MR. OCTOBER’S CAMARO
October 18, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Shade-Tree 1.6.
Okay, we weren’t quite that naive about what we read regarding upgrading to 1.6 rockers on our small-block Chevy for the first time, but it was close.
The engine in question was a decent runner with 30,000 miles on the mild-performance rebuild. The rebuilt engine was purchased used, and among its selling points were 0.030-over 9.5:1 pistons, moly rings, 1.5 roller rockers, a Performer RPM intake and a brand-new Holley 750cfm carburetor. The cam wasn’t a perfect match to the torque converter used in the previous installation nor was the final-drive gear ratio. As a result, the owner planned on stepping down on the cam chart to a Comp 286H-10 cam, which came with the engine in its original box. Also included were a brand-new factory Z28 oil pan and a factory timing chain cover to replace the cheap chrome pieces. For $300, the engine package was a deal, and one we couldn’t pass up. We sold the aforementioned chrome pieces and matching valve covers for $50, getting us the engine at the bargain price of $250, and we still had the new cam and lifters on our shelf.
DEFYING NATURE
Traditional hot rods are all the rage, and while it’s a great experience to run across a true barn-find hot rod, some folks would rather make their own with the perfect blend of colors, textures and just the right amount of sanding. It’s definitely a way to grab attention, as these so-called beaters steal the show from some of the finest rods around, but there’s no doubt lots of time and money is spent to obtain this look.
High Performance Rebuild
The small-block Chevy has enjoyed a long, happy life. Sure, the current LS1/LS6 version is quite far removed from the original, but thousands upon thousands of little mouse motors continue to provide the sole means of motivation to everything from stationary irrigation pumps to Le Mans-winning C5R Corvettes. Naturally, this list also includes all manner of boulevard bruisers, street stompers and resto rockets. Heck, we’ve even seen little Chevys under the hood of “Brand X” machinery. The continued popularity of the small-block Chevy is not surprising. Take a look at the combination of power potential and parts availability and multiply that by the cost quotient, and you have the makings of a real success story. Add to this equation the millions of project motors just sitting around junkyards throughout the world, and it is easy to see why enthusiasts continue to embrace the mighty mouse motor as the performance powerplant of choice.
Spotlighter
Remembering Walker Evans (1938–2025), Off-Road Racing Icon and Pioneer
White Hat. Wide Open. Forever a Legend.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
A Legend Across the Desert and Beyond
The off-road world lost one of its true giants on Saturday, August 2, with the passing of Walker Evans at the age of 86. A pioneer, champion, and lifelong ambassador off-road racing, Evans leaves behind a towering legacy carved across the sands of Baja, the dirt of Riverside, and the rugged rocks of the American backcountry.
Known for his trademark white cowboy hat and unrelenting desire to win, Evans’ career spanned more than five decades and defined what it meant to be an icon, builder, and businessman in the dirt sports world.
Born in 1938 in Cedar Lake, Michigan, Walker is survived by his beloved wife Phyllis and son Evan. It was Phyllis who remained his steadfast partner through a racing life lived at full throttle—a relationship Evans credited as a major part of his success.
From a Rambler to Racing Royalty
Walker Evans got his first taste of desert competition in the 1969 NORRA Baja 500, driving a Rambler sedan for actor James Garner’s American Motors-backed All-American Racing team. That experience lit a fire that would carry him through 142 wins, 21 championships, five Baja 1000 victories, and countless fans who still recount the sound of his Dodge V8 echoing across the desert.
Soon after that first race, he began competing in his own Ford F-100, built in the famed Long Beach shop of Bill Stroppe. Before long, Walker Evans Racing was backed by Dodge and Goodyear, and the man behind the wheel became one of off-road’s first true superstars.
King of the Course
While Evans made his name in the deserts of Baja, he was just as dominant in the closed-circuit world of short-course racing. He became a fixture at Riverside Raceway in California and was one of the first major West Coast drivers to battle in the Midwest at venues like Crandon International Raceway. His legendary duels with Crandon hero Jack Flannery helped grow the sport and made for must-watch ESPN coverage in the early years of televised off-road competition.
He wasn’t just a racer—he was a showman, and fans knew something exciting would happen whenever Walker Evans rolled to the start line.
A Lasting Legacy in NASCAR and Rock Sports
In 1994, Evans took his skills to the pavement as one of the original competitors in NASCAR’s new Craftsman Truck Series. His Dodge effort—built from scratch—made headlines and earned four top-10 finishes. But the pull of the dirt proved too strong. By the late ’90s, he was back at it, this time pushing into rockcrawling and ultra-technical off-road events that challenged even the most experienced desert hands.
His love of Baja never faded. With the rebirth of the NORRA Mexican 1000, Evans found new life behind the wheel of his restored Class 8 Dodge. For more than a decade, he returned to Mexico each year—racing, laughing, and winning, just as he always had.
Built to Win, Engineered to Last
More than just a racer, Evans was also a savvy entrepreneur. Alongside trusted crew chief Randy Anderson and his wife Phyllis, he co-founded Walker Evans Racing—one of the most respected names in the off-road aftermarket. What began as a performance wheel and shock business grew into a respected OEM supplier for Polaris UTVs and snowmobiles, helping shape the evolution of modern off-road machinery. The brand was acquired by Polaris in 2023, cementing its legacy in the industry.
The Man in the White Hat
Walker Evans didn’t come from ranch life, but he wore the white cowboy hat like a badge of honor. In a sport that rewards toughness, Evans brought grit, charm, and professionalism in equal measure. He was a gentleman and a gunslinger, a hard charger who once said, “I’d take out my best friend to get to the finish line first.”
For fans, fellow racers, and generations of future champions, Walker Evans was—and always will be—The Legend.
A Legacy That Won’t Be Rewritten
Walker Evans was inducted into nearly every hall of fame that matters in motorsports—the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (2004), the SEMA Hall of Fame (2022), and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2015). But his greatest accomplishment wasn’t a trophy or a championship.
It was the path he paved—for off-road racing, for factory involvement, for new formats like short-course and rockcrawling, and for the next generation of racers inspired by his tire tracks.
Our Thoughts and Prayers
To his wife Phyllis, his son Evan, and all who knew and loved him: Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We thank you for sharing Walker with the rest of us. He wasn’t just part of racing history. He made it.
Rest in peace, cowboy. You’ll always be first across the finish line in our hearts.
