Indholdsfortegnelse for April 1973 i Hot Rod

New car road tests are standard fare in the pages of Hot Rod Magazine, but occasionally a special car comes along that deserves a different type of treatment. Such an occasion occurred recently, and the car with charisma was the completely restyled ’73 Hornet Hatchback from American Motors. Suddenly our test Hornet had become two test Hornets. and our standard road test became a rather unique cross-country comparison test and radar detector evaluation. Originally we had ordered a Hatchback, complete with the largest factory-available engine, the 360-cubic-inch. two-barrel version, and a list of options as long as Wilt Chamberlain’s arms. Power steering, power disc brakes, AM/FM radio, rear window defroster, limited-slip differential, Torque-Command automatic trans and Goodyear radial tires were only some of the add-on goodies. Then we learned that…

We are at Laguna Seca, a twisty road racing course in picturesque Monterey, California, where the ’73 models from Kawasaki are being introduced. We had come here to witness the unveiling of Kawasaki’s long-rumored-but-seldom-seen 900cc road bike. And it was here, sitting in a corner, hidden from curious eyes by a protective sheet. When the sheet was pulled away, there it was: the most powerful production street motorcycle ever. Four massive black-finned cylinders, each with its own carburetor and swoopy exhaust pipe. Twin towers for the two cam-shafts, along with bright silver “DOHC” letters on each side of the engine. With 903 cubic centimeters of raw horsepower (82 of them at 8500 rpm, to be exact), this motorcycle would soon become the ultimate machine for all others to be compared…

“First Man into the Fives” is the title belonging to veteran Mike Snively. the man who guaranteed his place in drag racing history by recording the first official five-second clocking with a 5.97 at the NHRA Supernationals. The machine that did it is Diamond Jim Annin’s slick 220-inch-wheelbase Top Fuel dragster, built by Woody Gilmore and motivated by a 473-cubic-inch Keith Black hemi. The elephant motor features Black rods. Venolia pistons. Donovan valves. Engle cam. Enderle injectors. Hedman headers. Cirillo mag and Champion plugs, and it’s all lubricated by Pennzoil Racing Oil. Behind the Schiefer clutch and flywheel sits a Lenco 2-speed trans and Ford rear with Schiefer gears. Summers axles and Hurst/Airheart brakes. All bodywork. including the trick fairings over the front wheels and the front wing, was fashioned…

Talk about your flamed Deuce roadsters j… Jerry Killberg’s machine from Racine, ’ Wisconsin, is a complete knockout. It even has flames on the underside of the J floorboards. The 322-inch ’55 Buick engine mates to a ’53 Olds tranny. Paint j is the traditional black body with red, yellow and orange flames. Corvette rear j suspension has been chromed and detailed. Steel roadster body has been left atop the ’32 frame rails in the classic, j early-50s style. Rod was painted by Butch of Concourse Paint Works in j Milwaukee and upholstered in antique gold nylon mohair by Carl Casper, also | of “Beertown.” Jerry is currently fitting a j 4-71 blower for the trip to Tulsa, plus a Turbohydro. Car uses Corvair steering. Killberg built the whole car…

There are a bunch of fine forty Fords out there, but we think this one is one of, if not the best ever. Billy Pries of Kearney, New Jersey, bought this rod from Ken Van Iderstine (the brother of Pete, whose Deuce roadster is featured ’ elsewhere in this roto section) and completely refurbished it. Photos just don’t do justice to Bill’s standard coupe, | but if you look at the one picture of Bill I and Hot Rod’s ace photog Mike Brenner I reflected in the side of the car, you can I begin to see why we rave about the car. I Engine is a 1970 Ford 302 small-block mated to a C-4 Ford automatic. Wire wheels are ’62 T-Bird with ’35 Ford hubcaps. Other tricks include air…

I Tulsan “Big Bob” Boward achieved a unique look to his 1915 T abbreviated pickup by using gennie 1910 T fenders, lights and “still in the original crate” radiator. Body is also steel. The Firemist I Green rod won 29 first-place show awards in as many outings. It took Bob six years to collect all the cherry steel for the car. The stock-displacement 303-inch ’50 Olds uses a J2 Olds triple deuce induction system and hand-built headers. Front suspension is ’34 Ford with tubular ’37 Ford front axle. Olds rear is hung with ’48 Ford components. Wheels are Ansen, and Positraction tires are used. Bob should be tickled that this year’s I NSRA Street Rod Nationals will be in i his town.…

