The Performance Systems Inc. supercharger is 67 percent overdrive, creating a whopping 18 psi of boost. This definitely requires race fuel. The engine was tuned on a chassis dyno capable of 1,200 horsepower, but the shop owner was afraid the monster Rat would break the dynamometer and wouldn't let Denny mash the throttle. Denny estimates there is some 1,500 horsepower at the wheels.
Backing all that horsepower is a Turbo 400 three-speed transmission built by Vince Fourcade, and an ATI 3,500-rpm stall converter. Down the line is a four-inch steel driveshaft bolting up to a Chevrolet 12-bolt rearend with 4.10 Richmond pro gears. Who says the GM 12-bolt can't hold up in a car like this?
Support all the way around is courtesy of Weld Magnum Drag wheels (15x4 front; 15x15 back) wrapped in Mickey Thompson skins (26x7.5 front; 33x18.5 back), with 12-inch Wilwood rotors tucked up inside. This hot rod is just inches from the ground and supplied with Chris Alston's Chassisworks A-arms and Afco shocks and springs holding up the front end and a four-link suspension out back, also fitted with Chris Alston's Chassisworks goodies. Denny is proud to say that just about every part that went into this car, including the full tube chassis and suspension, is of his own making with help from friends, including Kayo Clark (sheetmetal) and Steve Bell from Bell's Trim and Design (interior).
More than the ginormous supercharger, what first attracted our editors to the car was it exterior. House of Kolor Tangelo Pearl paint covers this Nova and makes its stand out from the rest. Even through the thick Virginia clouds, they were instantly drawn to the aura this car seemed to emit. Denny painted it himself in his garage and should be proud of his work. After spraying the Tangelo Pearl, he applied countless stages of clearcoat with gold pearl within, making the shine simply breathtaking.
The interior is as to be expected for a car that will run over 170 mph in the quarter-mile, filled with black Kirkey racing seats, black carpets by Bell's, and Auto Meter gauges. The shifter is a Hurst Quarter Stick II, and the steering wheel is courtesy of Lecarra.
All in all, we cannot wait to see this car on the track. All that's keeping it from a bunch of full 1320 passes are the finishing touches on the computer tune and Denny installing a wheelie bar. He's hoping to have it on track by the time you read this. Stay tuned to superchevy.com for updates, photos, and videos of this amazing machine's trip down the quarter-mile.