[1]Is Pro-Street dead, like so commonly talked about? With cars like this still prowling the streets, it’s far from it. The cool nostalgic look, meaty tires on the rear and your only view from the cockpit is through the side of twin-carbs on a polished blower, there’s no denying you wouldn’t want to try that at least once. Ever since Jeff Hose got his first taste of the marvelous sport we know as drag racing with his father and his ’69 Camaro, Jeff quickly learned that a Pro-Street car was exactly what he wanted.
After helping his father with his 68 Camaro, he later assisted him in the building of a ’65 Chevelle, but when Jeff turned 15 his father decided it was time for Jeff to have his own car to race. While we all had to start somewhere, to put it lightly Jeff’s start into drag racing was with a car most couldn’t dream of owning at the age of 19.
What initially brought our attention to this car is the pictures Jeff posted of his ride up on Yellowbullet [2].
Jeff wanted a project, and he got just that; he found a ’68 Nova with no floors, no trunk floor, and needed quarter panels among many other things. All the knowledge and lessons his father had tought him were being put to the test here, it was nothing but busting knuckles for the next few days.
After the car got some new floors installed by Jeff, it was off to get backhalved by Terry Buza. Once the car started looking like a car again Jeff knew it was time to fulfill his horsepower craving, so a trip down to Big Al’s Toy Box [3] in Connecticut landed Jeff the new owner of everything he needed for a 6-71 BDS [4]-blown 355 small block. Jeff took all the parts and knowledge back to his own garage and assembled his first motor. While he knew it was making some serious power, after many street-driven miles a trip to the drag strip was in order, his first time out running a 9.28 at 147mph – not bad for his first engine build!
[5]While his first small block outing was impressive that internal desire for more power was there, in the winter of 2008 he decided it was time to go big block, with a 427 bored .030″ over (434 cubes), twin 1050 Proform [6] carbs, custom cam from Comp [7] and ditching the powerglide trans in favor of a TH400 with a manual valve body and trans-brake, a set of 3.73 gears in the Ford 9″ rear will keep the cruising rpm’s relatively street-friendly. For safety, the car will be getting a funny car cage as well in Jeff’s quest to break into the 8’s.
Far along in the future, Jeff says he dreams of a Procharged [8] big block, but I think the new build will hold him over for a while. The custom paint on this Nova is another item that really sets it apart, he wanted something different and relayed this to painter Rich Pinkerton, who set this Nova up with some cool ghost flames to go along with the cool Arctic white paint. One of the first things that struck me about Jeff’s car was the bumper, asking where he got it I learned that he custom built it himself out of carbon fiber, and added a lip to it to make it really stand out.
[9]The billet parachute bracket is custom as well, what makes it even more cool is that the “Remove before flight” tag is a direct take-off from an F-16 fighter jet, thanks to his uncle Eddy in the air force. Jeff’s true desire is to simply have a great cruiser that can nail off some 8 second runs at will, with the help of his family and friends he’s truly greatful for everything he has, and this car is undoubtedly one of his most prized possessions, and we can’t blame him for that, it’s badass!