Looking for Redemption, a Clean ’67 Chevrolet Chevelle Will Return to Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive
There are a wide variety of cars and trucks that participate in the dozens of drag-and-drive events each year, and some have said the events can be compared to a rolling car show as the events roll from track to track and through each town and state the drive takes them on.
This ’67 Chevelle is clean enough to hold its own on a show field, and Brian Wandtke hopes that it will survive Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive on its second time.
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When Brian made his first visit to Sick Week in 2023, the Ohio based muscle car came in off a successful appearance in its only other drag-and-drive event appearance at the Hot Rod Drag Week 2019 event.
“I like to drive my car,” said Brian. “To build something and prove to yourself that you can accomplish something (like a drag-and-drive) is so cool. Plus, It's great camaraderie with friends and other racers.”
The ’67 Chevelle still sports all the original-style trim and body lines, and only the Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels give any indication the car might be something more than a cleanly restored muscle car.
To give the Chevelle a little bit more fun factor over a stock-style engine, Brian went for 502 cubic inches of naturally-aspirated big block Chevrolet power. To complete a stout driveline, Brian backed the big block with a Turbo 400 3-speed automatic and a Ford 9-inch rear end.
At the Hot Rod Drag Week appearance, Brian strung together five passes in the 12-second range, the best being a 12.23 at 108 mph on the final day, to complete the week with a 12.32 average.
At Sick Week 2023, Brian made a pair of mid 12-second passes at Orlando ‘Sick’ World Dragway and Bradenton Motorsports Park, before bowing out before day three. “We broke on the drive to South Georgia Motorsports Park,” said Brian.
The factory-tank fuel tank swelled up and broke loose, and Brian somehow avoided fire and got the car stopped. But despite the setback, Brian and friends enjoyed their abbreviated Sick Week. “We loved every minute. We have great stories to tell everyone about breaking on the road.”
Now Brian, along with friends Jerry Czajka and Tom Jacobs who helped him put the Chevelle together, will make the trip south from Ohio to try his hand again at Sick Week. “We spent some time putting this car together to hopefully make the drives between tracks easy and enjoyable,” said Brian. “We're old dudes, so we need all the energy we can get at the track.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Brian Wandtke.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com