By Mary Lendzion Photos courtesy of Mike Shabareck
While Mike Shabareck has been racing a 1977 Volare in NHRA H/Stock Automatic and a 1978 Pinto wagon in Bracket categories across the country, he's preparing to make a major move.
He'll climb into the cockpit of a 2002 Trans Am that will be used for research and development for Frankenstein Engine Dynamics in Weatherford, Texas, where the former Floridian is responsible for technical sales tech support, marketing and more.
We bought the car to put our touches on before racing it (in the NMCA Dart NA 10.5 presented by Diamond Pistons category), said Shabareck. Frankenstein got its start in NHRA Pro Stock head and intake development and IHRA/PDRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock head and intake development, and we have customers who run NMCA NA 10.5, so our goals are to have even greater involvement with these types of combinations and racers, and to show that you don't have to break the bank to be competitive.
The car is currently at Pro Fab Performance in Hudson, Florida, where its chassis is being upgraded.
Pro Fab Performance, which does amazing work, is squaring the rear-end and changing the geometry in the front-end as far as engine position and crank center line, to make it more of a fit for the NA 10.5 category, said Shabareck. They're also changing some bars in the interior and changing the rear-end, though it will still have a torque arm-style suspension.
The car will be powered by an LS engine built by Ben Strader and EFI University and topped with a set of Frankenstein Engine Dynamics F710 heads and a Frankenstein Engine Dynamics intake. Shabareck added that they are in the process of choosing an EFI system, and the combination will be backed by a Liberty's five-speed transmission. Strader will handle the engine calibration and help Shabareck tune the car at the track and away from the track.
We are happy to continue a personal and professional relationship with Ben, whom Frankenstein has partnered with for scholarships for people to attend EFI University's week-long engine development course, said Shabareck.
Shabareck hopes to be testing the car and combination by January, as he has his sights set on making his debut in the high-revving and highly rambunctious NMCA Dart NA 10.5 presented by Diamond Pistons at the NMCA season-opener at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida in March.
We would like to run as many races as possible, and even chase a championship, said Shabareck. With the heads and intake Frankenstein designs, and the engine Ben and EFI University builds, we'll see if we can get people to take notice, and learn things to apply to our present and future products lines to better serve racers.
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