.55:1 Richmond gears and Moser axles
Frame: Stock with subframe connectors; all frame and underbody parts painted in memory of Joe Long
Suspension: Stock with KYB shocks and urethane bushings
Brakes: Stock front disc, stock rear drum
Wheels: Weld Racing 17x8, front; 17x11, rear
Tires: Yokohama P245/40ZR17, front; P315/35ZR17, rear
Body: Stock, painted white with green stripes by 5 Corners Body Shop
Interior: Stock
The Specs
Engine: '71 454, stock crank and rods, 10.0:1 pistons
Heads: Iron oval-port heads with 2.19/1.88-inch valves
Camshaft: Crane with 295/305 degrees duration and 0.575/0.600-inch lift
Induction: Holley 650-cfm double-pumper carb on Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold
Ignition: Electronic
Exhaust: Hooker 211/42-inch headers and Flowmaster mufflers
Transmission: TH400 with B&M 3,200-stall converter, B&M Shift Improver Kit
Rearend: '71 12-bolt with 3.73 gears
Frame: Stock
Suspension: TRW components with Monroe shocks, 131/44-inch front sway bar
Brakes: Front disc, stock rear drum
Wheels: Weld 15x6, front; 15x8, rear
Tires: BFGoodrich P205/70R15, front; BFGoodrich P275/60R15 Drag Radials, rear
Body: Stock, painted Nevada Silver by Larry Fishbaugh
Interior: Stock, upholstered by Lavern Weitzel
The Specs
Engine: '72 Dodge 400 bored and stroked to 452 ci, with 440 crankshaft and JE 9.9:1 pistons
Heads: Ported and polished 906 iron heads
Camshaft: Crane custom grind
Induction: 750-cfm Holley double-pumper on an Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold
Ignition: MSD distributor and coil
Exhaust: 2-inch TTI headers to Flowmaster mufflers
Output: 553 hp @ 6,900 rpm, 567 lb-ft of torque @ 5,700 rpm
Best Quarter-Mile: 12.13 @ 111 mph
Transmission: 727 TorqueFlite, Midwest Converter 3,000-stall converter
Rearend: 831/44-inch axle with 3.55 gears
Frame: Stock unibody
Suspension: PST with KYB shocks, front; stock rear suspension with airbags; subframe ties lowered 4 inches
Brakes: Front discs, rear drums
Wheels: Center Line Mojave 17x9.5
Tires: Falken P235/35R17, front; P275/40R17, rear
Body: Stock; shaved antenna, hood, and fender emblems; painted Viper Silver by Crystal Collision of Crystal, MN
Interior: Stock, upholstered by Laura Miller
The Specs
Engine: '02 LS1
Heads: Stock
Induction: LS6 intake
Ignition: Stock
Exhaust: Edelbrock 151/48-inch headers to 211/42-inch pipes and Flowmaster mufflers
Output: 400 hp @ 5,600 rpm, 375 lb-ft of torque @ 5,400 rpm