Table of contents for Volume 5, Issue 56 - August 2025 in All Chevy Performance

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m going to build my dream car someday”? Of course you have—we’ve all heard and even said it before. The real question is, how many of these folks (ourselves included) have lived up to that statement? Most of us can locate and buy the model vehicle we want, only to spend an entire lifetime slowly chipping away at achieving the dream. Very few people actually build these “dream vehicles” up to world-class status—but when they do, it sure is a sight to behold. Jeremiah Belk of Spring, Texas, has always been a fan of the secondgen Nova. It wasn’t until he had the means to build a car worth bragging about that he was able to forge ahead on his journey. “I was inspired…

The spark plug is the one component that has been shared by every spark-ignited internal combustion engine since the earliest days. Oddly, the engine that powered the first Wright Brothers airplane was gasoline-fueled but did not use spark plugs. Instead, the engine builder, Charlie Taylor, employed a set of contact points located in the “T”-style cylinder head to create a spark. But for the rest of the automotive world, the spark plug has been in existence in one form or another since the 1860s. Today, spark plugs have become smaller, more efficient, and now in modern electronically fuel-injected street engines can perform admirably for 100,000 miles or more. But what happens when we build a performance engine like a small- or big-block Chevy or an LS/LT engine with compression, a…

Back in 2005 Domenic Ruffatto and his business partner came across a couple of barn-find Corvettes in Kentucky—one a ’67 and the other a ’59. Domenic mentions there were about 25 other Corvettes stored there, but he was interested in the ’59 over all the others, as he preferred collecting cars from the year he was born. “When I bought the ’59, it was a mess, and not much to look at,” Domenic recalls. “The body was beat up, the interior was missing, the chassis was rusty, and the car barely rolled. The engine and transmission didn’t match, so they weren’t worth keeping. But the hard top was there, and that was something.” Domenic hauled the car to a shop in Georgia mainly as convenience as it was nearby a…

Some car shows simply can’t be contained by barriers, and the Pigeon Forge Rod Run is a prime example. This event occurs twice a year, with a Spring event in April and a Fall event in September, and it’s always packed with hot rods, muscle cars, and wild Pro Street combinations. The show itself is held at the LeConte Center, a beautiful convention center, nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It features a great selection of customized cars and trucks, as well as a huge turnout of vendors and special attractions. It features indoor and outdoor areas and is always well attended. Even though the show is popular, the real “wow” factor typically comes from the miles of cars lining the streets of Pigeon Forge. This town is…

1. STREET SCOOP Summit Racing Street Scoops deliver a classic street machine look inspired by vintage Enderlestyle air scoops. Available in dual- or single-quad styles with plain or finned tops, they come in polished or black powder coated finishes. Each scoop includes a bezel, inlet screen, anodized butterflies, paper filter, linkage, and mounting hardware. For more information, contact Summit Racing by calling (800) 230-3030 or visit summitracing.com. 2. SHINE ON! Billet Brite Aluminum Wheel Polish restores and maintains the shine of polished Billet aluminum wheels and accessories. Designed for aftermarket use, it enhances and protects surfaces with a long-lasting, professional-grade finish. Easy to apply and remove, it’s trusted by Billet Specialties’ detail department for every polished wheel. Enjoy a brilliant shine with a fresh watermelon scent—shine like the pros! For…

Bumpers are not something typically high on the build priority list, but if you’re building any kind of custom or street machine, or even a hot rod, you really need the bumpers tucked to fit perfectly and certainly tighter than factory. Recently, while touring Mick’s Paint in Pomona, California, we came across Jeff Pont’s 1969 Camaro that was undergoing a complete makeover from front to rear bumper. Now, Pont’s a detail guy so he likes things to fit, and fit better ’n’ factory, and the stock bumpers were just not cutting it. Stepping up to the task was Pauly Rivera, Mick’s crafty fabricator, to make the factory bumpers fit, well, like they should have from the factory with no visible fasteners. In this case, the bumpers were eventually to be…

When we think back on our high school days, there are always a ton of great memories and stories. The older we get and the further we are from that time in our lives, the more we are reminded of the good times. For Glenn Arledge of Columbus, South Carolina, a lot of those teenage years revolved around a 1968 Camaro RS. From cruising with friends to date nights, that car was always a big part of his life. Glenn bought the car when he was 15 years old from a neighbor who was a big Camaro guy, so Glenn was always over at his house admiring his car collection. It took about two years of begging before the owner would let it go. Knowing how much of a fan…

In this article, we’re looking at a 1968 Camaro being built at Roadster Shop. As is typical for a high-end build like this, they started with the best-quality donor vehicle that could be found. After fitting the Camaro body onto one of their Fast Track chassis, they did a complete scan of the body, and Mike O’Brien, the lead engineer at Roadster Shop, carefully designed a new floor to fit over the chassis, which kicks up in the rear to clear the independent rear suspension system. Doing this work in CAD has many advantages. It was a straightforward process to determine the dimensions and shapes for all the panels, and to pinpoint the location of each reinforcing rib in the floor panels. All Roadster Shop chassis are CAD-designed, so that…

Color, stance, and wheels hit hard from a long distance on this 1967 Corvette. Smooth, extended rocker skirts match up with a new front lower fascia to create a more hunkered-down appearance. Out back you’ll find a custom rear valance with integrated exhaust tips. Both front and rear bumpers have been heavily tucked in and shaped to fit the body. The rear bumpers have been especially reshaped from stock with only horizontal elements remaining. The factory fender gills have been replaced with a small vent and polished trim. Around the car you’ll find that polished bits of trim have been retained or created to add some elegance to the car. Dark Jade Green metallic paint definitely highlights all that brightwork. @TavisHighlander TavisHighlander.com Builder: Bishop Built Rides (Elverson, Pennsylvania)…

When it comes to building a specialized vehicle designed to go fast and handle like a dream, a unique set of skills is required. A builder must not only be able to gather the right group of components to get the job done but also know how to fine-tune them to create a harmoniously functioning machine. What can’t be bought must be made, and what doesn’t fit must be strategically formed to put all the pieces together. Rob Lindsay is one such custom vehicle builder who knows how to assemble a custom and capable automobile, and he understands what it takes to make it perform at the highest level possible. While Rob is wellversed in fabricating high-end off-road prerunner chassis systems, he can also get down in the performance and…

One of the most important areas of any high-performance ride always leads to the business office, which serves as the hub for monitoring the car’s vitals as well as maintaining its full operational control while also providing plenty of comfort for the occupants. Regardless of whether you’re taking on a full build or simply making updates, it’s a solid idea to think about upgrading your interior components, especially if you’re choosing to up the ante in the horsepower department of your classic Chevy. This can be as simple as opting to add a more-efficient gauge package or replacing a torn dashpad to more involved updates, like adding a new air conditioning system. Many regular readers of All Chevy Performance will recognize the 1971 Camaro showcased across our pages, having followed…

The time it takes to complete a world-class vehicle is rarely predictable. Goals evolve, technology advances, and costs rise. Mike House knows this well. A retired firefighter from Minnesota now living in Jacksonville, Florida, Mike has been a car enthusiast since his teenage years. His passion for Novas led to his latest build—a stunning 1968 Nova. Purchased in New Mexico, every panel and body part is original except for the custom cowl induction hood. Once in his garage, the car was completely disassembled, marking the start of an ambitious Pro Touring build. Mike began the project in 2008 with a vision to create a unique car that departed from the typical Pro Touring mold. Knowing the Nova’s unibody lacked rigidity, his first task was reinforcing the structure. He welded 2x3…