In order to put all this power to the ground, Mike enlisted Rossler Transmissions to build him a capable, but still street-friendly TH350. Mated to the back of the crank is a TCI flexplate and Neal Chance converter, which stalls to a rather lofty 4,400 rpm. A B&M Pro Stick shifter allows Mike to command the gear changes, while a TCI transmission cooler helps keep the transmission fluid at the proper temperature. Aft of the transmission, a chrome-moly driveshaft passes through a custom safety loop, built by Carrolls Rod and Racecraft, and attaches to a surprisingly simple GM 12-bolt. Using a set of 3.73 rear gears, a full spool, and 33-spline axles, power is transferred out to the massive 30x10.5-inch Hoosier slicks. Stock rear springs, dual airbags and HAL/QA1 rear shocks keep everything planted while Spohn lower control arms and a Spohn dragbar keep it all level. To keep consistent and controllable 60-foot times, Mike uses a Carrolls Rod and Racecraft wheelie bar. "I race the car off the footbrake, just rev it to 3,500 rpm and hold on." This technique has achieved 1.29 60-foot times on the way to some lightning-fast 9.59 e.t.'s.
Up front, a pair of HAL/QA1 coilovers transfer weight to the rear tires and wheelie bars along with a set of custom-built travel limiters. With no front sway bar and polyurethane bushings, Mike reports that the "car drives surprisingly well on the street and handles pretty good for a drag setup." If things do get out of control, as they sometimes do, a set of Madman SYA bars were installed to keep the headers and oil pan from taking too much damage. During our shoot, Mike found out the hard way that they do, in fact, work quite well.
Inside and out, this WS6 maintains a fairly tame appearance. Up front, only a small, pin-on VFN hood gives a clue as to what lies beneath it. Front and rear wheels are courtesy of Weld Racing with 15x3.5 and 15x10-inch Draglites. To make those big tires fit without rubbing, the rear quarter-panels have been ever so slightly stretched. The front foglights have been removed for the Ram Air intake and the rear valance has been blacked out, which so subtly hides the NHRA required on/off switch. One thing Mike cannot hide are the long wheelie bars, but usually by the time you see those, it is too late. Inside, the interior is also very tame and stays true to the daily driver street car that this used to be. A Carrolls Rod and Racecraft 10-point cage keeps Mike safe, while a pair of Jazz racing seats keep him and his passenger in position. The door panels have been replaced with Wolfe sheetmetal units that have been upholstered to match the factory colors.
Whether cruising the streets of New Jersey on his way to the track or racing in the Quick 8, Mike is really living the speed addict's dream. Most of us get to the "take it apart and start building something stage" only to fizzle out and start another project. Mike gives us all hope that with a strong game plan, dedication, and good company, building a magazine-worthy, 9-second driver is possible. And for that, we all owe him one.