What’s your real name? My real Name is Mark Selig

(What’s your online screen name?) My screen name is Tachout.  I had that name hung on me a long time ago when I was in High School.  It means driving past the red line.  I had this 1977 Camaro and I would drive around in first gear, running it until I could hear the valves start to float, and then just step on the clutch and letting it coast.

Where do you live? I live in Sandy, Utah

What do you do for a living? I do custom home designs and work for a production home builder.

What GM(s) do you currently own? I have a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban that I have had for 5 years.  I also have a 1990 Corvette convertible that I have had for about 2 weeks and a 1990 Chevrolet Corvette coupe I have had for about 5 Years.

What originally attracted you to the Corvette? When I was much younger my dad used to say that the true sign of success was a Mercedes, and at that time I would look at the C2 and C3 Corvettes and say to myself that is the true sign that you are successful.  The guys I saw driving those cars all seemed to be successful.

You’re doing a pretty immense build on your 1990 Corvette coupe. Can you tell us about it (time frame, goals, etc)? I really should start by saying that originally I wasn’t planning on doing this much.  Driving home from work one night, not doing more than 30 I started to hear a knock and I knew what it was.  I did ask someone to come over to look and listen and then confirm that it was at least one rod knock.  Well I sat down for a week or so thinking, and as I start prep and planning I took a look at the weak points.  Sure enough it started to get out of hand fast.  First it was “I will just build a 383 and go from there”.  Well the transmission was questioned, and yes I know it was going fast. Well let’s go with a TH400.  From there I thought about a week on going Pro Street or just keeping the stock look.  At the same time I knew that if I were to do much to it, I should put some sort of a roll bar or cage in the car if I were going to go out and beat on it much.  If I planned on doing Pro Street I would need to back half the car.

Well let’s move to now.  I bought a used Motor that needs to visit the machine shop but is top shelf on parts.  I have a TH400 core that has been dismantled so I can get under the car with it and build a cross member.

What work is completed?  I have a full 10 point cage in the car.  I need to add two front frame to front down tube supports and then it will be an IHRA Certified cage down to 8.5 Seconds.  I do not plan on the car going that fast, but I like to know it is safe.  I have the car back halved, and the rear end has been replaced with a Narrowed Ford 9”.  It is set up for rear coil overs.  I need to make a few changes to the rear suspension and add in the wheelie bar mounts.  I have to also add a receiver hitch for the Parachute mount.  Soon I will be adding in the tubs and the interior sheet metal.  Once that is completed, I am going to put the full interior back in the car and set it up for the transmission mount inside the car.

Then things start to get expensive.  The engine will be off to the machine shop, the transmission off to my transmission guy. The engine machine work and short block assembly should be done about the same time as the transmission.  So far I have done 100% of the work myself, and I plan on doing most of the hands on with the guy rebuilding my transmission.  I am having the short block build by a pro engine builder just because of what I am planning for the rest of the build.  Once the short block and transmission are in, I am going to have a driveshaft built for the car. I’ll work to finish the buildup of the engine and then start the fabrication of the custom exhaust system.  Mind you, a large part of this build is a pair of twin GT3788 turbochargers, an intercooler and a 3 stage meth injection system.  I already own the Gen VII for the computer controls.  There will be a ton of electronics to take care of on this car, so I will have my work cut out for me there.

As for a time frame on this car . . . a lot of that depends on the economy and parts availability at the right price when I have the cash. I am guessing it will start to come to final assembly by the spring of next year.

Have a favorite story to tell about your Corvette? A favorite story about my Corvette, no not really, however I do love to push it out into the driveway on the weekend, and enjoy a cup of coffee while I plan on what I am going to do that day.  It amazes me how many people stop, look, and even take pictures of it.  No interior, no engine, some of the body missing and they still stop.

Who has helped you the most along the way with the car? Any mentors? I would say that Vince Lung has been one of my biggest help with the car. Bruce Osborne would be my true mentor, and I get a ton of support from the Utah Vette’s Community.

What’s the best part about being a Corvette owner? The best part of being a Corvette owner is the others in the community.  I just love listening and talking with other Corvette owners.

The most challenging? So far I’ve done 100% of the work myself and will have very minimal help throughout the build by my choice.  Hardest part is getting people to understand I can do this myself. Everyone seems to look at me like he is just a guy who works on a computer.  Before I worked on the computer as a home designer I built all kinds of different cars. From full on race cars, street cars and show cars.  I am a Lincoln Tech Grad, and graduated with Honors. I worked as a mechanic  for a Lexus dealership. I’ve also worked for a couple of California general repair shops and ran a mobile mechanic service for a couple of years.  I was ASE certified and although it has been quite a few years since I did this heavy a build, I have built several of these from the ground up.  Mind you a C4 is not like doing a first gen Camaro.  I have built a couple of these out of C2 bodies when I worked for Bruce Osborne Corvette Specialties and BOSS Racing.

How often do you get together with other Corvette owners in person? I try to get together with other owners as often as possible.  I am going to be a regular at a Saturday morning cars and coffee, and once the coupe is completed, at least every other Friday I will be out at the track having fun with it.

