You’ve all heard the story about the apple and the tree right? It’s the same deal here. Andreas is very much like his old man, especially when it comes to cars and drag racing. Other words, this madness was inevitable.
The 1969 Nova
It all started back in the summer of 2001 with an old blue 1969 Chevy Nova. It had the vinyl roof, PG-tranny with a steering-wheel shifter etc. It was ripped apart and new 355 sbc was built. A custom-built TH350, B&M shifter, headers, wide wheels etc. Of corse it had to be matte black. This car was raced on the streets of Stockholm every weekend. Best ET was 8,693 sec, 130km/h on 1/8 mile. Read more.
The 1964 Chevelle
Late autumn 2003 a Chevelle ’64 was bought. It had lots of plastic parts, roll cage, 4-link, Ford 9”, wide wheels, no interior etc. It was street-legal, perfect! It didn’t take long until this car was torn apart and rebuilt. New electricity, custom self-built headers and exhaust to go along with the old 355 from the Nova. On top of this a NOS system was installed. The old TH350 was installed with a manual valve body. This car was raced in 2004 on the streets. Best ET 7,483 sec, 150 km/h on 1/8 mile. Next year, 2005, the car was taken to the local drag strip. Best ET was 10,82 sec, 210km/h on the quarter mile. (6,7 sec, 170km/h on 1/8 mile). Read more.
The 1965 Chevelle
Late Autumn 2005 a new car was bought. It was a 1965 Chevelle with an unfinished 7.50 chassie. The body was stock metal, but the rest was plastic. At the time we weren’t sure about what we were supposed to do with it, but the price
was right. The plan was to race in the Super Smallblock class with a 377 SBC, 6-71 blower/methanol, Dart block, Callies crank, rebuilt Ford 9” with better components and a 5-speed Lenco. Goal was 7,5 sec and 300km/h on the quarter mile. It was the spring of 2006 when Andreas thought of starting an actual racing team. ÅBM RACING was born. The name is an acronym from the first sponsor (where Andreas works), Åkes Bil & Motor. In 2006 there was a lot of bracket racing at the local drag strip. This year the 355 was rebuilt again. It had a 6-71 Weiand blower and twin NOS cheater-plates. The goal was a 10-sec run, and eventually it ran 9,37 sec, 228km/h. The car was eventually sold to help finance the madness that was about to hit ÅBM Racing…
The Race Car
At the end of the summer of 2006 the new build started, and it got out of control rather quickly. The goal that was set got changed a number of times (as usual). The final goal was a 25.1E chassie, carbon fiber body, 6 sec and 360km/h. In other words, the goal was a Top Doorslammer / Pro Mod. It was a very long road to get there, but in the end of 2009 the self-built Pro Mod Chevelle ’65 saw the light of day for the first time. The following year, 2010 the engine was started for the first time and the car ran down the track for the first time on Kjula Dragway. The date was September 16 and the build had taken 4 years. Click here to read about the whole project.
