Burleson, Texas, brothers Ricky and Wayne Marshall are highly respected Super Comp and Super Gas competitors in Central Texas' NHRA Division IV. "We just kinda grew up around it," says 45-year-old Ricky. True to form, the brothers Marshall prefer racing Chevrolets, and they're pretty darned good at it. Ricky's current ride is an NHRA Super Comp front-engine dragster that runs 5.00-seconds flat in the eighth-mile. Marshall also has the rail setup for Jr. Fuel racing, and the car is capable of covering the quarter in seven seconds flat without hurting any hardware.
However, this is a street-oriented Chevy magazine you're reading, now isn't it? Considering that fact, it's appropriate to tell you about Ricky's current "street toy"-this black-on-black, Pro Street '67 Nova Super Sport. "I started building the car a couple of years ago for a guy named James Solzman," Ricky said. "However, James wanted to buy some land, and eventually lost interest in the project. Since I had already owned a really fine '66 Nova, I thought it would be kind of neat to have myself a '67 as well."
The Nova's foundation was upgraded to Pro Street specifications by David Wolfe Fabrication. The car now features a full 12-point rollcage, which effectively ties everything together, along with a 2x4-inch box tube rear subframe sporting a four-link-suspended 4.30:1-geared Mark Williams 9-inch rearend. Up front the suspension is fairly stock except for upgraded Koni shocks. Strange/Lamb racing disc brakes are utilized on all four corners, while rolling material consists of 15x3.5- and 15x12-inch Weld wheels rolling on Goodyear Eagle rubber. Also onboard is a trunk-mounted Harwood fuel cell.
Powering this black beauty is a Speed Specialties-machined, owner-assembled 406-inch small-block sporting 15:1 Wiseco pistons, a Callies crank, Carrillo rods, and a Crower cam. A set of Speed Specialties-prepared, aluminum "Pontiac-type" cylinder heads are also an important ingredient in the combination. These heads are outfitted with Manley titanium valves, Crower valvetrain components, and 1.5:1 Jesel roller rockers. Induction consists of a Holley Street Dominator intake sporting an 1150-cfm Holley double-pumper, complete with a NOS PowerShot nitrous plate. Lighting things off is a crank-triggered MSD ignition, while David Wolfe headers and Flowmaster mufflers handle the exhaust. The killer small-block has been dynoed at 750 hp at 5,500 rpm, and 580 ft-lbs of torque at 7,200 rpm, sans nitrous!
Backing this potent combination up is a Jerry Sullivan-prepared Powerglide sporting a 10-inch, 3,600-rpm-stall A-1 torque converter. The final link in the drivetrain is a Mark Williams custom driveshaft.
When it came to preparing the Super Sport's sheetmetal, brother Wayne Marshall got the nod. With the exception of the Harwood fiberglass hood, virtually everything else on the '67 is stock GM. Marshall painted the Nova inside and out using PPG Midnight Black. Inside, Ricky's Nova is strictly business, with Auto Meter instrumentation, a Grant wheel, Harwood fiberglass bucket seats, and RCI Safety Equipment.
Completed last summer, Marshall's Nova was a highlight of the March 2000 Super Chevy Show held at the Texas Motorplex. It was there that Ricky flexed the Super Sport's muscles for the first time, recording a best of 10.30 on straight gas! The Nova also won Best Comp honors at the Ft. Worth Rod & Custom Car Show earlier in the year. It appears as though Ricky Marshall's new '67 Nova is following in the footsteps of his highly successful '66!