Do you spend time on any Corvette sites? Yes Which ones? Corvette sites would be the National Corvette Forum and Utah Vettes. Other sites I frequent would be the Utah Muscle Car Association and theFoat.com

Modification list?
377 Small block Chevy, Tuned Port Injected (One off Lingenfelter), stage 3 Snow System (Meth Injection) with Twin GTC3788 Turbochargers.  I also have an intercooler planed for this build.  This motor runs a dry sump oil system and will include a custom separate oiling/cooling system for the Turbo System.  Replace the TH700R4 with a TH400 with manual valve body.  Narrowed Ford 9” Rear, 4-Link rear suspension with Coil overs.  Upgraded front brakes to C5 brakes and upgraded rear brakes to something aftermarket.

On this car, just about everything drive train is going to be upgraded.  Rear tires are Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro Tires (33X21.5X15’s) on Centerline Comp Rev Wheels.  Fronts will be M&H Frontrunner tires on Centerline Comp Rev Wheels.

Are you on Twitter?  Facebook?  How can people find you online? I am not on Twitter, but am on Facebook.  I am also on several forums and can be contacted by either my name or screen name.  Just do a search for Tachout on any forum and most of them are me (there is a guy out in Cali that uses my name).  If you are on Facebook or want to Yahoo me I am markselig on both of them.  I welcome all questions and comments, good or bad.  If you would like to follow my build with pictures and comments look on Utah Vettes, Utah Muscle Car Association, or theFoat.com.

What’s your real name?  (What’s your online screen name?)
Brent B or MNBrent on most forums

Where do you live?
Ramsey, a suburb NW of Minneapolis

What do you do for a living?
Application Engineer in Semiconductor Industry (electronics degree)

What GM(s) do you currently own? How long have you had it/them?
2001 ZR2 Blazer 3 yrs
2004 Chevy Tahoe Z71 3 yrs
1982 Corvette 9 yrs

What originally attracted you to the Corvette? What keeps you going today?
I had a few Gen2 F-bodies and an 86 IROC Camaro previously. I was looking for something more sport car oriented and fell for the lines of the C3 Corvette. This is the only car I have ever owned this long and I never tire of the body lines. The aftermarket support is amazing for all generation Corvettes, and that’s part of what keeps me hooked as well.

Your Corvette has a LS1 swap in it. What made you tackle this project?
The 82 Corvette with the CFI motor was a “gentlemans cruiser”. I had updated all other items to the car and the motor was the last item left. Although I had no issues with the CFI for reliability, I needed more power. I did not want carburetion, and the LS swap has been proven very successful in many types of cars, even C3s. So to me the power, weight, and drivability of the LS powertrain put me over the edge. The costs to do this are relatively low, and the results are stellar!! The car is now a blvd screamer!!

What was the easiest part of the LS1 swap? The hardest part?
The 82 Corvette has an EFI fuel system that already has an in-tank fuel pump, making the fuel system conversion part of the swap very simple. The available motor mount adapter plates makes mounting the engine in place almost child’s play. The existing transmission crossmember is setup for a 700R4. The 4L60E has the same external dimensions as a 700R4, so only slightly elongating of the mount holes required to bolt up the 4L60E tranny. It did require a 1 inch longer driveshaft.

The hardest parts were figuring out the wiring, which involved intermixing the LS system wiring to the existing CFI computer wiring and finding an air intake setup that fits in the tight underhood space.  The wiring took the most time of any single task and LS1Tech forum has lots of info with plenty of experienced people to let you get this correct on the first pass.

What are your goals for your Corvette and how close are you to achieving them?
My goal has been to build a lightweight performance oriented street car.  The LS1 swap, AC delete, C5-Z06 seats, and removing the rear spare tire have probably dropped close to 200lbs from the curb weight of the car. You can really feel this in the overall feel of the car. The LS1 swap made a considerable difference in acceleration, especially from the 3K+ RPM level!! The Hydroboost brake system has taken the braking of the car and put it into a new level for the street. The control is far superior to the original vacuum assist and has to be experienced. Next items for me would be more modern rubber and possibility of a big brake kit for even greater braking control.

Have a favorite story to tell about your Corvette?
When I bought it, I had it delivered from Anaheim Ca to Mpls Mn on a car hauler. The brakes were bad, so I got a great price on it. Turned out after all the hardware was replaced with no luck by the previous owner, it all came down to just one more component, the only item he did not replace, which was the vacuum power booster. Great brakes after replacing that!!

Who has helped you the most along the way with the car? Any mentors?
I can’t really say I have a single mentor, but there have been many folks along the way that have been inspirational to me keeping the car and effectively upgrading it for real performance. Those folks are mostly Corvetteforum members going back to 2001.

What’s the best part about being a Corvette owner? The most challenging?
Love the feel of driving the C3. Something about the front fenders riding high up and the feel of the torque coming up through the chassis. There is also frequently looks, stares, and positive comments made about the car that let you know you have something special.

The most challenging thing is trying to keep the car nice when I’m driving it so much!!

How often do you get together with other Corvette owners in person?
A few Corvette only type shows a year, but enjoy many “all car” type shows

Do you spend time on any Corvette sites?  Which ones?
Spend most of my time on the CorvetteForum, but do visit LS1Tech, Digital Corvettes, VetteMod, and Corvette Action Center.