Awesome and unpredictable are the cars that run in AA/FA. This one, owned by Graf and Geisler, has run well under the record with a best time of 6.82 seconds at 214.44 mph. It features a Cal Automotive T body on an RCS chassis and is powered by a 398-c.-i. early hemi. The estimated 1500 horsepower reaches the Chrysler rearend through a Lenco transmission. Frank’s boss, Hank Bechtloff, lent his shop for the engine work.…

TIE-DOWNS FOR PICKUPS New Universal tie-downs fit all pickup truck stake holes to provide a sturdy, flexible and economical tie-down for any load. Made of machined steel and chrome-plated, with eye diameter of one inch. Fast, easy installation and removal. Priced at $10.95 per set of two; two sets for $19.95. Order from WEENOMAD, Dept. HR, 7818 Daetwyler Drive, Lot 2, Orlando, Fla. 32809 BE YOUR OWN TUNE-UP TEAM The Daytona-American Pit Stop Tune-Up Team consists of a multi-function auto analyzer, power timing light, vacuum/fuel pump tester, compression tester and remote starter switch, all in protective console. Instruments are professional quality. More information from Auto-Marine Instruments Corp., Dept. HR, 6101 Gross Point Road, Niles, III. 60648. FEEL THE DIFFERENCE Now available through Webco dealers, the S&W true progressive spring offers…

The past ten years have wrought a remarkable change in the enthusiast automobile market, and we feel it is important for today’s car magazine to keep adapting with the changing marketplace. We’ve been doing a great deal of soulsearching here at Hot Rod lately, scrutinizing our editorial direction and makeup from just about every conceivable standpoint. One of the first things I did when I came over here from Car Craft a year ago was to state that our primary direction was showing you, with clearly illustrated, authoritative, understandable articles, how to perform easily accomplished modifications which will improve your car’s performance (acceleration, braking, cornering, gas mileage, etc.) or appearance while staying within | your financial reach. We’ve been following this basic guideline and presenting, every month, economic street-oriented modifications.…

Riverside International Raceway is the only road course circuit on the NASCAR Grand National schedule. The big stockers race there twice a year. The first time is in January, and it is also the first race of each Grand National racing year. Then, in June, midway through the season. the predominantly Southern-based racing men head West again for a 400mile race at Riverside. The inaugural outing is the Winston Western 500. and 500 miles at Riverside is a long drive. The race usually lasts about four hours and that time period does take its toll on men and machines. Depending on the gearing of each car, a driver can look at changing gears about a half-dozen times per lap. And there are 191 laps to make to put in 500…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US The football game on the tube was forgotten this morning as I spent my time tripping on your 25th anniversary issue. I was 14 years old when I discovered your magazine at a newsstand at Hollywood Blvd, and Western Avenue. In those days the old Herald Express gave its newsboys passes to Gilmore Field for the Thursday night midget races. These days 1 race a McLaren in the Can-Am Series. In Porsches I’ve won races from Laguna Seca to Daytona. Nothing will ever compare to the thrill of winning my first trophy at Saugus in my ’39 flathead. My dad still has the trophy on display. I didn’t sleep the night that Lou Baney awarded me my trophy… just reran that drag race in my mind…

If you had a plexiglass timing chain cover and could throw a timing light on your chain and sprockets at around 7000 rpm, what do you think you’d see? It’s quite possible you’d see why so many racers, are discarding their chain-operated cam drive. There’s usually an rpm range where harmonics set in, according to valve spring tension, reciprocating weight, engine load and many other factors, causing the chain to affect the camshaft’s rotation adversely. The cam then rotates spasmodically rather than smoothly, causing erratic spark and cam timing. Although it can never be completely eliminated, the effect can be greatly reduced by the use of a gear drive. Among the more well-known manufacturers of camshaft gear drives, such as Jackson, Donovan and the Summers Brothers, is Chevrolet. Having been…

