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Videos: World's Fastest Street Car drives 1,200 miles, whips off 6.95 ET @ 209 mph

Zach Bowman — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Larry Larson and his six-second street-driven Nova - Click above to watch videos after the jump

Technically, there's nothing wrong with putting your race car on a trailer and towing it to the track. In fact, as anyone who has tried to use a track rat as a daily driver can tell you, a car can be either a racer or a commuter. Rarely can it do both effectively. But there's a certain subset of drivers out there for whom "trailer queen" is as dirty a phrase as any four-letter word you could think of. Hot Rod Magazine has worked up an event just for these folk. It's called Drag Week, and the rules are pretty simple. Cars must run five tracks in five states over five days, lowest ET wins and everyone has to drive their bruiser from track to track. No trailers allowed.

This year's king of the heap is Larry Larson and his 1966 Chevrolet Nova, a racer that is staking its claim for the title of world's fastest street car. A twin-turbocharged 565 cubic-inch big-block Bowtie V8 supplies the grunt, and though it's never been on a dyno, estimates put it at more than 2,300 horsepower. As a result, Larson can launch the car down the quarter mile in 6.95 seconds at 209.1 mph, even after driving the car on public roads for five days straight - some of it in pouring rain, no less. Hit the jump to see a few videos of the machine.

[Sources: 1320 Video via YouTube, Bang Shift]

Continue reading Videos: World's Fastest Street Car drives 1,200 miles, whips off 6.95 ET @ 209 mph

Videos: World's Fastest Street Car drives 1,200 miles, whips off 6.95 ET @ 209 mph originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After 25 years, GM ditches NUMMI tie-up with Toyota

Chris Paukert — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, GM, Pontiac, Toyota

As part of its "New GM"/"Old GM" bankruptcy proceedings, General Motors has announced that it will abandon its ownership stake in the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture with Toyota.

According to an official statement, GM and Toyota worked to find a future product that would work for both automakers, but they were apparently unable to do so. As a result, GM will assign its NUMMI stake to "Old GM," effectively ending a 25-year partnership with the Japanese automaker.

Over the last quarter-century, the Fremont, California plant has produced a number of vehicles for GM, including the current Pontiac Vibe, as well as the Geo/Chevrolet Prizm, and the Bowtie'd Nova that preceded it.

There is no word on what (if any) effect the deal's collapse will have on Toyota's NUMMI-made products which include the Tacoma pickup and Corolla sedan. According to NUMMI's official website, 5,440 workers are employed at the plant. Official press release after the jump. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: General Motors; NUMMI | Image: Hokubei]

Continue reading After 25 years, GM ditches NUMMI tie-up with Toyota

After 25 years, GM ditches NUMMI tie-up with Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cold Reception: Art students to place Chevy Nova in an ice cube

Noah Joseph — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Chevrolet

Photo for illustration purposes only, courtesy of JaySki.com

If you've ever lived in a cold climate, you might know the displeasure of having to scrape ice off your windshield and out of the keyhole to get to work. It's one thing when Mother Nature is the culprit, but it's quite another to deep freeze your wheels on purpose. But that's exactly what a couple of artists are planning to do in Michigan.

Sue Wrbican of George Madison University and Mary Carothers of the University of Louisville are preparing to display a circa-1970's Chevy Nova in a giant block of ice, which they'll display in front of the library at the Houghton campus of Michigan Tech. They've even enrolled the support of some teenagers from Hancock High School, who are using their shop class to craft the frame for the ice block into which the car will be placed before the water will be poured in. That ought to be enough to get the Nova onto Top Gear's "Cool Wall", if not right into the Sub-Zero section.

[Source: Detroit News Autos Insider]

Cold Reception: Art students to place Chevy Nova in an ice cube originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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