Back to Basics with a Volvo Station Wagon That Will Take on Death Week, As Well As the Drag-And-Drive Scene in 2024
Griffin Steinfeld could easily appear to have the world by the short hairs with a couple of serious street cars in his garage – a 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle and a 1956 Chevrolet 3100 pick-up truck. Both pack twin-turbocharged powerplants, and both are nasty fast rides.
And although Griffin wasn’t looking to add another ride to his stable, a recent fun idea has turned into his latest project, and his entry into the drag-and-drive world.
“The Volvo started out as a joke,” Griffin stated on the station wagon. “A few of my friends were getting wagons to do fun/stupid stuff with, so I impulsively bought the car for $2,000 to join in on the fun. I took it offroad, jumped it, drifted it, etc.”
After Griffin got the last bit of use squeezed out of the stock at north of 300,000 miles, he plotted what to use as the next occupant between the frame rails. “I decided to do the typical LS-swap and boost it,” Griffin quipped. “One thing led to another, and instead of a cheap junkyard motor and turbocharger, it's getting a fully built Hustler 370 cubic inch LS3 with a Magnuson 2650 supercharger.”
A Holley Dominator will control the functions, transmission of choice is a 4L80 automatic matted to a fabricated Ford 9-inch rear end from Gear FX Driveline, and the whole deal will ride on a new chassis being hand built by Jeff Jones at RatRodJeff Fabrications. Jeff is also putting together a full cage that will allow Griffin to legally travel the quarter-mile under 8.50-seconds.
Don’t miss the ultimate drag-and-drive: Death Week, October 20-29 2023!
Event information and entry forms can be FOUND HERE!
“I wanted to take things back to the basics,” said Griffin of the Volvo’s build focus. “As fun as the twin-turbo rides are, they are a lot of work and very expensive. So, I put together a plan to buy a cheap car and stick to all off the shelf basic LS stuff. Even the chassis components are all off the shelf with the exception of the cage.
I want a true daily driver. Something that’s quiet, reliable and easy to drive. I want to be able to stick my mom or sister in it and let them go run errands in it, then when it’s time to take it to the track, go run a 4 second pass.”
Griffin has spanned the realm of automotive enthusiast, as well as several different type of racing. “I started in offroad desert racing, and from there I moved to NASCAR where I climbed the ranks to the K&N Pro West series,” he said. “From the roundy round racing, I went full force into drag racing my personal cars, and even driving radial vs. the world cars on the east coast.”
Now he’s focusing on the drag-and-drive sector. “We spend so much time and money on drag cars, and get to enjoy them for only seconds at a time. I am most excited to have a bunch of seat time in my car, and learn how to keep a car healthy for thousands of miles as well as trying to beat the wheels off it at the track.”
Although Griffin plans to hit up a few 2024 drag-and-drive events, he also has his sights set on Death Week. “I think my buddy John Hagy is convinced,” he said of his co-pilot choice. “I just told him it's a fun couple day event; that's a super easy laid-back deal. Little does he know it's 2,000+ miles of hell,” Griffin laughed.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Griffin Steinfeld.
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