1971 Oldsmobile Cutclass and More - Muscle Car Burnouts

Dude! What The . . .
Who: Dave Chamberlain
What: '66 Ford Mustang
Where: Richmond, IN
Why: After a financially fatal fight with the IRS, Dave took the car into the mountains and lit a match. Fortunately he didn't go through with it and just left the car in the woods. Thirteen years later, a friend of the family found the car and towed it home for a reunion. This time Dave hung onto the car and dropped in a monster 545-inch big-block Ford engine. The list of goodies is long, but it has a mild 3.50:1 gear so it sees the street all the time, with and without the hood.

Huge and Huger
Who: Russ Dyer
Where: Tacoma, WA
What: '72 Dodge Charger SE
Why: The thing is huge, but before you can make fun of it, it will blast a 13.37 at 101 mph in the quarter. The trick is the 445-inch Chrysler big-block and 3.23 Sure Grip. That's pretty good for weighing 3,500 pounds and using a low-profile street tire.

Check out the vicious twisted launch. Time to install a sway bar.

Oops, Chevy!
Who: Steve and Eric Jasper
What: '71 Olds Cutlass
Where: Emporia, VA
Why: It' s a 3,400-pound car that runs 10.84 at 121 mph with the help of a 434 small-block Chevy engine. The car was purchased by Eric's father, Steve, in 1972 and was turned into a drag car in 1991. The engine swap made drag racing cheap and easy, and the 4,500 stall and 4.10:1 gears in the 12-bolt make it hardly streetable. Goes fast though.
Eric Says: "Racing this car is the only thing the whole family does besides Thanksgiving and Christmas."

Burnouts as far as the eye can see.

The Cheap Squad
Who: A guy named Scott
Where: New Hampshire
What: '95 9C1 Chevrolet Caprice
Why: Scott scolded us for printing in the June '07 issue that the '94-'96 9C1 Caprice can run 16.4 at 135 mph in the quarter mile and cost $3,000. So he showed us his '95 that he scored for only $250. It has a little rust and paint that flakes at speeds over 65 mph (his words), but you get a list of RPO goodies like disc brakes and that little light for ticket writing. Don't forget the LT1 and 4L60E drivetrain; it's good for an estimated 135 mph, just not in the quarter.

Meet the new boss.

The Last Mach 1 (for now)
Who: Timothy Aggas
Where: Warren, MI
What: '03 Mustang Mach 1
Why: Car Craft ran a photo of Tim's '97 Boss Shinoda Mustang, which made him and the car a hero at the local feeder. Now he's back with another 'Stang and is in the garage to give it some power. He just wanted us to know.