Modification list?
The memorable items are:
Drivetrain
LS1-4L60E swap, 3.07 rear gears, AC Delete
Exhaust
C5 Shorty headers, 2.5inch dual exhaust with C6 Corvette X-pipe, Pacesetter Monza style mufflers
Wheels
Torque Thrust II wheels with 3.75 inch backspace for ½ inch total wider track front/rear, Dunlop 255-60-R15s.
Steering
VBP “Rack Attack” rack and pinion kit with a C3 version Lecarra steering wheel
Brakes
VBP O-ring brake calipers, braided SS Teflon brake flex lines, 94 Astrovan Hydroboost power booster conversion
Chassis
100% rebuilt front/rear suspensions, poly bushings, Moog components, Bilstein Sport shocks, lowered 1.5 to 2 inches, VBP Spreader bar linking the upper control arms mounts together
Cooling
PCM controlled Lincoln Mark VIII fan, 4 core Big Block radiator
Interior
All new interior changed from Camel to Black color, C5-Z06 Corvette seats, Chrome shifter hardware, Redline extra tall leather shift boot, Subwoofered stereo
Body
Repaint to Black by previous owner from code 59 Gold, FormulaOne Pinnacle window tint

Are you on Twitter?  Facebook?  How can people find you online?
Facebook and you can usually find me on the Corvette Forum in the C3 section.

Regardless of the time you spend (we all know drooling over someones new paint job or wondering how they got that size turbo cramed into the engine bay is time well spent) tell us what your favorites are. Cars, trucks, drag racing, autox’ing – it doesn’t matter, we want to hear about them.

What’s your real name? (What’s your online screen name?)
Jesus Villarreal (jesvilla)

Where do you live?
San Lorenzo California, SF Bay area

What do you do for a living?
I am a Co-owner of La Mexicana Inc., we specialize in Corn Tortilla products.

What GM(s) do you drive?
I have a small collection of GM cars. A ’69 Camaro 327 auto, ’69 Corvette rdstr 350 4 speed, ’96 Camaro SS, ’06 GTO, ’04 2500 HD crew cab and the 98 Camaro Racecar (for autox).

How long have you had your GM(s)?
I have had GM cars since 1968. My first was a 57 Chevy, I wanted a ’68 Camaro but at 16 years old I couldn’t afford one.

What got you into GM(s)?
When I was 11, my neighbor bought a new  ’63 Impala, I fell in love with that car. Then one of my uncles bought a ‘64 Olds 442, he took me for my first fast ride on a freeway onramp. I was instantly hooked.

What made you want to AutoX your Camaro?
Well, I’ve been autoxing since 1979. I started with a ‘66 Vette Coupe. I drove several different types of cars in 5 or 6 different classes. I bought the autox Camaro as a roller with no drivetrain to build it specifically for autox.

Have a favorite story to tell about your Camaro?
Whenever I go to an autox where not too many people know me, I almost always have guys come over after my runs to see the car. They always want to know what I have done to the engine because it sounds “different”.  When I tell them it’s a V6 and that might be why it sounds different, their jaw usually drops, they also won’t believe me until I take the hood off and they can see it for themselves.

What are your goals for your Camaro and how close are you to achieving them?
The ultimate goal would be to win an SCCA Solo2 National Championship, last year I got pretty close  and got a 2nd place.

Who has done most of the modifications on your Camaro?
I did the bulk of the work myself. I got a lot of help from Mike Maier of Maier Racing in Hayward California. He and I would discuss the things I wanted to do and he would tell me how to do it and then help with the welding after I had fabricated the parts. I’m not a welder and I also didn’t have much experience with fabricating, so I got a lot of help from Mike.

What was your favorite modification?  Why?
The rear suspension is probably the most important mod that has been done to this car. Camaros have a history of wheel hop when doing hard braking maneuvers. Mike Maier designed a 3 link setup like many of the SCCA TransAm roadrace cars had in the timeframe that we were building my Camaro, in early ’03.  Getting the complete car to 2690lbs race ready is something I’m proud of too.

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
Maier Racing Enterprises, they provided the shop space and let me work with all their equipment as long as I bought all the materials from them. Yes I know it’s a Ford shop, but I have known Bill Maier since 1970, and he is a good friend who has saved me thousands while I was building this Camaro.

Who has helped you the most along the way with the car?
With this car, Mike Maier has been a tremendous help along with his Dad Bill.

Any mentors?
The people I would consider my mentors would be Manny Pretty and the late Larry Park, they started me in autox when I had Manny paint my ’66 vette. Manny simply said, “OK Jesus, now that you have this nice Vette what are you going to do with it and would you like to run the autox coming up in a few weeks?” I ran that autox and have been autoxing ever since.

Do you spend time on any GM sites?
Yes, I visit several sites: Ls1tech, Corvette Forum, Norcal-LSX, and one of the GTO LSX forums.

Modification list?
It might be simpler to list the things I haven’t done LOL
Full Rollcage with Subframe connectors and strut tower brace
3 link rear suspension, Speedway Eng. Full floater axle housing with Wilwood calipers and rotors
Tubular upper and lower front A-arms, Willwood 6 pot calipers and rotors
Penske 3 way adjustable Coilovers on all four corners, H&R springs
Full race, dry sumped, Bowtie 4.5 liter V6 putting out 415 RWH, (late 90’s ASA engine)
Weaver 4 stage oil pump with custom oil pan, Coleman Racing 10 Qt sump tank
Jericho 4 speed, McCleod dual disk clutch with custom aluminum driveshaft
Corbeau racing set, Momo removable steering wheel, Autometer gauges, Painless Wiring system
Coleman Racing pedals with Hydraulic dual masters, balance bar and proportioning valve
Radiator is moved to the rear just in front of the rear axle, with dual electric fans
5 gal fuel cell, Holley fuel pump, all aeroquip braided lines everywhere

Mitsubishi Gearbox Magazine

Rally Gearbox Magazine

Honda Gearbox Magazine

Thanks for your support!

