Okay – I will be completely honest. This is the most excited I’ve been about any post so far. I finally get the chance to brag on and introduce a guy I know, love, and am proud to call family – my unc Jim Lunsford. My whole life I’ve known Jim to be part of the car world in some way, including one off restorations, drag racing, custom painting, etc. He has played a role in some amazing and sometimes famous cars, some of which were later owned or driven by celebrities. Most of this interview focuses around his 68 Nova which he has owned for decades and has been transformed multiple times over. However, I did include some other projects of Jim’s in the gallery as well. Enjoy!
Interview with Jim Lunsford and his SuperNova
– Obviously we’re family and I know a lot of the story, but for those readers that aren’t familiar, walk us through your history and love affair with cars and bikes. Give us the full scoop on the Nova, what’s the inside scoop on the Superman logo, and finally what’s next!
BACK IN 1971, I STARTED WORKING IN A SHOP OWNED BY ROGER EPPERSON, THE PAY WAS VERY POOR, BUT SO WAS I,
SO THAT WAS A PERFECT FIT FOR ME. I WAS AROUND CARS 7 DAYS A WEEK AND ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. SOON I
WAS DOING ALL THE PAINTING, AND STARTED LEARNING HOW TO WELD AND DO FAB WORK. IN THE CORNER OF THE SHOP SAT
A 55 CHEVY, I LOVED THE CAR AND WANTED IT. WHEN TIMES WERE SLOW AT THE SHOP ROGER HAD ME WORKING ON
THE 55 TILL IT WAS DONE, WHICH TOOK 3 YRS. ROGER SURPRISED ME ON MY BIRTHDAY AND GAVE ME THE CAR. WE HAD
A 427, 4 SPEED, 488 GEARS IN THE CAR.
I SOON STARTED STREET RACING THE CAR, WHICH PAID FOR GAS AND HELP
MAINTAIN THE CAR. TILL ONE NIGHT I BROKE AN AXLE AND ROLLED THE CAR OVER A HILL, A COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSS. I HAD
TO HAVE ANOTHER FAST CAR. SO IM TALKING WITH A FRIEND ONE NIGHT AND HE TELLS ME OF A 1968 NOVA SETTING
BEHIND A GAS STATION BADLY WRECKED, BUT AT ONE TIME A 10 SECOND DRAG CAR. I FOUND MY 1968 NOVA NEEDING
A NEW A-PILLAR ,FRONT FENDER AND DOOR, I WAS ABLE TO BUY IT FOR $500. IT TOO HAD LOTS OF GO FAST PARTS, 427
WITH ALUMINUM HEADS, LIBERTY 4SPEED AND A 12 BOLT POSI WITH 456 GEARS. I WORKED ON THE CAR DAY AND NIGHT
AND PAINTED MY FIRST CUSTOM PAINT JOB.
THE CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SINCE IT LACKED POWERSTEERING.
ONE NIGHT IM WITH A GROUP OF RACE BUDDYS IN PORTSMOUTH OHIO WHERE MY FRIEND WAS RACING AND BROKE HIS
CAR. HE ASK ME IF HE COULD RENT THE NOVA FOR A MONEY RACE. WE STRUCK A DEAL AND TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT,
HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO LACK OF POWERSTEERING, HE SAID YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE SUPERMAN
STEER IT . SO ONE WEEKEND WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOWN MY BUDS PUT THE SUPERMAN LOGO ON THE BACK, WHICH HAS
ON THE CAR SINCE IN SOME FASHION. RIGHT NOW IT IS ON THE SEATS.
THE CAR STAYED WITH CUSTOM PAINT AND NO POWERSTEERING TILL 1992 I DECIDED I HAD TO HAVE A PRO STREET
CAR. THAT’S WHEN I DID A CHASSIS CHANGE WITH 4 LINK, AND POWER RACK AND PINION ALONG WITH A FUNNYCAR CAGE AND
WHEELIE BARS, 1100 HP,1400FPT BLOWN 540. THIS WAS A GREAT COMBO! THE CAR ON IT 6TH PASS WENT 8:40 167MPH.
AT THAT TIME THE PASS FELT SLOW-MAINLY BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING A FUNNY BIKE AND TOP FUEL BIKE, RUNNING 6:35 230 MPH.
SO I DECIDED THE NOVA WOULD BE JUST A STREET CAR.
AT THIS TIME THE CAR IS GOING THROUGH MORE CHANGES, THROUGH MY SPONSORS,H.M.S WHICH IS AFILIATED
WITH BDS WELD WHEELS AND HOOSIER TIRE, I HAVE JUST PUT ON THE NEW 17 INCH FRONTS AND BEADLOCK RIMS
HOOSIER QUICKTIME PRO 31X1650 TIRES, BIG AND UGLY 16 INJECTOR HAT, ALL SPEC SHEETMETAL IS MAKING NEW
INNER FENDERS, AND AFTER 25 YEARS OF NO DOOR HANDLE, I PUT ON RINGBROTHERS DOORHANDLES,(THANKS TO
BEAUTIFUL WIFE). MANY PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT MY CAR AND THINK IM BLEEDING MONEY, WHAT IT HAS TAKEN IS SENDING
PICTURES,LETTERS AND HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS TO MY VARIOUS SPONSORS, THEY LOVE SEEING WELL BUILT,
HOME BUILT CARS REPRESENTING THERE BRANDS. TO TAKE A CAR TO THE NEXT LEVEL REQUIRES THIS!!
