As long as John can remember, he's had a hankering for wagons. "I've had several weird wagons over the years, and they're usually ones that aren't highly sought after. I used to race an old Fairmont wagon with an LS swap that ran low-10s at the track," John says. "I took it on Power Tour one year, and after I got back someone pounded on my door and said they needed it more than I did. Not long after that, I went out to a guy's shop to look at an early 1950s woody wagon, but it needed too much work. The owner just happened to own the junkyard that was next door, and he had to unload a bunch of cars because the state had a deal in place to buy his property. I wasn't much of an X-frame fan before, but when I saw this car it had the perfect amount of patina and really stood out."
The thing is, you can't fake patina. Try to, and you'll fail miserably every time. Recognizing that the Parkwood had just the right amount dings, bruises, and surface rust in just the right places, John cleaned up the body panels and sprayed it in clear to preserve the patina. "I didn't want a rat rod. Just like some people like clean, rustic furniture, I wanted an old car with a nice motor, suspension, and interior that I could really enjoy," he explains. "Since I have three kids that play outside a lot, getting a nice paint job would mean I'd freak out every time they got near the car. The way it sits, they can climb all over it and really enjoy it, too."
From the get-go, John was on a tight deadline since he planned on attending the Lonestar Roundup show, which was just eight weeks away. Fortunately for John, he works at a dealership service department and his wife, Rachel, is every car guy's dream. "She said to do whatever I had to do to get the car done for the show, so I took it to work and wrenched on it until 4 a.m. every day. I showered up at my in-laws house down the road, and was back at work by 7 a.m.," he recalls. "A couple of weeks into the project, one of my friends needed some money fast, so he sold me a 5.3L Gen IV small-block and a 4L60E trans for $900. I swapped it in, and got the car finished in time for the show. Two months later, I built the turbo kit for it and finished up the interior."
With the Master Power 76mm turbo cranking out 10 psi of boost, the 5.3L laid down 591 rwhp. Since John didn't have a dedicated race car at the time, he ran the wagon hard and he ran it often. Despite its 4,300- pounds of heft, the wagon ran a best of 11.51 at 120 mph. Perhaps most impressive is the wagon's 1.66-second 60-foot times on plain-Jane 20-inch street tires. After one too many fun-runs at the track, the 5.3L threw a rod. Consequently, John scored a sweet deal on a semi-injured LS2, and swapped over the rotating assembly and cylinder heads from an LQ9 truck motor to lower the compression ratio. The end product is essentially an LQ9 in an LS2 aluminum block. Although the new combo only runs a hair quicker at the track, it's proven more reliable thus far.
In an era where blister packs and mail-order parts have become the norm, it's so refreshing to see good, old-fashioned, blue-collar rodding at work. John Dodson is no ordinary car crafter, and his 1960 Parkwood is no ordinary hot rod. Now if he'd only remember to roll up the rear window and go for broke at the Texas Mile, we might be able to answer that riddle someday.
Tech Notes
Who: John Dodson
What: 1960 Chevy Parkwood
Where: Lake Dallas, TX
Engine: Starting with a stock LS2 long-block, John raided the GM parts bin to prep it for boost. He swapped in a set of LQ9 pistons, rods, and cylinder heads to lower the compression ratio to 10.0:1, and sealed it all up with multi-layer steel LS9 head gaskets. A Comp Cams 220/234-at-0.050 hydraulic roller with 0.581/0.598-inch lift (117-degree LSA) manages the valve event. The stock LS2 intake manifold has been exchanged for a freer-flowing LS6 unit, the fuel supply is provided by a Bosch in-tank pump, and delivered by Siemens 60-lb/hr injectors. The homebuilt turbo system utilizes a stock drive-side exhaust manifold, a custom passenger- side -header, and a crossover pipe that connects them both to a Master Power 76mm turbo. It channels boost through a front-mount intercooler before pressurizing the LS2 to 10 psi. LSTuner.com tweaked the stock computer on the chassis dyno until the combo laid down 591 hp and 628 lb-ft of torque.
Transmission: The wagon has seen 30,000 miles of street duty in just a few short years, so the turbo LS2 has been paired with a 4L60E to minimize the sting at the gas pump. A Yank 3,400-stall converter gets the turbo up on the powerband in a hurry.
Rearend: The Moser 9-inch rearend houses 33-spline axles, a 3.50:1 ring-and-pinion set, and a Detroit Truetrac limited-slip differential. It hooks up to the trans through an Inland Empire aluminum driveshaft.
Suspension: The front suspension features a mix of Global West control arms, a Hotchkis sway bar, Classic Performance Parts spindles, KYB shocks, and Ridetech air springs. Suspending the back are Ridetech control arms and air springs, Belltech shocks, and a Classic Performance Parts sway bar.
Brakes: At more than two tons, the wagon needs as much braking help as it can get. It's been upgraded with CPP 12-inch discs and twin-piston calipers. The Wilwood master cylinder and proportioning valve get a helping hand from a Hydratech booster.
Wheels/Tires: Although they measure 18x8 up front and 20x10 in the rear, the Raceline Scoundrel wheels maintain the wagon's old-school vibe. The Captial tires check in at 245/45-18 (front), and 275/40-20 (rear).
Paint/Body: To preserve the Parkwood's perfectly patina'd panels, John removed the surface rust with CLR, and then scuffed it up to prep it for clear coat. Pea green has never looked so bad ass. The trunk floor has been raised 3 inches to accommodate a more aggressive stance. Custom hood louvers add an extra dash of character.
Interior: The wagon's insides have been tastefully enhanced with a shoulder-height Lokar shifter and an Auto Meter boost gauge neatly integrated into the stock instrument panel. Preston's Upholstery recovered the seats in green houndstooth.
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