Heading into the turns, Chris feels confident in Wilwood SL-6 six-piston front and four-piston rear binders. Wilwood Polymatrix pads, along with the 13x1.375-inch front and 13x1.125-inch vented rotors, resist brake fade. The substantial braking system easily clears the lightweight Forgeline RS 17x9.5-inch racing wheels, which adorn spec 275/40R17 Toyo RA1 rubber. The rear is fortified with a fresh Motive 3.42 ring-and-pinion, Moser billet pinion yoke, DTS differential cover, and Torsen T2R limited slip differential, while still rocking the stock axles. Additionally, the 8.5-inch 10-bolt is connected to a Tremec TKO 600 five-speed trans, with a road-racing gear set via a 3-inch chrome-moly driveshaft from Keisler Engineering. Retrofitting the manual trans only required poking a hole for the Hurst shifter to protrude into the cockpit and fabricating a crossmember, as well as acquiring a clutch pedal from The Horsepower Factory and a steel bellhousing from McLeod. The New Age Motion high-torque clutch and pressure plate, lightweight GM flywheel and hydraulic throw-out bearing are used to engage the 383.
Even with all the modifications made to lighten the Impy, the long-wheelbase sedan still tipped the scales at 3,460 pounds, which meant that it would take serious suspension tuning for Chris to keep up with his lighter competitors. The first step was dialing-in the alignment and steering. Given the limited amount of front-end and steering components for B-bodies, Chris fabricated several pieces to be shared with other enthusiasts via his company Rustic Racing. A power steering cooler and aluminum reservoir keep the fluid in check during road course and autocross flogging, while tubular DOM upper and lower control arms make way for solid nylon and steel bushings, Moog K727 lower ball joints, spindles, G+ Suspension spindle spacers, and Bilstein shocks. Rustic Racing 850-pound linear race springs and a 1.25-inch sway bar firm up the front end to work in concert with a looser rear end (to control oversteer), and the stock rear sway bar was deemed sufficient for optimal handling while using adjustable Rustic upper and lower control arms, relocation brackets, and a coilover kit. Chris has created a completely tunable rear suspension with the ability to center the wheel in the wheelwell (a common problem on B-bodies) and the adjustments to the pinion angle, thanks to the spherical-rod-ended control arms, as well as the adjustable ride height and preload with Rustic 175-pound springs and Bilstein shocks.
Through fine-tuning his entire combination (including his driving), Chris has managed impressive showings at a number of NASA, SCCA, and ISSCA events, helping to spread the word on the B-body's awesome potential, given the right setup. Even if the current class rules keep the Impy off the podium, the unconventional GM-stamped challenger certainly gives pride to the spirit of the rear-wheel drive, American muscle racing series.
Wilwood 13-inch rotors (front and rear) keep brake fade to a minimum, as six-piston front and four-piston rear binders provide all the clamping force possible while fitting under the spec 17x9.5-inch wheel. During American Iron competition, Chris utilizes a shaved Toyo RA1 R-compound DOT-approved tire when dry, and an unshaved RA1 when wet, as it is the spec tire for the class in the 275/40R17 variety. For autocross (and non-NASA events), a 315/35R17 Hoosier full slick is the rubber of choice. | 
The interior is the epitome of a bare-bones race car, though it has the benefit of a repaint, a Rebco removable steering wheel, and Auto Meter gauges for style and function. Safety features include a NASA-spec rollcage from Cowdry Fabrication in Farmersville, Illinois, a fire extinguisher, an RJS window net, and a G-Force six-point harness. | 
The owner developed his own line of suspension and steering components [Rustic Racing]-as well as a few other products-to help share the knowledge he attained while fabricating the upper and lower front and rear control arms, rear coilover kit, springs, front sway bar, and power steering cooler needed to keep pace with the competitive field of race cars. |