50-YEAR FAMILY JEWEL
November 13, 2024
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THE AUTO BUILDER
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Camaros are nothing new for Steve Felthousen. His father is an avid car collector and counts a ’69 Pace Car among his collection. In high school, Felthousen drove a ’73 Z28, and later he built a Pro Street ’69. Just to show how diverse his interests are, he also drove a ’69 Chevelle SS 396. But he soon began looking for another Camaro, and he knew he wanted a first-generation model.
“MR. CHEVROLET” CAMARO
As in other levels of Motorsports, drag racing has provided us with a rich and interesting history filled with incredible accomplishments by both man and machine. Many of these achievements are the result of tenacity and perseverance. One such story centers around a man known by competitors and fans as the first “Mr. Chevrolet.”
FINDING THE RIGHT C10
The Action Line C10 series, produced from 1967 to 1972, is one of the most popular of the classic era of Chevy trucks. They have been transformed into every form imaginable, from sweet shop trucks to double-throwdown showstoppers, from strip-burning quarter-pounders to boulder-flattening off-roaders, and certainly everything in between. We’ll long remember the days when a black ’70 stepside would pass you on the street, dumped low in the front with Americans all around, running fat rubber out back and sweet-sounding exhaust dumping out in front of the rear wheels. You just knew that guy had something trick in the garage at home, too.
Spotlighter
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: VDOG® by Flaming River
Get The Right Angle With this Steering Solution from Flaming River
We’ve all been there—slamming a monster LS, Coyote, or Hemi into an old muscle car or hot rod and hitting that inevitable roadblock: how the heck do you get the steering shaft through that tight engine bay? The answer, my friends, is the VDOG® from Flaming River. You’ve probably heard the name tossed around, but let’s dig into why you need this in your arsenal.
What the Heck is the VDOG®?
First off, VDOG® stands for Variable Degree Operational Gear. Think of it as the ultimate 90-degree angle gear specifically designed to handle those tight steering angles. Created by the brainiacs at Flaming River Industries in Berea, Ohio, the VDOG® is a hybrid of a universal joint and a gearbox, bringing the best of both worlds.
Here’s the lowdown: one end of the VDOG® has a fixed ¾”-36 spline shaft, and the other end has a variable degree gear with the same spline size. What sets it apart is its ability to rotate 360 degrees at a +/- 35-degree angle thanks to a universal joint inside. The heart of this beast is a hardened gear drive system, giving you a solid 1:1 steering ratio from one side to the other. No chains, no sprockets, just pure, unadulterated reliability. Plus, it’s pre-lubricated, so you can set it and forget it.
Real-World Applications
We’re not just talking theoretical here. Flaming River has put the VDOG® through its paces in some serious builds. Take their 1949 Dodge Pickup Truck, for example. They mounted the VDOG® by the rack and pinion, showing it’s not just a firewall trick. Then there’s their 1954 Chevy Pickup, where they used it at the firewall to nail that tight turn. And get this—some customers have even run two VDOG® units: one at the firewall and another at the steering box for the ultimate custom ride.
This thing isn’t just for specific setups either. It’s versatile enough for everything from cab-overs to classic muscle cars. If you’ve ever tried to squeeze a big ol’ LS engine with aftermarket headers into your ride, you know what a game-changer this can be.
Accolades & Awards
The VDOG® isn’t just all talk. It cleaned up at the 2019 SEMA Show, bagging the Best Engineered Product and Best New Street Rod Product awards that we previously covered in our article 20 NEW Product Innovations at the 2023 NSRA “Nats”. That’s right, two trophies from the biggest stage in the industry. It’s a testament to the VDOG®’s killer design and rock-solid performance.
Bottom Line
If you’re serious about your builds and you want to avoid the headache of steering issues with modern engine swaps, the VDOG® from Flaming River is your new best friend. It’s the kind of innovative solution that makes you wonder how you ever lived without it. Keep the VDOG® in mind for your next project and steer clear of those tight angle nightmares. CLICK HERE to learn more about the VDOG® or go to Flaming River’s website.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Flaming River
800 Poertner Drive
Berea, OH 44017 USA
(800) 648-8022
