Written by Mary Lendzion
Photos by NMCA Staff
Soon after restoring his 1969 Camaro in 2004, Jeff Toepper began cruising it on the street.
Ready to rev up a bit more, he began motoring it in NMCA Erson Cams Nostalgia Muscle in 2014, and he has been sailing along in the swoon-worthy car ever since.
During a race last summer, however, his tried-and true 383 cubic-inch small-block Chevrolet engine “blew up,” as he put it, and he hired fellow racer Scott Williams of SKW Motorsports to build a new 383 cubic-inch small-block Chevrolet engine for him.
“Scott built a new engine with a new Chevrolet block, and I was back to racing about a month later,” said Toepper. “The turnaround time was unbelievable. We put AFR heads, an Edelbrock single-plane intake and 750 CFM Quick Fuel carburetor on it.”
While his new engine was being built, Toepper sent his Powerglide to Beglar Performance to be freshened, and he was back in action in time for the next event on the 2022 NMCA tour, which was at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan.
“The car was running very good,” said Toepper. “The combination was producing more power and the car was quicker, which I wanted. I moved from the 11.75 index to the 11.25 index. I use a plate system for the intake, which means I can choose which plate I need for more horsepower, weather conditions and ballast.”
Toepper, of Channahon, Illinois, was working to get the car dialed in to run 11.25 consistently as the race season came to a close, and he secured a seventh-place finish in points.
Over winter, he rewired his car, moved his battery to his trunk and the disconnect to the rear. He also took the MSD ignition box from the engine bay and installed it inside of his car so that it was no longer affected by engine heat. New gauges were also introduced to his dash.
With no testing under his belt, Toepper headed to the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines, in mid-March, 2023, at Orlando Speed World Dragway in Florida. He qualified in the fourth spot with an impressive 11.258 on his 11.25 index, and he made it to the second round of eliminations, where he broke out with an 11.16.
“In Florida, I had some connection issues with the battery cable that goes from the trunk of my car up to the firewall, and I put in a higher-quality cable when I got home from the race,” said Toepper.
The following month, Toepper went to the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina, where he qualified in the ninth spot with an 11.31 on his 11.25 index and exited in the first round of eliminations on a breakout. It was quite a chore to even make that round, however, as the day before, Toepper broke a poly lock on a rocker arm while getting down to four cars in the special Erson Cams Nostalgia Muscle vs. Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock race, and he hurried to replace it, with help from fellow racer Bruce Boyle, on Saturday night in time to make Sunday morning eliminations.
“I’m trying to find the right spot between too fast and too slow with the new engine, but I’m feeling more confident about doing so with each race,” said Toepper. “The car is solid.”
The well-liked racer is now ready to go wheels-up at the 18th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Muscle Car Drag Racing, May 5-7 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois.
“I like the new format for the Super Bowl race, where the lead qualifiers race the current points leaders,” said Toepper. “I’ve been qualifying pretty good, so maybe I’ll have a chance at that. I think it will be fun.”
Photos by NMCA Staff
Soon after restoring his 1969 Camaro in 2004, Jeff Toepper began cruising it on the street.
Ready to rev up a bit more, he began motoring it in NMCA Erson Cams Nostalgia Muscle in 2014, and he has been sailing along in the swoon-worthy car ever since.
During a race last summer, however, his tried-and true 383 cubic-inch small-block Chevrolet engine “blew up,” as he put it, and he hired fellow racer Scott Williams of SKW Motorsports to build a new 383 cubic-inch small-block Chevrolet engine for him.
“Scott built a new engine with a new Chevrolet block, and I was back to racing about a month later,” said Toepper. “The turnaround time was unbelievable. We put AFR heads, an Edelbrock single-plane intake and 750 CFM Quick Fuel carburetor on it.”
While his new engine was being built, Toepper sent his Powerglide to Beglar Performance to be freshened, and he was back in action in time for the next event on the 2022 NMCA tour, which was at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan.
“The car was running very good,” said Toepper. “The combination was producing more power and the car was quicker, which I wanted. I moved from the 11.75 index to the 11.25 index. I use a plate system for the intake, which means I can choose which plate I need for more horsepower, weather conditions and ballast.”
Toepper, of Channahon, Illinois, was working to get the car dialed in to run 11.25 consistently as the race season came to a close, and he secured a seventh-place finish in points.
Over winter, he rewired his car, moved his battery to his trunk and the disconnect to the rear. He also took the MSD ignition box from the engine bay and installed it inside of his car so that it was no longer affected by engine heat. New gauges were also introduced to his dash.
With no testing under his belt, Toepper headed to the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines, in mid-March, 2023, at Orlando Speed World Dragway in Florida. He qualified in the fourth spot with an impressive 11.258 on his 11.25 index, and he made it to the second round of eliminations, where he broke out with an 11.16.
“In Florida, I had some connection issues with the battery cable that goes from the trunk of my car up to the firewall, and I put in a higher-quality cable when I got home from the race,” said Toepper.
The following month, Toepper went to the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina, where he qualified in the ninth spot with an 11.31 on his 11.25 index and exited in the first round of eliminations on a breakout. It was quite a chore to even make that round, however, as the day before, Toepper broke a poly lock on a rocker arm while getting down to four cars in the special Erson Cams Nostalgia Muscle vs. Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock race, and he hurried to replace it, with help from fellow racer Bruce Boyle, on Saturday night in time to make Sunday morning eliminations.
“I’m trying to find the right spot between too fast and too slow with the new engine, but I’m feeling more confident about doing so with each race,” said Toepper. “The car is solid.”
The well-liked racer is now ready to go wheels-up at the 18th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Muscle Car Drag Racing, May 5-7 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois.
“I like the new format for the Super Bowl race, where the lead qualifiers race the current points leaders,” said Toepper. “I’ve been qualifying pretty good, so maybe I’ll have a chance at that. I think it will be fun.”