 As a result, he bought a 1953 Studebaker coupe and installed a 364-cubic-inch Buick motor and a four-speed transmission.After engaging in a number of dangerous street races, Hines entered his car in sanctioned National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) meets at the Strato Rods Dragway on the McGuire Air Force Base in Wrightstown, New Jersey.After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Hines was hired by General Motors as a quality control engineer at the manufacturer's Trenton, New Jersey facility.