In 1958 a young man bought his first motorcycle for recreational street use. In the ensuing years he has become one of the most well-known and feared A/Fuel Bike riders in the United States today, holding both NHRA top speed (174) and e.t. (8.87) records. Boris Murray began as did most top drivers of today. He entered his stock Triumph in the street bike category at local strips around his home in La Verne, California. All went well for a few years until the management at the strips decided to accept only machines intended solely for drag racing. This presented no real problem for Boris, as he simply went home and converted his Stocker into a fuelburning drag bike. Since then, Boris has run only Triumph engines and fuel. Growing…

Ever try to put an L-88 hi-rise aluminum manifold (part No. 3947083) or a similar aftermarket hi-rise manifold on a rat engine in a ’68 or newer ’Vette? The manifold fits the engine and everything bolts right up—that is until you try to close the hood. The stock Corvette hood just won’t clear the carburetor and air cleaner when a hi-rise manifold is installed. Now there’s a sleek new hood with additional clearance to accommodate the hi-rise manifold installation on ’68 and newer ’Vettes. Because of recent noise and emission regulations, this new hood (part No. 339173) is listed as “for off-road use only” when its internal duct work is actually used to carry cool air to the carburetor. However, installing the hood just for show while retaining the conventional…

A couple of years ago. the folks at Chrysler Corporation introduced a prime example of their “extra care in engineering": a pointless electronic ignition system that required no tuneups and increased plug life significantly. It was a great deal… but in order to get one you had to buy the whole car. Realizing that a lot of MoPar owners would love to install such a system on their cars and be done with tuneups forever, they set to work designing a means to allow this swap. After a year of development, this marvel of space-age wizardry that’s standard equipment on all ’73 Chrysler products is available as a separate unit. It will fit all Chrysler’s currentdesign small-and big-block engines. It can be purchased piece by piece or in kit form,…

In the annals of Spanish history, don was the title given to noblemen and landlords, the most important men in that society. In the Cosa Nostra, don is the name given to the head of the family, the most powerful and most influential in the underworld organization. At the ’73 AHRA Winter Nationals. Don was the name possessed by all of the pro category winners, the quickest, fastest and/or luckiest men at that meet. It is perhaps ironic that three Dons should emerge victorious in the American Hot Rod Association’s 13th annual winter classic. The event, staged at Beeline Dragway in Scottsdale. Arizona, takes place in the heartland of the arid Southwest, surrounded by reminders of Spanish habitation centuries before. In such an atmosphere. and in warm, dry and windy…

Here’s another of those classic street rod combinations, the ’29 Model A roadster on ’32 rails, highboy fashion. Anthony Martinez, a mechanic from San Leandro, California, has been into the rodding scene for 22 years and belongs to the Bay Area Roadsters. He tells us that this rod took first place at the Oakland Roadster Show in 1969. The 396-inch 1967 Chevy rat Motor is backed up with a similar-vintage Turbohydro trans. The Offenhauser intake manifold sprouts a pair of Carter AFB four-barrels. Rear is from a ’65 Corvette with 3.70:1 cogs. Front suspension is ’37 Ford spring with dropped ’32 Ford I-beam. Tony painted the A Midnight Blue and had Gil Britto apply the black Naugahyde interior. ’Vette discs are used all around, and steering is the rack-and-pinion variety.…

I This 1927 vintage T roadster body has: been channeled over a 1930 “A” frame. Owner Jon Wright of Grafton, Ohio, built the car but, in a constant effort to improve it, finds that the car must come I completely apart at least once a year. Engine is a 265 Chevy small-block which has been enlarged to 283 inches. Crower roller cam, Edelbrock tunnel ram intake, Kustom Sprinter headers and other goodies add pizzaz to performance. Trans is a Torqueflite with Hurst shifter, and I Eelco adapter mates box to block. CAE straight tube front axle mounted in I suicide-style rear suspension is “A” I spring with Eord wagon housing. Wheels I are Durachrome. tires J.C. Penney.…

At the NHRA World Finals in Amarillo last fall. Top Fuel stalwart Clayton Harris unleashed a tremendous 6.21 run. and in so doing recorded a bit of drag racing history. This run was not historical simply because of the 3600-foot altitude that usually precludes such performances, but because Harris had secretly debuted a new development that may soon be rewriting the record books. Hidden under the seat of his New Dimension Top Fuel dragster was a bottle of nitrous oxide (N.O), a substance known by dentists and dental patients for several years as laughing gas. Rather than breathing it prior to each run, however. Harris was injecting this odorless gas into his engine. Nitrous oxide injection, while not a new idea, is currently the brainchild of Marc Danekas. who. two…