What’s your real name?  (What’s your online screen name?)
Ben Meissner, 406nova or SRD art

Where do you live?
Eagle Mountain, UT

What do you do for a living?
I own and run Street Rod Designs where I design and illustrate hot rods
and custom cars, do T-shirt designs, and all types of graphic and
marketing design. www.streetroddesigns.com shows a few samples.

What GM(s) do you currently own?
1979 Olds Cutlass Wagon, 406 small block Chevy power
1977 Chevy Suburban 3/4 ton 2 wheel drive, 454 power
1976 Chevy Suburban 1/2 ton lifted 4X4, 406 power
1974 Chevy Nova street-strip, 406 power
1973 Chevy Nova resto-mod, 406 power

What got you into GM(s)?
I guess it’s in the blood, my grandfather worked in a GM plant in NY for
his entire career. When I was 12 I got my first Hot Rod mag and inside was
a photo of a Nova doing a smokey burnout. At that point I knew I wanted a
Nova and have always owned at least one Nova since I was 17, back in 1987.

What made you build a 1979 Oldsmobile cutlass wagon?
I needed something with better than a Suburban mpg that could haul my
vendor booth stuff to car shows. I knew a rodded station wagon would haul
stuff just fine and as a daily driver catch a lot of attention. With my
company name on the side it’s like a free rolling billboard. Most folks
build Malibu wagons, I like it because it’s not like everyone else’s yet
still a GM. I got a great deal on it too, I drove it home for only $300.

Have a favorite story to tell about your wagon?
I love what people say about it. Once after pulling into a store parking
lot a little kid said to his brother, “Check it out dude! That guy’s car
sounds like a truck! Cool!” I often hear things like, “Hey I’ve seen your
car running around. My wife thinks it’s ugly but I think it’s way bad!”

My greatest memories with it are by far taking my kids drifting around the
neighborhood in the snow. They all think it’s awesome to drive down the
road sideways.

What’s next for your wagon?  Why?
Full Pro-touring treatment as seen in my artwork, I want to get into and
do well at auto-crossing later this year. Eventually I want to slip my
drag Nova’s built 406 into it and try my hand at drift racing. I’d love to
put the imports to shame with a big ol’ family car station wagon. I’ve
joked with my wife about getting 1 woman and 3 kid mannequins, strap them
in the car with helmets on and put some bags of groceries in the back
while I slide around the course. Lol!

Who has done most of the modifications on your wagon?
I do all my own work aside from exhaust. Rick’s Muffler in Orem, UT helps
me out there.

What was your favorite modification?  Why?
My wagon follows my tradition of dare to be different, and my favorite mod
was dropping it in the weeds and adding the 16″ wheels. Why? It’s crazy.
Who would slam a station wagon??  It’s a suspension drop so it’s that low
all the time, every last speed bump. ;)

Who has helped you the most along the way?
I started reading car mags at 12 and got most of the basic concepts down
before I could drive. Since I started driving I’ve been blessed with a
great deal of very kind mentors that have opened up and shared insight and
direction along the way when I needed it. There are too many to list but a
big thanks to them all.

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
Being a designer, my local hero is Dave Kindig of Kindigit Design in Salt
Lake City. From what I’ve seen in his shop it’s the place if you want a
high dollar sculpture on wheels built in Utah. He has a great sense of
what good design is. There are a lot of shops that build hot rods, but
Dave builds show winners.

I used to work for a shop called Excel Autocraft in Sandy, UT. Mark also
has a great attention for detail. His forte is immaculate muscle car
restorations and some mild hot rod stuff. After working for him I gained a
strong understanding of why you go the extra mile to make sure everything
is done just right.

For everyday needs and high performance help, Vince of Lung Automotive in
Lehi, UT is the guy I would take any of my cars to if I couldn’t work on
them myself.

Do you spend time on any GM sites?  Which ones?
Utah Muscle Car Association, Lateral G.net, and 62-72chevytrucks.com.

Modification list?
Body Mods-
Rattle can semi-gloss black on factory white
Cowl induction hood scoop
A few stickers advertising my business

Drivetrain Mods-
.030 400 small block Chevy, 9:1 Eutectic pistons
Factory 400 heads, roller rockers
Comp XE268 cam
Dual plane air-gap intake, Edelbrock 600 carb
K&N 14×6 air cleaner sealed off to the hood
Pertronix upgraded HEI ignition
Hedman headers, 3” single exhaust through a 40 series Flowmaster
Factory stock TH350 and 7.5” rear with 2.41 highway gears.

Suspension mods-
AGR 12:1 ratio steering box, billet steering u-joint
Lowered springs for 3” drop out back and 3.5” up front.
16 x 8” Trans Am GTA wheels, 225-50 and 245-50-16 Z rated Goodyears

Interior-
Factory rally gauge pack
Tach, trans temp, and air/fuel add’l gauges
Grant steering wheel

Performance-
15.70’s @ 88 mph at 4500 ft altitude
Blistering 2.45 60’ time
221 hp and 282 ft/lbs dynoed at the wheels
19-20 mpg without overdrive

Where do you live?
I currently reside in Gillette, WY.

What do you do for a living?
I work for the City of Gillette, Wyoming as a Civil Engineer.

