This LS-Swapped Chevy II Is Aiming for Single Digits Without a Power Adder
The 1966-1967 second generation Chevy II - Nova is a popular model, and when you combine it with the proven LS engine platform, you can get a solid combination of looks and performance, ready for nearly anything you can throw at it.
For Keith Horton, his ’66 Chevy II is a regular site on Rocky Mountain Race Week (RMRW), and he’s ready for more action in 2024.
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Keith got into racing by participating at test and tunes around his home base of Colorado, including the well-known Bandimere Speedway. But once he embarked on his first drag-and-drive at the 2021 edition of RMRW 1.0, his world was forever changed.
“I got hooked on drag-and-drives,” he said. “It's all about driving your stuff. Cars are meant to be used, not idle.” That first drag-and-drive outing resulted in a completed RMRW and a 13.33 average for the Chevy II, enough to score a top twenty spot in the 13-second class.
By 2022, Keith had stepped up his game, jumping into the Naturally-Aspirated Small Block class, and improving his average to an 11.19 for a third-place finish at RMRW 1.0.
Keith added 2.0 Race Week also to his schedule in 2022, and although he was able to complete the second event with a quicker 10.83 average, it only got him the fifth place slot in the Naturally-Aspirated Small Block class.
Keith and the Chevy II continued to chip away at their performance in 2023, posting a best run of 10.51 and a 10.76 average at RMRW 1.0, enough to earn his second-straight third place finish in the Naturally-Aspirated Small Block class at 1.0. Race Week 2.0 found Keith duplicating his 10.76 average, with a slightly better best run of 10.44 along the way.
The Chevy II will return to both RMRW events in 2024, but Keith had made some changes to the car, including an intake change to the 403 cubic inch LS engine that netted a 20 rear-wheel-horse-power gain.
He also ditched some weight, and has his mind set on a new number in the results. “The plan is to run NA-SB again, and the goal is to get my first 9-second run ever,” said Keith.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of 1320 Video and Keith Horton.
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