Good news folks! They’ve finally figured out a way to clean up the air. A brilliant plan. Simple, but completely effective. You’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it yourself when you hear what it is. But you’re not an expert like the heavy thinkers at the Environmental Protection Agency who dreamed it up after spending only a few million dollars and a couple of years, so don’t blame yourself. All we’ve got to do, the EPA says, is quit driving. That’s right, just turn that old car of yours into a planter or a giant paperweight; you won’t need it anymore. And the lucky people who are going to be first in trying out this noble experiment are the seven or eight million potential pedestrians now languishing in the…

For the past 20 years Smokey Yunick has been known as one of America’s foremost racing mechanics. His reputation has been built on his innovative (if not always within the letter of the rules) no-nonsense approach to building winning race cars and engines that produce a few more horsepower than those of the competition. Although the happenings within Smokey’s Daytona Beach shop, which he modestly calls “The Best Damn Garage in Town,” are shrouded behind chain link fences, blacked-out windows and KEEP OUT signs, “the Smoke’s” involvement with the small-block Chevrolet V8 is well known. He is recognized as one of the most knowledgeable authorities on this engine. From time to time he has even consulted with Chevrolet Engineering on the design of new performance pieces. The fact that Smokey…

When Francis Crider was informed that his three-time-national-events-winning C/Dragster could no longer run the class, he set out to find another car that would dominate his competition. Again using a 426 hemi and many Pro Stock-type innovations, the ole Super Bee master came up with a very competitive package. The ’23 roadster was designed to run both A and B/SR. The tube frame was designed by Bob Riley and built by Ron Fournier. The 100-inch-wheelbase car is supported with front and rear coil-over Monroe shocks. Rod Shop engine sports dual-plug cylinder heads and Hilborn injection. This much-disguised ’72 Dodge Pro Stocker has already turned the quarter in 9 seconds at over 153 mph. Driver Dick Flickinger has the experience and the car has the power to be a champion.…

Having successfully campaigned their Brand X Camaro for the past two years, Cecil Lankford and David Sien have constructed a new car. The car is a Mustang featuring a Buttera chassis and a 484-cu.-in. hemi built by Steve Montrelli. Paint and lettering were applied by Don Kirby and Nat Quick, who finished it in red, with yellow and orange flames. Displacement of the stock-bore hemi was increased with a Moldex. 400-inch stroker. M/T aluminum rods carry Venolia.050-inch-down pistons yielding 5.8:1 compression. Enderle injection rests atop a 41-percent-overdriven Air Research blower. Other engine accessories include an Ed Pink wet-sump oil system and fuel pump overdrive, and an Isky cam. Best e.t. to date for the new car is 6.70 seconds at 219 mph, and considering their past success, David and Cecil…

Within the space of four months last fall. Don Moody won $38,000 at Tulsa, captured $20,000 more and became the quickest man in drag racing by winning the NHRA Supernationals With a 5.91. and then set a new NHRA record at Lions’ Last Drag Race with a 6.13. It’s been that kind of year in Top Fuel racing for the partnership of Doug Walton. Wes Cerny and Don Moody. Their 224-inch-wheeIbase dragster was built by Don Long and uses a 484-cubic-inch Keith Black hemi for power. Black also supplies the pistons. rings and rods, while other engine goodies include Donovan valves. Engle cam. Hilborn injectors, Hedman headers, Mallory mag and Champion spark plugs, with lubrication by Pennzoil. Schiefcr clutch arid flywheel, Lenco 2-speed, Ford rear. Airheart brakes. Goodyear tires and…

So the old workhorse out there in the driveway has acquired a few dings here and there. And you’ve been thinking that maybe it’s time you got the act together and had the dings pulled and the body repainted some incredible color like Day Gio Velvet. But the local body shop gave you an estimate of $14,285.35 to do the repairs. And even if you worked overtime for a month you still wouldn’t have enough dollars to have it fixed. Hold it right there, pal! We’re going to help you out. We’re going to tell (and show) you how to do it yourself—even if you’ve never done bodywork before—and come out lookin’ like a pro. This three-part Shop Series article will deal with the basics of pulling and filling dents,…

