Cars
You can drive this bad boy coast to coast and burn all the rubber you want in between.” That was Day Automotive’s Tony Shaffer proclaiming the abilities of his shop’s 482/409. Soon thereafter, we were entering the confines of Day Automotive in Independence, Missouri, where Shaffer and crew had just completed the engine in seven days. It represents what can be accomplished power-wise with the right combination of parts, plus some internal modifications. And with a 10.0:1-compression ratio, it’s very street-friendly.
With tech and how-tos that might benefit you for both street and/or strip application. Sometimes those elements are major, other times they are far less significant, but nonetheless helpful. We also pay particular attention to things that are of interest, up to and including the reasons why an owner did not win at a car show. There are 55 photos here, each with a bit of info. Many may pay dividends for you sometime in the future, so sit back, learn, laugh and enjoy.
These are great days to be a muscle-car enthusiast. Performance parts are plentiful, new stampings to replace rusted sheetmetal are regularly popping up, and GM’s crate motor program makes it easier than ever to drop in a new power plant that combines incredible power with everyday drivability. Old Camaros or Novas have been passed over because they were saddled with a wimpy six. Now, however, they are the perfect candidates for a heart transplant, namely, in the form of Chevrolet’s marvel of horsepower engineering: the LS1 engine.