IN 2011 MY SON CASEY PASSED AWAY AFTER A LONG ILLNESS, BEFORE HE PASSED, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KEPT
Casey James Lunsford
THIS CAR WHICH HAS BEEN IN OUR FAMILY FOR OVER 40 YEARS, WHEN I TAKE MY LAST BREATH IT WILL BE IN MY
GARAGE WAITING FOR IT NEXT JOURNEY, BUT STILL IN THE FAMILY AND STILL IN HONOR OF CASEY JAMES LUNSFORD!!
update!!!! – As of yesterday, Jim just got picked up to race this little speed demon for the upcoming season. Maybe we can get a follow up post on the race season and some cool race pics!!!!
Super Chevy Magazine shoot
Casey James Lunsford
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I SOON STARTED STREET RACING THE CAR, WHICH PAID FOR GAS AND HELP
MAINTAIN THE CAR. TILL ONE NIGHT I BROKE AN AXLE AND ROLLED THE CAR OVER A HILL, A COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSS. I HADTO HAVE ANOTHER FAST CAR. SO IM TALKING WITH A FRIEND ONE NIGHT AND HE TELLS ME OF A 1968 NOVA SETTINGBEHIND A GAS STATION BADLY WRECKED, BUT AT ONE TIME A 10 SECOND DRAG CAR. I FOUND MY 1968 NOVA NEEDINGA NEW A-PILLAR ,FRONT FENDER AND DOOR, I WAS ABLE TO BUY IT FOR $500. IT TOO HAD LOTS OF GO FAST PARTS, 427WITH ALUMINUM HEADS, LIBERTY 4SPEED AND A 12 BOLT POSI WITH 456 GEARS. I WORKED ON THE CAR DAY AND NIGHTAND PAINTED MY FIRST CUSTOM PAINT JOB.THE CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SINCE IT LACKED POWERSTEERING.
ONE NIGHT IM WITH A GROUP OF RACE BUDDYS IN PORTSMOUTH OHIO WHERE MY FRIEND WAS RACING AND BROKE HISCAR. HE ASK ME IF HE COULD RENT THE NOVA FOR A MONEY RACE. WE STRUCK A DEAL AND TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT,HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO LACK OF POWERSTEERING, HE SAID YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE SUPERMANSTEER IT . SO ONE WEEKEND WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOWN MY BUDS PUT THE SUPERMAN LOGO ON THE BACK, WHICH HASON THE CAR SINCE IN SOME FASHION. RIGHT NOW IT IS ON THE SEATS.THE CAR STAYED WITH CUSTOM PAINT AND NO POWERSTEERING TILL 1992 I DECIDED I HAD TO HAVE A PRO STREETCAR. THAT’S WHEN I DID A CHASSIS CHANGE WITH 4 LINK, AND POWER RACK AND PINION ALONG WITH A FUNNYCAR CAGE ANDWHEELIE BARS, 1100 HP,1400FPT BLOWN 540. THIS WAS A GREAT COMBO! THE CAR ON IT 6TH PASS WENT 8:40 167MPH.AT THAT TIME THE PASS FELT SLOW-MAINLY BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING A FUNNY BIKE AND TOP FUEL BIKE, RUNNING 6:35 230 MPH.SO I DECIDED THE NOVA WOULD BE JUST A STREET CAR.AT THIS TIME THE CAR IS GOING THROUGH MORE CHANGES, THROUGH MY SPONSORS,H.M.S WHICH IS AFILIATEDWITH BDS WELD WHEELS AND HOOSIER TIRE,I HAVE JUST PUT ON THE NEW 17 INCH FRONTS AND BEADLOCK RIMS
HOOSIER QUICKTIME PRO 31X1650 TIRES, BIG AND UGLY 16 INJECTOR HAT, ALL SPEC SHEETMETAL IS MAKING NEWINNER FENDERS, AND AFTER 25 YEARS OF NO DOOR HANDLE, I PUT ON RINGBROTHERS DOORHANDLES,(THANKS TOBEAUTIFUL WIFE). MANY PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT MY CAR AND THINK IM BLEEDING MONEY, WHAT IT HAS TAKEN IS SENDINGPICTURES,LETTERS AND HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS TO MY VARIOUS SPONSORS, THEY LOVE SEEING WELL BUILT,HOME BUILT CARS REPRESENTING THERE BRANDS. TO TAKE A CAR TO THE NEXT LEVEL REQUIRES THIS!!IN 2011 MY SON CASEY PASSED AWAY AFTER A LONG ILLNESS, BEFORE HE PASSED, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KEPT
