The Steinke Family Preps The ‘Honk If Parts Fall Off’ 4-Door Chevelle for the “Epic Road Trip” - Edelbrock Sick 66
For Rick and Jacki Steinke, they’ve been around the drag-and-drive scene for quite a while, and although both have done well behind the wheel, Rick’s 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle 4-door is the more well-known ride.
The Chevelle has been absent from the drag-and-drive scene in 2024, but the classic Chevy known as ‘Honk If Parts Fall Off’ will be hunting for a top spot on the upcoming Edelbrock Sick 66 event next month.
A once in-a-lifetime drag-and-drive: Edelbrock Sick 66, held October 10th-18th 2024. It checks all the boxes: Route 66, over 30 checkpoints, 6 tracks, and an epic experience. Don’t miss your chance; CLICK HERE for more info on Sick 66.
With the announcement of the Sick 66 event, combined with son Troy running his Junior Dragster more in 2024, made the decision an easy one for Rick and Jacki. “After missing out on the Death Week event in 2023, we didn’t want to miss what could be the only chance to do a drag-and drive on Route 66,” said Rick. “It will be an epic time.”
The turbocharged small block ‘crew cab’ Chevelle, which is credited as the first ride to clock a ‘perfect 8.500 run’ in the Street Race / Limited Street classes, has seen action in everything from drag-and-drive, to index racing, even heads-up action. And despite success on nearly every front, Rick decided to give the Chevelle some upgrades for the Sick 66 event.
Step one is a radiator change. “Potential for sustained high temperatures out west fueled a radiator change,” said Rick. Rick will also make the change from a solid roller camshaft to a hydraulic roller camshaft, as well as Johnson Hydraulic roller lifters from Howards Cams. “Going to actually go through my Turbo 400 and freshen it before the event, not at during the event,” Rick laughed.
The big change will happen to the Chevelle’s turbo set-up. “From 2008 to 2021 it was single turbo,” said Rick. “In February 2021, I switched to twin 71-millimeter turbos to run John Sears Limited 235 class. At the time he allowed ‘twin 71mm in a full size car at 4,000 pounds.’
“We ran Limited 235 for 2 years, then with Troy starting to race we couldn't really travel to go to all the races. The twin setup is quite a bit heavier. and doing spark plugs is a complete nightmare. So when I swap the cam and lifters, I'll just put the single setup back on.”
“For the other stuff, it has weighed on me that every mile I drive is another mile away from my truck and trailer,” Rick continued. “On a regular drag-and-drive, you get to that point mid-week where you're moving closer and logistically failure becomes easier to deal with and your mind rests a little easy.’
“The Sick 66, you're not heading home until after racing on the 18th at Alien City. That's eight days of digging a deeper hole. Of course, I ponder all of this and then wonder how guys like Rajveer Ahuja and Richard Guido do it every single event they attend.”
Rick, Jacki and Troy plan to drive the Chevelle, which has been a best of 5.17 on the eighth-mile and 7.99 at 172 mph in the quarter-mile, a few more miles than some that will be participating.
“I am driving it back to Ozark from Alien, so that's one hell of a loop,” said Rick. Will the Chevelle have enough to survive the drive, and challenge for the top spot?
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Rick Steinke.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com