What GM(s) do you drive?  How long have you had it/them?
At this time, I have two GM vehicles.   (On a side note, I have only ever owned/driven GM vehicles in my life.)  I own a 2004 Cadillac CTS-V and a 2007 Trailblazer SS.  I purchased the CTS-V new in March of 2005, it had about 70 miles on it and it now has about 33,000 miles on it.  I purchased the TBSS used in April of 2008, it had about 6,500 miles and it now has about 24,000 miles.

What originally attracted you to the Cadillac CTS-V?
When I first saw the pictures of a 400 Horsepower, 6 speed manual Cadillac with 4-piston Brembo brakes (and that big shiny mesh grille) in Motor Trend Magazine, I knew it was going to be a very special and unique car.  After I test drove it, I was in love.  The main thing to keep in mind is, at that time, it was the only domestic 400 Horsepower sedan on the market, and it has literally taken about 4-5 years for all of the other car companies to produce luxury-performance sedans that match the performance specs of the first generation CTS-V.  Even the brand new Camaro SS (100 lbs lighter, 26 HP more, and better stock tires than a 2004 CTS-V) could not manage to beat the first generation CTS-V’s Nurburging lap time, which was reportedly 8:19.

What makes you want to track (road course) your Cadillac?
I went to my first track day at the Golden, CO State Patrol Training Track at the urging of some friends. I ended up having the time of my life and I knew that I would take any chance I could get in the future to get my car on the track.  Being on the track is pure nirvana to me.  Everything else in life just fades away and it is just you and your machine, pushing yourself and your car (almost) to the limits of its ability.  It is truly the most fun thing that I can think of to do in my spare time.

It was also interesting being on the track in an high-performance luxury sedan, as my car also got a lot of attention since it was a car that most people didn’t recognize, or didn’t hardly ever see on the street (less than 2,500 CTS-Vs were made in 2004), and it really held its own on the track and surprised a lot of people.  The free-flowing cat-back exhaust really brought out the beautiful small block Chevy V8 engine sound and made a lot of people take a second look as well.

What are your goals for your Cadillac (track-related or otherwise) and how close are you to achieving them?
I have already achieved a good portion of my goals for my CTS-V, which really boils down to attempting to build a perfect mix of street car and track car.  I would say that I am about 70% done with all of my planned modifications, but all the car guys know how ideas and satisfaction levels change daily.  I have held off on big power modifications as my car has been under warranty until the end of March 2010, but now that the warranty is almost up, I have all kinds of options.  My big plans for the near future are addressing the wheelhop issue (this plagues almost all Independent Rear Suspension cars, but it is especially bad on the CTS-Vs) with some custom axles, upgrading my factory dual-mass clutch to a much lighter and better-performing aftermarket clutch kit, and possibly removing my catalytic converters and replacing them with test pipes and some DMH low-profile electric cut-outs thrown in for good measure.  The long term plans are to increase the HP/TQ numbers with a heads/cam/intake package to achieve about 430-450 rwHP and similar torque numbers, this would be about 100 rwHP over what I my car currently produces.  Also, a Specter Werkes Heat Extractor hood and possibly a custom vinyl wrap would complete the cosmetic modifications.

On another note, I also am very interested in working my way into some actual competitions on the track, such as One Lap of America or NASA Time Trials.  I have currently completed a couple of HPDE days and a few lapping days, but the real fun is competition, that is what drives a person to perfect their skills and get their car to a point where it is truly competitive in its class.  Of course, it still is a Luxury Sedan, so I won’t be stripping out the interior anytime soon.

Have a favorite story to tell about your Cadillac?
My favorite story happened at that same Golden State Patrol Track day that I talked about earlier.  During one particular lapping session I had my car on the track at the same time as a handful of Lotus Elises and a Porsche 911 Turbo.  The Porsche owner decided to shut down and do his cool down laps a little early, but  I wanted to get as much track time that day as possible, so I was still pushing my car and running pretty hard.  I came up on the Porsche in a long straight section and he gave me the point by.  So I hammered the throttle and drove around him.  After that lapping session was over, he came over to me and said, “Man, that sounds great for a Cadillac, what’s in it?”  I said, “It’s got the LS6 Corvette Z06 motor,” and his response was, “oh…I see why it sounds so great now.”  People just don’t expect to hear that tuned muscle car sound from a Cadillac and it was really cool to get recognition from a guy driving a Porsche.

What was your favorite modification?  Why?
I can’t pick one, so I will narrow it down to just two.  First, the Magnaflow cat-back exhaust was an awesome modification because it really allowed the car to sound like a high horsepower Chevy V8 car should.  The stock resonator exhaust system was way too quiet from the factory.  Second, the UUC short-throw shifter was probably the modification that increased my enjoyment of the car the most.  The stock shifter was very sloppy and had extremely long throws, the UUC shifter really made shifting quick, crisp, and much more fun.  No more missed shifts after that mod.

Who has done most of the modifications on your Cadillac?
I have done about half of the modifications to my car (FG2 shocks, Hotchkis Swaybars, Ground Control Coilover Kit, Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, CTS Sport spoiler, Lingenfelter CAI), with help from some car guy friends, of course.  I am pretty inexperienced at wrenching on cars, so it is very helpful to learn from guys who have done this stuff before on their own cars.  The other half of the modifications (Kooks headers, plugs/wires, 561 Motorwerks anti-wheelhop kit, powdercoated grilles/wheels, tinted exterior lights, tune) were done by Dragon Pro Street Engineering out of Dacono, CO.

