When street and strip racing legend Jeff Lutz crashed during a filming of the popular Street Outlaws cable television series, many speculated that he would never race again. Some critics ventured that Jeff would certainly never sit behind the wheel of another 1957 Chevrolet with massive horsepower. Wrong on both counts.

Lutz is back and he’s built another shoebox Chevy. In appearance, it’s so closely matched to the original that it baffles the imagination.

Undeniably, one of the standout features of this build is the custom front end. Designed by Jeff, the original mold was given to VFN Fiberglass, who then created the final piece. The new front end – dubbed the “Lutz Deluxe” – is not only more functional than the original nose, but also adds a personal touch to the build.

Under the hood is where the magic happens. You’ll find a billet 496 cubic-inch Visner Engine Development (VED) small block motor prepared by Westside Machine in Idaho. With 4.600-inch bore spacing, the small block mill delivers staggering power that far outpaces its weight class. Packed with premium VED components – from the rotating assembly to the oil pan, to the intake manifold and cylinder heads – this engine is built to withstand the stress related to monstrous horsepower. Speaking of monstrous power, forced air induction duties are left to a pair of 88-millimeter Precision turbochargers. Maximum output is estimated to be in the 2,500 to 3,000hp range.

A Rossler Turbo 400 automatic transmission (with a ProTorque converter) and Jerry Bickel Race Cars-built rear end housing (Quick Performance 10-inch rear gear) assist in getting all that power to the pavement. As the only component that was salvaged from the original ’57 Chevy, the Jerry Bickel Race Cars-built rear end housing adds a sentimental touch even for a seasoned racer like Jeff Lutz.

The ’57 Chevy is built around a double frame rail 25.2-cert chassis that features carbon-fiber interior and titanium components, bringing it all in at just a skosh over 2,700-pounds (with Jeff in the seat). The wheels are one-piece RC Components F-5s in the rear and Retro series in the front. Fully adjustable Penske shocks keep all-four corners planted firmly on the pavement. Theoretically.

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