Through our Dealer For Hemis Only we sent a new Keith Black HEMI Street block to Randy and Nicken’s Brothers Racing Engines in Conroe, Texas. Nickens Brothers Racing Engines and Randy managed to get the car running – including repairing a cracked cylinder head – just two days before the event started.
Randy’s Cuda was strong and went on to come second in 2017 Hotrod Drag Week Super Street BB N/A, averaging 9.46 @ 144mph. Not to be outdone, the next year Randy went on to take first place in 2018 Hot Rod Drag Week averaging 9.37 @ 142.6mph.
Randy and his 1970 ‘Cuda powered by one of our KB HEMI Street blocks has become somewhat of an iconic pair in super street Drag racing circles. There’s way to many details to fully list about his gorgeous ’70, but the engine is a pretty mild pump gas engine by HEMI standards.
Here’s the details:
Randy remembers the exact day he caught his horsepower addiction. It was his first day of high school where he remembers guys with Camaros, GTO’s, GTX’s, Chevelles and other muscle cars doing burnouts and donuts in high school parking lot at 7:00 A.M before the first day of high school.
The sound and smell of big-blocks, fuel, and tire smoke left him with the same permanent affliction most of us here share today.
Randy went on to own many cars such as Camaro’s and Corvettes however the Cuda was always his ultimate car and he acquired his purple ‘70 Cuda 14 years ago in 2006 and as he says, “that changed the course of everything”. Today Randy lives in Texas selling sophisticated, state-of-the-art medical equipment.
Last year Randy passed on Hot Rod Drag Week but did manage the Rocky Mountain Race Week 2019 and came second only to another HEMI Cuda.
So, Randy then buys, in his words, a "real" Cuda – a 1971 model (originally fitted with 383), swaps in the Keith Black Inc. HEMI from the ’70, and it really hauls.
The ’70 is now being repainted after seven Hot Rod Drag Weeks and one Rocky Mountain Race Week
Randy is planning a new engine for his '70 Cuda and we are providing another Keith Black Inc. HEMI block as the foundation.
We absolutely love Randy's cars.
Let us know how you think he should build the new engine?
Photo Credits: Randy Heinselman; 1320 Video; Scott Witty; Kevin Clark
CLINT BRUNNER explains he is still dialling-in his setup on the Dart and has yet to make an optimum pass with the car – “it is certainly nowhere near ‘Set to Kill’ as of yet”. That said, his best ET to date is an impressive 9.17 @146 shifting at just @ 6,700 rpm.
“I’ve never had a car that could wheel-stand as much as this”.
"Mostly, I just drive it around town" says Lionel about his 2400HP Turbocharged Keith Black® HEMI powered 1968 Plymouth Barracuda. When he first purchased his ‘68 Barracuda around two years ago it was in his words “a Grandpa spec 318 car”.
Not so much a grandpa spec car now. Nope.
Ralph Bell's Hemi Roadrunner tips the scales at 3500lb with driver, and is currently running 9.72 @ 140 mph and 9.00 @ 150 mph with a 200 Nitrous Shot, only a whisker away from the 8’s.