What’s the best part about being a Cadillac owner? The most challenging?
I try not to fall into the typical attitude that some people have that says since it is a Cadillac it is automatically better than all the rest of the domestic brands.  My feeling is that I like a car for the styling, performance, and feelings that it gives me, not for the brand name.  The best part about the car really is the low production numbers of the first generation CTS-V make it a pretty rare car and they are not seen on the street very often, which sets it apart from the Vettes, Camaros, and Mustangs of the world (although those cars are all cool as well).  The most challenging aspect of owning the Cadillac CTS-V is two things really, the first being a “Cadillac Tax” on almost all aftermarket parts.  This means that since the part is for a Cadillac, the vendor or maker of the part automatically assumes that you should be able to spend more money on parts because the brand name of the car.  A part for my car that is exactly the same as a part for a Mustang or a Camaro, usually costs about 50%-75% more.  These high prices could also be attributed to the fact that the CTS-V market is fairly small, so vendors have to jack up the prices on items because they know they will not sell that many of them.  Both of those things are really frustrating.  The other thing is the fact that a lot of people do not respect the V as a true high-performance automobile because they think it must just be “a soft old man’s Cadillac”, which is really the farthest thing from the truth.  Once they ride in the car, they change their minds pretty quickly though, haha.

Who has helped you the most along the way with the car? Any mentors?
I have had a handful of guys throughout the years really make it possible for me to get the car to the place that it is now.  First, I want to thank Bill Velose (BBV on the Cadillacforums.com) for the huge amount of help installing all of my aftermarket suspension components.  I definitely could not have done those installs without him.  I have also had correspondence with some really cool guys over the last 5 years about what parts to buy, what works the best, what to watch out for, etc.  The following guys on the Cadillacforums.com have really helped me out a lot and/or contributed a lot to the V Community:  (online screen names) BBV, PISNUOFF, rgd, v-sam, lunarx, 50 4Ever, nikon, thebigjimsho, trukk, SkullV, darkman, stealthv, whisler151, lollygagger8, bneal1022, and a bunch of others that I am forgetting.

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
I have had Dragon Pro Street Engineering out of Dacono, CO (formerly in Broomfield, CO) do a lot of work on my car.  They do great work, address all the little issues and details that come up during the installation process, and take a lot of pride in their work, and Brent is really a great guy to work with.  I will be taking my car to them in the future for my engine mods, etc.

Do you spend time on any Cadillac sites?  Which ones?
I have been a supporting member at www.cadillacforums.com for the last 5 years and have come to regard the guys on that site as a sort of extended family.  I have learned so much there and saved a ton of money as a result of following the great advice of the pioneers on that forum.  I also spend a lot of time at www.ls1tech.com, in the Cadillac CTS-V section.   And whenever I decide to hit the track in the Denver area, I correspond with some friends via www.ricekiller.com and try to set up meets at the track.

Modification list?

Engine/Drivetrain/Exhaust:

• Lingenfelter Cold Air Intake (CAI) w/ K&N cone-style air filter
• UUC Short-throw shifter w/ Lindsay Cadillac Custom shifter bushings
• Magnaflow Cat-back exhaust (bought used)
• Kooks 1 ¾” Cermakromed Long Tube Headers w/ HiFlo Cats
• ARP Header Studs
• Granatelli (Zero) Ohm 1200º plug wires w/ Koolsox
• NGK TR55ix Iridium spark plugs

PCM Tuning:

• Custom Dyno Tune by Dragon Pro Street Engineering (D.P.S.E.)   351 rwHP / 365 rwTQ (ft-lbs)

Suspension/Brakes/Tires:

• Upgraded (optional) GM FG2 Shocks (bought used)
• Ground Control Single Adjustable Coil-Over Kit (came with Eibach Sport Springs – 600 lb/650 lb)
• Hotchkis Swaybars (front and rear) w/ collars
• Corvette C5 Z06 GM Front Endlinks
• Had front fenders rolled by Jim’s Exotic Bodies in Lafayette, CO
• Had rear fenders rolled by D.P.S.E.
• Aggressive Street Alignment = 2.2º negative camber in front and rear
• 561 Motorwerks Traction Kit (anti-wheelhop)
• Drilled and Slotted Performance Rotors (OC Autosports/Trinet Cliffhanger style)
• Hawk HP+ Pads (front) and Hawk HPS Pads (rear)
• UUC Stainless Steel Brake Lines (Red)
• Toyo T1-R Tires = 245/40YR19 (front) & 285/35YR19 (rear) – for street
• Toyo R888 Tires = 235/35YR19 (front) & 295/30ZR19 (rear) – for track/street

Exterior (Cosmetic) & AeroDynamic Modifications:

• OEM-style CTS Sport Spoiler
• CCW SP600 Forged Polished Aluminum Wheels (w/ TPMS) = 19”x9” (front) and 19”x10” (rear)
• Powder coated all four (4) CCW Wheels Matte Black w/ Red Pinstripe
• Debadged rear CTS emblem and Installed Car Motorsports LS6  Billet Aluminum Emblem
• Powder coated upper and lower grilles Matte Black and painted grille surround Black Raven to match rest of car
• Custom Painted Flamed LS6 Fuel Rail Covers (FRCs)
• Chrome Oil Cap w/ V-Series Logo Decal
• OEM (Black) Cadillac Wheel Center Caps
• Smoked Tint Film / Niteshades Paint for all exterior lights
• 8th Day Creations decals (Nurburgring 8:19 lap time, Cadillac Wreath & Skull)

Interior (Cosmetic) Modifications:

• CTS (non V) Armrest
• Custom Billet Aluminum Radio Knobs and Door Lock Pulls
• Lloyd’s Custom Embroidered Black Floormats and Trunkmat w/ V-Series Logo

Are you on Twitter?  Facebook?  How can people find you online?
No twitter account.  I am on Facebook (www.facebook.com/tweeter81).  I frequently post at the forums listed above.  I love talking cars, answering questions, and helping people out in their quest to mod their own vehicles.

