By Grant Cox – Images by the Author
Allan Patterson is a legendary figure in drag racing. For decades he’s been known not just as a winning driver but as a respected and meticulous engine builder, a man whose name carries weight in pits across the country. As the founder of Patterson Elite Performance, his engines have powered countless champions but before all that, Allan was simply a Kansas kid who couldn’t stay away from the dragstrip.
It all started in 1960, when a 15-year-old Allan, still too young to legally drive, had already built himself a Flathead-powered 1940 Ford sedan. He knew the car belonged on the drag strip, so he talked his cousin into towing it to Great Bend, Kansas, home of the first NHRA U.S. Nationals in 1955. Fifty miles from the track, the tow rig gave up, forcing Allan to unhook his pride and joy and drive it the rest of the way.
Patterson rolled into Great Bend with pockets as dry as the Kansas plains but with determination running deep in his veins. Nerves rattled his first trip down the asphalt, but the time slip revealed something amazing: he’d set a new National Stock class record. On his backup run, though, the flathead sputtered. The tank was bone dry. Just like that, the record slipped away, but the hook was set. Racing wasn’t just something Allan did it became who he was.
By 1978, Allan was a seasoned racer and competitor at the NHRA U.S. Nationals. It was there he fell for a Super Stock L79 1966 Chevy II, a proven winner previously piloted by Cotton Perry. When the Patterson crew requested a lower-maintenance exterior than their gleaming black ’62 Corvette, the Chevy II returned from the paint booth in unassuming GM stock beige a new chapter of Chevrolet tradition in Patterson Racing.
Fast-forward to today, and Allan’s passion for Chevrolets hasn’t cooled one bit. Recently, he connected with longtime friend and fellow drag racer Phil Unruh of McPherson, Kansas, to build something special: a 1967 Chevy II Nova transformed into a streetable showstopper with modern performance at its core.
At the heart of the build is a BluePrint Engines 427ci V-8 churning out 540 hp and 566 lb-ft of torque on 91-octane. With aluminum heads, a hydraulic roller camshaft, T&D shaft roller rockers, Holley EFI, and Hooker headers flowing into a 3.5-inch stainless system with Flowmaster mufflers, the Nova breathes deep and sounds every bit the part of a storming muscle car. A twin-inlet factory-style chrome air cleaner adds a touch of stealth, almost hiding the engine’s true capability.
Backing the power is a stout driveline: an A-1 Racing Products 700-R4 automatic transmission with matching torque converter, an aluminum driveshaft, and a Moser 9-inch rearend with an all-aluminum centersection, 35-spline axles, and 4.11 gears. Suspension upgrades include rack-and-pinion steering and QA1 by FAST shocks front and rear, while Wilwood Pro Series four-wheel discs bring the Marina Blue Nova back down to earth when the loud pedal lifts.
The exterior wears a flawless coat of Marina Blue, highlighted by a cowl-induction hood hinting at what lives beneath. Weld Racing wheels, 15×4 fronts and 15×10 rears, are wrapped in Mickey Thompson rubber—a combination that looks equally at home on the streets or the dragstrip starting line.
Inside, the Nova balances vintage cues with modern comfort. Fresh blue upholstery with white accents wraps new bucket seats, while a new center console houses an M&M Transmissions shifter. A Dakota Digital dash, RetroSound radio, new headliner, carpet, and power antenna round out the interior, giving it both style and functionality.
From a nervous teenager rolling into Great Bend with little more than determination, to an engine-building icon with one of the sport’s most respected shops, Allan has lived a life defined by horsepower and heart. His Marina Blue Chevy II Nova is more than just a car, it’s a continuation of a lifelong journey that began on the Kansas plains.
Allan would like to thank his family and friends for their support with his build. He was extremely honored to have Unruh help him bring it together.
For Allan, seeing the car glimmer in the Kansas sun brings it all full circle. The kid who once ran out of gas chasing a record now has a ride that proves passion and persistence never run dry.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
TECH CHECK
Owner: Allan Patterson, Augusta, Kansas
Vehicle: 1967 Chevy II Nova
Engine
Type: 2023 BluePrint Engines Chevy V-8
Displacement: 427 ci
Compression Ratio: 10:1
Crankshaft: Forged Steel Crank 4.000-inch stroke and forged rods
Pistons: Forged
Valvetrain: T&D Machine Products shaft roller rockers and Pushrods
Camshaft: Hydraulic Roller Cam 0.577 lift and 240/248 Duration at 0.050, 112-degree LSA
Cylinder Heads: BluePrint aluminum
Fuel Injection: Holly EFI fuel-injection system
Exhaust: Hooker headers, 3-1/2-inch exhaust, Flowmaster mufflers
Valve Covers: Chrome with 427 badges
Output: 540 hp and 566 lb-ft on 91-octane
Drivetrain
Transmission: A-1 Racing Products 700-R4
Torque Converter: A-1 Racing Products
Rear Axle: 9-inch Moser all-aluminum centersection, 4.11:1 ring-and-pinion, 35-spline Moser axles
Chassis
Front Suspension: QA1 tubular A-arms, QA1 coilover shocks, QA1 spindles, rack-and-pinion steering
Rear Suspension: QA1 four-link, QA1 coilover shocks
Brakes: Wilwood Pro Series disc brakes
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Weld V-Series, 15×4 front, 15×10 rear
Tires: Mickey Thompson Street/Drag ET Series, 27×6.00R15LT front, 255/60R15 rear
Interior
Upholstery: Stock
Seats: Stock 1967 Nova Blue/White
Steering: Stock
Shifter: M&M Transmission neutral cleanout
Dash: Stock
Instrumentation: Dakota Digital
Wiring: Painless Performance Products
Entertainment System: RetroSound radio and speakers
Exterior
Bodywork and Paint: Phil Unruh
Paint: 1967 Chevy II Marina Blue
Grille: Stock
Bumpers: Stock
Lighting: Stock
Hood: Cowl induction-style