Lift bars, whether they’re of the ladder-type construction or built from rectangular tubing, perform two basic functions (both of which improve traction): (1) They help prevent spring wrap-up, which can cause wheel hop (especially when coupled with worn shocks), and (2) they use the reactionary rotation of the axle housing to force the tires against the ground. To clarify the term “reactionary rotation.” let’s take, for example, a car sitting on the line ready to make a run. As power is applied to the differential, the pinion gear tries to “climb” the front of the ring gear, whose immediate rotation is being hampered by the amount of available traction and the weight of the car. Because the pinion is surrounded by the snout of the axle housing, it wants to…

Tom Biles’ stock-height ’34 three-window uses pinstriping to accent the lines of the body and fenders. Paint is 68 Buick Burnished Saddle Brown with matching brown Naugahyde interior. The louvered hood hides a ’55-vintage 265-cubic-inch Chevy with twin WCFB four-barrels and Duntov cam. The rumble seat pops open, so Tom can haul the family around his home town of Tonawanda, New York. Trans is a Chevy four-speed and rear is a *S5 Chevy housing attached to the stock ’34 springs. The front axle is dropped 2 inches and Ansen Sprints sport Kelly tires up front, Pos-A-Tractions in back. Steering is from a 1948 Ford 1/2-ton truck. Greyhound hood ornament is an accessory from ’34. Tom is a member of the Street Rods of Western New York and an associate member…

Pete Van Iderstine has probably owned more ’32 Fords than you’ll ever see. He drove his channeled 3-window to high school 20 years ago, once with his then girlfriend (now his wife), plus her sister and the latter’s French horn case. Now he owns two Deuces that we know of (this highboy plus a full-fendered tudor sedan). This roadster ran fenderless in 1948. sat outside for 15 years before Pete found it and restored it to its present shape. Pete owns a chain of four speed shops in Jersey, owns and sponsors a Top Fuel dragster and is the nicest guy you’ll ever want to meet. Chrome is by C&M of San Francisco, 1 3/4-inch chopped top and side curtains hide behind driver but still allow room for rumble seat.…

Full-fendered 1933-’34 Ford coupes look best when chopped, or at least you’d think that after seeing Don Bryant’s ’34 coupe. Originally chopped 3’/2 inches in California back in ’55 or so, Don got the car as a basket case and put her all together. The St. Joseph. Michigan, five-window features 327 Chevy engine with PG trans, 1957 Chevy rear, Ansen Sprint wheels, Goodyear and MT tires, Pinto rack and pinion steering, Corvair front suspension and ’66 Mustang instrument cluster. Don’s had the car for about 2’/2 years and is currently putting together a ’31 Delux Delivery for Tulsa. Both the black paint job and the black upholstery are by the owner, who has logged about 12,000 miles on the coupe since assembling it. Note where he hid the front turn…

If you’d like to have your car appear on “Readers’ Page,” send description, plus black and white photos with a clean background, to Readers’ Page, Hot Rod Magazine, 8490 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90069. Photos cannot be returned. FIRED UP This beautiful two-door hardtop is owned by Clayton Moen of Jonesville. Wisconsin. It’s finished in black lacquer with orange and yellow flames. Nestled under the hood is a silent-but-deadly 427 Corvette engine that’s coupled to a Muncie 4-speed trans and 3.70:1 positraction rearend. Clayton completely rebuilt the front end with heavier coils and new ball joints. The interior features buttoned black Naugahyde, while slot mags round off the exterior. ARIZONA SLEEPER Larry Fulsome of Glendale. Arizona, is the proud owner of (his yellow and white Bel Air hardtop. Reversed…

Two years ago Mike McCloskey and Greg Jordan decided to build an econorail. They also decided that there was more than one way to skin a cat and their finished product is definitely not the typical budget racer. The two partners have had nearly 20 years of combined experience in building cars for fun classes. They began constructing flathead dragsters in 1959 and have built six of them to date. Most readers will recall the “Pea Soup” Andersen flatheads of the early Sixties which were the forerunners of today’s now-popular econorails. The owners also spearheaded the creation of the United Flathead Racers Association, which now boasts a membership of nearly 200 and actively races 30 dragsters at monthly meets throughout the Southwestern United States. With their extensive experience in chassis…