Where do you live?
Roy, Utah

What do you do for a living?
Aircraft Structural Mechanic

What GM(s) do you drive?
1936 Chevy truck

How long have you had your GM(s)?
A little over a year

What got you into GM(s)?
I’ve always liked Chevy’s but I didn’t really get into them until I met my friend James Lavery. James has a 39 Chevy truck and he let me borrow his for about a week when I barely even knew him. I thought that was the coolest thing I’ve seen someone do for someone else.

Have a favorite story to tell about your truck?
Cruising at the Salt Flats this past year was one memory I’ll never forget.

What was your favorite modification to your truck? Why?
I don’t know that is really tough. It’s a toss up between the chop and motor. I’ll have to go with the motor though. I just love the look of it. Most people don’t know what motor it is or they ask if it’s a 348/409?

What’s next for your truck?  Why?
I would like to try and find some 17” Chevy artillery wheels. That is how I’ve always pictured the truck. Those wheels are very hard to find but I really think they would make the truck.

Who has done most of the modifications on your truck? If you, what have you learned?
I’ll be totally honest, James built a good portion of the truck. When I bought it, he had already chopped the top, made the frame and most of the suspension and also mounted the 348 and trans. It was a roller when I took over the project.  I welded up a few patches in the cab and made the floor and driveshaft tunnel of the cab myself.

I fabricated the headers with some help from James. I cut the bed to 4 ft. and mounted it to the frame. I also made the wood floor for the bed.  I also made all the brake/gas lines and mounted the fuel tank and the battery box “Jack Daniel’s box”.

Mounted the radiator and had to make a custom bottom radiator hose because nothing I found would fit. With help of my Dad we put the newly rebuilt carburetors, distributor, coil, water pump, starter, and alternator. We also put in a new wiring harness and fuse box.

I also do upholstery on the side and custom made the seat and re-upholstered it with real tuck and roll. I drilled and mounted the friction shocks. Hmm . . . there was a lot.

I learned a lot building this truck. I know I drove James and few other friends crazy with all my questions but they always helped me out. I can’t really name just one thing because there was so much I learned because this was my first build. I had a lot of fun doing it though.

Why did you go with the Chevy 348 motor?
When I bought the truck from James the motor was already in the truck. We were originally going to take that motor out and put a 350 in it but I just fell in love with the motor and had to have it. I think it really makes the whole truck

Who has helped you the most along the way?
Obviously James, lol. My friend Troy, my Dad and of course my awesome wife, Jodie. I couldn’t believe she put up with me working on that thing so much.

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
McNeese Enterprises Shop in SLC.

Do you spend time on any GM sites?  Which ones?
It’s not GM specific but the HAMB.

Modification list?
Top is chopped a lot, custom headers, chevy 348, bed shortened to 4 ft., 1940 chevy car frame heavily modified, three Stromburg 48’s, Custom Upholstery/Seat, 32 Chrysler hood ornament, 4 speed manual trans, Antique Jack Daniel’s ” battery box”, 1940 Chevy steering wheel, Aluminum fuel cell, 1938 Chevy truck tail lights, vintage after market headlights and marker lights, friction shocks.

Where do you live?
Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada

What do you do for a living?
Halliburton Wireline as a perforating service field supervisor

What GM(s) do you drive?
2008 GMC 2500HD, 2007 Cobalt SS/SC  and a 1999 Camaro SS.  I have owned GMs for the last 15 years.

How long have you had your GM(s)?
I purchased the GMC and the Cobalt new, and I bought the Camaro as the second owner in August of 2000.

What got you into GM(s)?
My family has always been loyal to GMs, my father and my uncle owned various GMs including some very nice Camaros, Impalas, and Chevelles.

What made you buy your Boyd Coddington Edition truck?
I saw them at the dealership where they had one outside.  I was asked if I wanted to test drive and of course I couldn’t say no.  Well after driving one, a stock 2500 SLT Sierra just wasn’t going to cut it anymore!  I also thought  since Boyd Coddington was no longer with us, it would be nice to have something like this truck that had his name and limited edition numbered badges on it.

Have a favorite story to tell about your truck?
Just one funny story about a 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible that tried to race the truck one lonely evening … no one ended up winning but my truck didn’t lose either.  He wasn’t the only one who was surprised as I did not even have a programmer in my truck yet!

What’s next for your truck?  Why?
I plan on adding a Banks cold air to compliment the Banks 6 Gun and PDA already installed.  A few more cosmetic items like tinted windows and taillights are also coming soon.

Who has done most of the modifications on your truck?
Other than the Boyd Coddington package already installed by the dealer, I perform all the installs on my vehicles and my truck in no exception.

