[1]
From the very beginning, the small tire, heads-up doorslammer corner of the drag racing world has been largely dominated by Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros and Corvettes, Pontiac Firebirds, and a wide array of other domestic, rear wheel drive performance vehicles representing the 1950’s to the present. What this particular arena born from street racing and collective groups of automotive enthusiasts’ love of muscle cars hasn’t seen much of, on the other hand, are rear wheel drive conversions of vehicles that were never considered to be performance vehicles when they rolled off the assembly line.
[2]
[3]
Chassis builders have for years been working their magic to bring today’s popular economy cars to the racing world in a way that easily detaches them of their rather wimpy persona on the street and brings to life an entirely new, sharp-looking creation. Such race cars rule the roost in the Stock and Super Stock ranks these days, and along with a handful of similar cars that have preceded it, Hazel Green, Ala.-based racers Mike and Zach Jones are preparing a new mount to infiltrate the muscle car fraternity in 2013.
[4]The Joneses recently purchased this beautiful Chevrolet Cobalt, built by B&B Race Cars in Tennessee to campaign in the Outlaw True 10.5/Outlaw Drag Radial ranks this season following an unfortunate crash early last season ar the Huntsville Dragway with their Limited Street Mustang. B&B is one of the premier builders in the country of such rear wheel drive conversion cars, and this is one of the finest examples of such a race car. The Cobalt features a 25.3 spec cage and chassis with an all-carbon fiber interior, Mark Williams brakes on all four corners, Santhuff shocks and struts, and plenty of other top shelf parts.
According to Zach, the Cobalt was originally built in 2008 for Outlaw 10.5 competition and changed owners a couple of times before it ended up in the hands of the Jones family. At one time it had an 870 cubic inch Gene Fulton-built monster under the hood. Despite its age, the chassis is believed to have just an estimated 30-35 runs on it.
The car will carry a 632 cubic inch big block Chevrolet originally built by the late Gary Reavis and prepped by Pressurized Solutions under the hood with a pair of 94mm turbochargers providing ample power to run down into the mid to low four-second zone. In addition to the engine work, Pressurized Solutions will also be completing all of the tuning, wiring, and plumbing work for the turbocharger system. The horsepower, easily measured in the thousands, will be transferred through a Turboglide transmission built by TCI to a PTC-built converter.
[5]
[6]
[7]
The Joneses’ sharp mount has a fresh new coat of paint for its re-debut this season and will continue to carry the blue and white-striped scheme it had when the family bought it, complete with graphics work by 187 Graphix. The off season work is quickly coming to a completion, ahead of Radial Revolution “Lights Out IV” later this month. Following the debut, the father and son duo will have a healthy schedule of Outlaw Radial and Limited Street events in their refreshingly unique (for the class, anyway) race car at events across the Southeast. The Joneses would like to thank TT Jones (no relation) for supporting their new venture.