It’s that time of the year when everybody starts to tease what they’ve got coming out for the New Year. Movie trailers provide sneak peeks at the following summer’s future blockbusters. Auto manufacturers have since revealed their upcoming models and latest innovations. Even the technology crowd have pulled back the curtain revealing all the gadgets, video games and other electronic doodads that you’ll inevitably must have.

Here at Chevy HardCore, we’ve been hard at working building up a garage with enough projects to provide us with all the product testing, how-to tips, and trick new product installs to last us nearly for the entire length of 2011.

To your right you’ll see our ’66 Chevy II “MaxStreet.” This crazy machine is an amalgam of all sorts of over-the-top go-fast goodies. This Nova has already been under the knife for a year now, getting some serious work in the structural department (namely, mini-tubs, sub-frame connectors, a complete Chris Alston’s Chassisworks front-clip, and is currently getting a 10-point cage).

It’s already got a gnarly Moser 9-inch rear riding on a Quadralink Detroit Speed 4-link, and Wilwood brakes at all four corners, and sitting between the frame rails is a wicked Edelbrock 555 cubic inch monster that’s just been fitted with an absurdly humongous F-2 ProCharger and is backed by TCI’s 6-speed automatic. Somehow we’re hoping to knock out 9-second quarter mile times with this lil’ red shoebox while being able to enjoy cool air from an aftermarket air conditioning system and some tunes on a state-of-the-art sound system.

Of course, MaxStreet isn’t the only Nova in the stable. No doubt you’ve already seen some of the progress on our ProTouring ’71 Nova christened “Swinger.” This hard-handling low-slung street machine has needed quite a bit of sheetmetal work getting new door skin, quarter patches and a cowl hood from Classic Industries, new sub-frame connectors, as well as its fair share of motivational goods.

This includes a complete Air Ride Suspension system, a Currie 9-inch rear, Stainless Steel Brakes at all four corners, an AFCO all-aluminum radiator, Aeromotive’s very best in fuel-delivery systems, a Tremec six-speed, and a genuine GMPP LSA. You know, the same supercharged plant propelling those wicked CTS-V Cadillacs on the road today.

Swinger is destined for some serious ProTouring event testing, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.

We’re also really excited to show you our latest member of the Chevy HardCore project car family, the Orange Crusher. This awesomely cool white-on-Hugger Orange Z/28 clone wasn’t the real deal, but was half way through the conversion process when the previous owner had to call it quits.

We picked her up for a decent price and were tickled to see that the entire cabin and trunk were stuffed with darn near everything we’d need to piece her back together. This indeed, is a “car in a box.” While ‘Crusher will look like a beautifully restored ’69 Z/28 (save for some 17s or 18s, we haven’t quite decided yet), beneath the skin, it’ll be anything but. We’re looking a hugely over bored and stroked small block with a 5 or 6-speed manual gear box.

We’re still hashing out the details, but we’re hoping to either suit her up like a true blue road course SCCA-inspired racer or a road course-worthy street sleeper. Yeah, we know, it’s a ’69 Camaro, basically the ’32 Ford of muscle cars implying that everything has already been done before. So that’s why we’re putting the Orange Crusher on the back burner for a little while longer. We’re going to need a little more time to plan to get it right!

We hope you enjoyed this glimpse at what Chevy HardCore has cookin’ for 2011. Our horoscope predicted excitement in our future, and we’re believing it!