26 ACM“I was so busy at work that I really
didn't have time to go and pick it up, but
then he sent me pictures of the finished
car. I just had to drop everything and go
and collect it! It was jaw-dropping, so
much so that I didn't want to drive it. I
was so busy that I didn't have time to
enjoy it last year, so I just put it in the
garage and left it there.
“I now have this Chevelle, my other
Chevelle which Nick and the guys are
building now, a '61 Ford F100 on
AirRide, a Boss truck and the race
Camaro, but between them they
hardly get used. You work hard to earn
the money, but that doesn't leave youtime to enjoy the toys you've worked
so hard to afford. I've managed to
bring it out a lot more this year, just
taking a day out, going to see friends
and such. It's totally street; I wouldn't
take it up the track, but just cruising
around town I get 25mpg. I
deliberately didn't go mental with this
one; that's what the other one's being
built for. I could use this one every day
if I wanted to. I've got no more plans
for this one, other than to keep it as is
and drive it whenever we get the
chance. The wife and I go out in it for a
couple of hours when we can, then put
it back, that's it.” ACMThat's Simon's
spectacular
SP/ET Camaro
hiding in the
background
(above) - a turn-
key Stateside
build, tailor-made
for him. Both cars
were painted by
OCS. Nick
Williams is the
gaffer at OCS
Paint, Ashley
does the painting,
and right next
door is Dan
Williams at
Williams Bros
who does the
engine and
transmission
work! It's a cool
set-up. Simon was
overwhelmed by
this car when he
first saw it, but
now he can even
be persuaded to
drive it in the rain
(left). Those satin
stripes are
painted on -
they're not cut
vinyl. This
Chevelle has got
Cruise Muscle all
over it.1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu“I deliberately didn't go mental with this one;
that's what the other one's being built for”
You may have clocked another of
Simon's American rides in the
background, although this one is
a little way from streetable... This
one's his SP/ET Camaro, designed
to run in the 6.00-8.99 Super Pro
ET class. It's a fibreglass 2012
Camaro-based body on a full tube
chassis, built by Woody Mays at
Alston's in Illinois, and which
came to Simon as a turn-key,
finished build.
“It's tagged to 7.50, and came with
a 582 big-block Chevy with carbs
from Tony Morris at BLP, and
Hughes Powerglide. It was built
for me, and I had to go over there
early in 2012 to be fitted for a seat,
have the steering wheel and
shifter positioned for me, and so
on. Then I had to go back out in
June 2012 to spend a couple of
days testing at Great Lakes
Dragway, north of Chicago. We
did a few practice launches to 60
feet, then 330 feet, then
eventually a couple of full passes
at 8.44 seconds. I shipped it home
and debuted it at the 2012
European Finals.
“The paint was also done by Nick
at OCS, whilst Neil Melliard at
ProSign airbrushed all the lights
and trim. Since then, there have
been lots of updates, including
having the engine built by Jeff
Bull, and adding RacePak
telemetry. We've had lots of
support from Jeff Bull, plus
sponsors Opie Oils, LAS
Motorhomes, NGK spark plugs,
and K&N who supplied us with the
Pro Stock air filter, the only one in
the UK.
“I was leading the SP/ET 2015
Championship going into this
year's Euro Finals, but then I red-lit
in the second round. S**t happens,
I suppose. I'm still leading the class
by 450 points going into the
National Finals at the end of
September, so I'm still hopeful.
Drag racing is great – for six
months of the year, you get to
meet the other half of your family!”Eighters Gonna Eight
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