Photos courtesy of Jerry Garrison, Jerry Garrison Images

Pete bought a 1957 Chevy Bel Air as his first car back in 1982.  He tells us that it was a street car for many years and then seriously started to drag race it about 20 years ago.  He and his father built the car together with the help of many of their friends throughout the years.  Here is his Offenhauser Tale:

On the street I ran an Offenhauser 360 single four barrel intake – which my father has now on his ’67 Camaro.  Nice intake that ran well on the street and strip……and then we went to 2 x 4 Offenhauser Cross Ram intake that I only ran on the drag strip……always pulled real hard in high gear.  We were using a Duntov 30-30 cam with both combos to keep the old school vibe.

As the years went on we’ve tried many more combinations of intakes, carbs, and cams etc with our small block Chevy builds.  We always liked the way Offenhauser parts fit and performed – always top quality casting and machining on all intakes we ran.  I went to a SEMA [Specialty Equipment Market Association] show in Vegas many years ago and was able to pickup a catalog which I still have and refer to.  I also ordered your carb bells that fit my Holley carbs and cast aluminum hood scoop.  The look was always right and the parts worked.

For our latest build I wanted to stay with vintage speed equipment to match the car and I bought a NOS 360 degree tunnel ram to go with our 416 CID SBC.  I had my engine builder match the intake to our AFR 235 heads and he did some major porting in order to make that happen and help flow.

I run most the tracks in So. Cal but most of my runs are at Barona 1/8 Mile drag strip near San Diego.  But I have run Irwindale, Fontana, Vegas and Bakersfield as well as closed tracks like Carlsbad and Rialto.

I have always used and will continue to use Offenhauser products- thank you for all the wonderful parts you provide….second to none.

Pete Wrieden, San Diego, CA

SPECS:

  • 416 CID
  • 4.135 x 3.875
  • AFR 235 Heads-  Compress 14 to 1
  • 2 x 4 Offenhauser 360 Tunnel Ram with 660 CFM Holley carbs
  • MSD Ignition
  • Comp Cams Solid Mech Roller
  • NOS- OK Kustom Fenderwell headers from the early 70’s 17/8 prim and 3.5 inch collectors
  • Turbo 400 trans – 6,300 RPM Continental Converter
  • Ford 9 rear – 5.14 gear
  • M/T Slicks 29.5 X 10.5 X 15 (stiff)
  • Cragar S/S rims
  • Color- 1957 Inca Silver PPG W/clear coat

 

The proof that all this works is as follows

1.430 60 Foot
6.58 ET 1/8th Mile @ 104 MPH
10.41 ET 1/4 mile @ 128 MPH  (these times and speeds are the best that it has run or PR’s)
The 57 weighs approx. 3600 LBS with me in it.