SOURCE LIST GENERAL Car Owner/Driver: Monty Berney Hometown: Danville, CA Home Track: Sacramento Raceway Park Car Year/Model: 1955 Chevrolet 210 Sedan Car Name: Bertha Too Sanction/Class: PSCA/Pro Street Best ET/Speed: 6.93/204.36 Number of Years Owned: 7 years (2 as a racecar)   CHASSIS Builder: Jim Berg Type: Back-half/Powder coated Front Susp: Stock A-frames and ball joints Rear Susp: Four-link Tires: Hoosier, 4.5X15 front/39.5X17X16 rear Rims: Weld Brakes: Aerospace front/Strange rear Rearend: Tom’s Differentials Axles: Strange 40 spline   ENGINE Builder: In house Type/Size: Chev 526 c.i. Block: Donovan Heads: Alan Johnson billet Crank: Sonny Bryant Rods/Pistons: GRP/CP Cam: Bullet Pushrods/Rockers: Manton/T&D Valves/Springs: Stealth/Manley Oil Pump: Titan wet sump Oil: Pennzoil 60W Ignition: MSD Injectors: Enderle Hat Power Adder: Mert Littlefield 14-71 blower Intake: Indy Headers: Jim Dunford Mufflers: Borla Transmission: Lenco   INTERIOR Tinwork: Jim Berg Seats: Jerry Bickel carbon fiber Steering Wheel: Momo Shifter: Lenco Gauges: Auto Meter Seatbelts: Crow Enterprises Data Recorder: Racepak Helmet: Simpson Driving Suit: Simpson Fire Suppression: Safecraft Parachutes: Chute Metal   SPONSORS Maas Brothers Powder Coating S&S Automotive Karmont Development

Significantly, there’s no rollcage bar crossing in front of the dash because Berney wanted to preserve its stock appearance. He received special dispensation from NHRA to instead upsize the tube size and run it behind the dash. The chassis is certified to six seconds over the quarter mile.

Additionally, along with modern Auto Meter gauges to keep track of his engine’s vitals, Berney’s ’55 retains its original dashboard layout. “I even cut the back off the old AM radio and stuck it back in there,” he says. The interior also features a full headliner, door panels, carpeting on the floor, and all interior tin is powder coated.

Berney also wanted to avoid the screwed-in-windows look of so many racecars, so he installed 3/16-inch Lexan all around because it allowed the use of original rubber weatherstripping instead. Both driver and passenger windows can be rolled up and down with stock handles, but the winders for the vent windows are missing and the vents screwed shut because Berney found the Lexan was not staying rigid enough for them to stay closed properly.

Externally, the ‘55 has all period-correct chrome trim and only the hood and trunk lid are fiberglass reproductions on the 3,200-pound beast. Even the factory-original steel inner fenders remain in place because Berney says he doesn’t “believe” in being able to see a car’s suspension through its wheel wells. Amazingly, his car also carries its original heavy chrome bumpers fore and aft, though Berney concedes, “we did cut and section them and moved them in just a tiny bit to get them a little tighter to the body.”

Finally, all lights work with the exception of the back-up lights, but that likely will be remedied by the start of this season, Berney says. “We might even put a dome light in it over the winter.”

After about a year and a half of construction, Berney debuted the car, still cloaked in primer, at the Pacific Street Car Association’s 2004 season ender at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he qualified in Pro Street with a 7.137-seconds pass at 195.62 mph. The car has since run a best E.T. of 6.93 seconds at California Speedway in Fontana, CA, and top speed of 204.36 mph at Sacramento (CA) Raceway Park.

Last year, Berney finished third in PSCA Pro Street points, trailing only Clint Hairston and Ed Thornton, who nailed down his third straight championship. He then capped off his season with great success, earning his first big win with the car in November at Las Vegas, defeating Heath Johnston in the Heavy Street final at the inaugural non-points PSCA Street Car Super Nationals.

Berney is justifiably proud of his latest ride, which he campaigns with the help of Berg trackside and Dunford calling the shots as crew chief, sometimes long distance via the telephone. “I don’t know that there’s another stock-bodied, full-size car with chrome mufflers that’s gone 204 miles an hour before, or a 6.93,” he says. “If there is, it’s very, very few.