What was your favorite modification?  Why?
As much as I love the power that the programmer adds, I have to say the HID conversion I added to the truck is my favorite at this point.  The difference the lights make at night is so nice; I don’t even use my high beams anymore!

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend any as I haven’t used a shop in a long time.

Do you spend time on any GM sites?  Which ones?
I spend most of my time on ls1tech.com and performancetrucks.net as well as a local forum in Canada – thefbody.com.

Boyd Coddington passed away in 2008, but if you had the opportunity to talk to him . . . What would you say?
I would commend him on the quality of the hotrods that he made and his great taste in keeping things simple, clean, and beautiful!

Modification list?
Boyd Coddington package:

• 18” Boyd Coddington Wheels with 33” Interco Tires
• 4” Aries Push Bar with Boyd Coddington laser cut lower plate
• One piece Billet grille
• Magnaflow dual outlet exhaust
• Katskin interior seats with red suede inserts and Boyd Coddington embroidered logo
• Boyd Coddington edition stainless steel gauges
• 4” Rancho lift and shocks
• All body moldings and factory emblems removed
• Boyd Coddington edition badging and numbered dash plaque

Dealer installed accessories:

• GMC mudflaps with stainless steel offsets to clear the 33” tires
• GM box rails
• Linux spray in bedliner
• GMC Stainless door sill plates and kick plates

I installed:

• 12K HID Low beam kit
• Banks 6 Gun with Power PDA and EGT
• BOYD 10 custom license plate (Truck is number 10 of 50 in the series of which only 15 were diesels and the other 35 were lowered 1500 Sierras)

Where do you live?
Ferndale, Washington.

What do you do for a living?
I’m a United States Border Patrol Agent.

What GM(s) do you currently own?
The one I’m most proud of is my 1968 Chevy K10 short bed stepside 4×4 , but I also have a 1969 4×4 that my youngest son and I are working on.  He wasn’t crazy about the ‘69 at first, but he really enjoys it now because of the good comments and thumbs up he gets on his way to school and around town.

What got you into GM(s)?
Growing up my father had a mechanics shop, and I worked there every day after school and on weekends.  Chevrolet motors and trucks really appealed to me as they were the easiest to work on. My first truck was a 1969 SS 396 El Camino, not sure why but I traded it for a non running 68 stepside 4×4, and have been 4×4 crazy every since.

Have a favorite story to tell about your truck?
In 2008, I trailered the truck to my home state of Texas and met up with family members for a car show.  I had planned on entering the truck in the mud races but when we got there we found the mud portion of the show had been canceled.  I entered into the burnout contest instead, uncorked the headers and took 4th place out of 18 vehicles.  I was the only 4×4 and the crowd really enjoyed it.  We drove 3,200 miles just to burn up some rubber.  I loved it.

What’s next for your truck?  Why?
We all dream of some day.  I would like to build a much bigger motor starting with a 572 block.  I have started using the truck at the local truck pulls and have done fairly well with some 2nds and finished last year with a 1st. Most likely I’ll do some body work and shoot it with some fresh paint, same color.  It has been almost 11 years since I painted it.

Who has done most of the modifications on your truck?
Every bit of the work from fabrication of ladder and link bars, engine building, to paint and body work was done by myself over several years.  My boys are old enough now and have started to help some . . . when I can pry the PS3 out of their hands.

What was your favorite modification?
The best modification was building and installing the 454 big block. I had to move all cross members forward 1-1/2 inches and trim a bit for the headers.  There were a few other unforeseen problems that slowed me down a bit but it all fit in the end.  Of course, I ended up destroying both ½ ton axles and ended up installing a 14 bolt in the rear and a Dana 60 up front.

Why? More power, no one ever has enough.

Who has helped you the most along the way?
My wife, Marylou, has helped me the most, she really likes the truck, although I can’t remember the last time she rode in it.  I’ll be moping around the house and she tells me to get into the shop and get busy.  I also get good support and great ideas from the guys and girls on the 67-72 chevy truck forums.

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
Well like I said I do all the work myself but I do get some advice from time to time, as well as parts, from Tim at MPS (Meridian Performance Service) on the Guide Meridian in Bellingham.

Do you spend time on any GM sites?  Which ones?
I really enjoy the folks at 67-72chevytrucks.com and we have had some fun get togethers with the NORTHWEST bunch. I have also been getting some great truck pulling advice at truckpulls.com

Modification list?
454 +30, TRW pistons, Scat crank, stock heads with crane springs
Crane cam, Air Gap intake manifold, Holley 650 carb.
MSD distributor, MSD 6Al ignition module, MSD coil and wires.
Summitt aluminum radiator.
Flowtech headers with Summitt mufflers and 3” pipe.
SM465 transmission with dual friction Center force clutch.
GM 14 bolt rear, Dana 60 front, both with 456 gears and lockers.
Custom rear tube bumper,  Front Warn bumper modified (from a Ford, whaaaaaT!!!)
with an old 8274 Warn winch.
Drive shaft loops,
Dual shocks on front.
Front and rear disk brakes.
Ladder bars on the rear.
Recently added link arms on the front (I have been trying to stop the front from hopping during the truck pulls).
M/T  CLASSIC LOCK WHEELS WITH 39.5” Trxus STS tires.
I use a set of 35” BFG All terrains when I pull with the truck.

Most people who look inside the truck are really amazed to see the stereo system . . . the original 8-track player, and it works.