A few American classics are some of the rides TechConnect readers have submitted for the Readers' Rides gallery on TechConnect Magazine Online.
To submit photos of your car or truck (include your name, TSS center, location and a few technical details about your vehicle):
1. Click on the Contact Us link
2. Send an email with photos attached to technical editor Mark Spencer
Here's the story behind the cars of several fellow TSS shop owners and technicians. For more photos, click on the gallery on the right side of the page.
1976 Chevy Chevelle Laguna S-3
(Fig. 10)
Scott Hamilton, Hamilton's Care Care, Arlington, Texas
Fig. 10
Hamilton got this Chevy Chevelle Laguna a few years ago as $500 junker. The car has a 350 engine, with modifications. The transmission is stock with a shift kit. It has premium ACDelco brakes, pads, shoes, & drilled rotors, he said, "...really stops great, worth the extra price."
His daughter drives the car to school. She is the first deaf student in her school district to compete & medal in the district's academic decathlon.
Hamilton's Car Care has been a TSS shop for five years and Hamilton said they're "very happy with program. The training, information, ACDelco products, and other benefits are all great."
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger
(Fig. 11)
Bill Levine, Hamden Public Works, Hamden, Conn
Fig. 11
Levine's Dodge Dart is a 1971 model that he repowered with a 360 - it started life as a slant 6 car. The body needed a lot of help due to rot but was finally done in basecoat/clearcoat. "It's a great cruiser," Levine said.
1970 Chevy Chevelle SS
(Fig. 12)
Ricky Stephenson, Car Concepts, Inc., Hurst, Texas
Fig. 12
When Stephenson purchased this 1970 Chevelle SS from the original owner around 1994, the drivetrain was disassembled in the guy's back yard, the engine was in pieces in the trunk, the transmission was on the ground, the passenger window was broken, the interior was trashed, and there were dents in every panel, but most everything was present and it did have the original numbers matching 396/402.
He spent about eight years restoring the car. A few months after completion and a trip to the track, he became disappointed with the performance, although it was normal performance for a stock 396. He then pulled the original motor out and installed a 496 stroker with a 2 stage nitrous system.
During the restoration, he used many ACDelco parts, but his initial plan was to use an Interstate battery. He was encouraged to install an ACDelco battery by a vendor his shop was using at the time.
"That was the best battery life I can remember, that battery lasted almost seven years. Unfortunately, I had to replace it last year with another ACDelco battery," he said.
1931 Ford Model A Coupe
(Fig. 13)
Mike Militello, ACDelco
Fig. 13
- Thanks to Mike DeSander
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