Indholdsfortegnelse for July 1992 i Hot Rod

I’m an incurable hot rodder. If I see a component that promises power, I have to exercise supreme self-control to keep from letting the wrenches fly. This affliction has both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, I’m optimistic about most speed goodies, which leads me headlong into the negative side of my affliction since I’m usually disappointed with the outcome. The result of all this mechanical madness for many hot rodders is a severe case of rabid disenchantment with all things high-performance. Fortunately for me, the spirit of enthusiasm for the performance industry somehow survives. Last month we published a story on the installation of the Accel SuperRam electronic fuel-injection system (’Too Cool For Fuel”) on an early hot rod. The plan was to detail what’s involved in…

Take a good look at this chassis, because it will soon be roaming the highway beneath Danny Shaffer’s awesome ’55 Chevy! It was constructed by Bakersfield, California’s, Fred Moore with the same level of craftsmanship and engineering found in his race-winning off-road and stadium trucks. The trick detailed chassis is fitted with late - model Corvette front suspension and a Ford 9-inch rearend with coil-over suspension, a four-link, and a custom driveshaft. The impressive 545ci Chevy uses a Kinser electronic fuel injection system to regulate its 16 injectors and two fuel pumps, half of which kick in above 4000 rpm. The internal engine components are the very best, and while this may seem like pretty radical stuff, this clean-burning 850hp technology is intended for street driving!…

CRAFTSMAN MOTORSPORTS™ Sears, Robuck & Company has recently announced its new Craftsman motorsports program. The program will support the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), as well as several top drivers, including Pat Austin, John Force, and Mark Pawuk with tools, race team support, and event sponsorship. Craftsman has; also been selected by the NHRA as “The Official Tools of the NHRA,” and the Craftsman “Racing for the Future” scholarship program with $200,000 in annual scholarships awarded to vocational/technical college students across the nation was established. Now that’s support!…

Drag racing’s last remaining speed threshold was realized earlier this year when Kenny Bernstein became the first driver in history to reach 300 mph. Land speed racing also has its frontiers, including the one that has been on the mind of every red-blooded speed freak since the end of 1989 when Gary Eaker was timed at 298 mph during the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association’s World of Speed. When will a stock-bodied hot rod become the first to run three bills? And what will it be—a highboy roadster or a door-slammer? And who will make it happen? As a point of reference, the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) defines the term stock bodied under its “vintage and modified categories.” We use the term loosely due to the fact that highly…

In celebration of Ford’s purchase of Lincoln in 1922 and the first production V8 in the ’32 Ford, Lincoln has debuted this country’s first mass-produced four-cam four-valve-per-cylinder V8. Destined for the upcoming Lincoln Mark VIII, this highly advanced 300-plus horsepower, all-aluminum modular 4.6L V8 has also found its way to the Deuce that started it all. Mike “Top 10” Adams is handling the construction of this resto-tech hot rod that joins old-time nostalgia with new-age technology; the two-valver is just for placement. The fully independent chassis is constructed of l¾-inch, 135-wall mild-steel tubing with a milled aluminum locator plate for the Mark VIII aluminum third-member. The front suspension utilizes 2.360-xl.00-inch, .058-wall stream-lined tubing for the A-arms, modified Mark VIII uprights and spindles, and Indy-style pushrod actuated inboard coil-overs. Other highlights…

Just when we thought the definition of radical was established, Fred Moore showed us his latest project. A Fiberglass Trends ’40 Willys body that surrounds a 4130 chrome-moly tube chassis with dual roll cages, an Alston independent front suspension with rack-and-pinion steering, and an Aerospace Components rearend with billet axle housings and integral four-link mounts. Performance Machine’s six-piston billet front calipers and four-piston rears act upon Monocoque modular wheels and fat traction. To give it the go, Moore fitted a 496ci JP1 aluminum block with Keith Black heads and machined billet crankshaft. Childs and Albert’s rods, an Ed Pink 8-71 blower and Enderle bug catcher, and Mallory ignition! Sometimes bad is just plain BAD!…

With a considerable background in various aspects of road racing, Jay T. Drake at Eagle Performance in Mauston, Wisconsin, has taken on the challenge of building the closest thing yet to a Formula One street rod. Based loosely on the lines of a ’32 Ford, it features a “bird cage” tubular chassis of T6 6061 aluminum. The outrageous hand-formed aluminum body weighs in at only 88 pounds and lifts off in one piece. Its F1-style pushrod suspension actuates inboard coil-over shocks with aero-tube A-arms at bothends, huge disc brakes, monster rubber, and its 1477 pounds to a halt. And lest we forget, this stormer sports a detuned, mechanically injected, 500hp Cosworth DFV formula motor mated to a five-speed transaxle. Yes, this F1 Deuce is seriously radical!…

Pro Modified is the most popular class of cars in drag racing today. From fat-fendered 40 Willys with superchargers sticking through the hood to radical Lamborghinis and ’Vettes and guardrail skirting, six-second 215-mph psuedo Pro Stockers, these radical door-slammers have combined the best qualities of yesterday’s Fuel Altereds with today’s Pro Stockers and captured the imagination of gearheads everywhere. They are so unusual that the International Hot Rod Association’s (IHRA) Tod Mack calls them American pop art. In three short years, drag racing’s newest professional class has become so popular with fans and racers that the IHRA, the United States Super Circuit (USSC), and the Sonoco Super Chevy Series stage national events with Pro Modified as the premier class. Even the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) has showcased these cars…

“NITROUS PETE” MISINSKY’S ’89 LX HATCHBACK Reputation is everything in the high-performance parts business. “Nitrous Pete” Misinsky learned this valuable lesson several years ago when he attempted to capitalize on his years of racing fast Fords by opening his own business, P.J.’s Performance, in Tuckerton, New Jersey. At the time, Nitrous Pete’s LX Mustang was turning high-12-second quarter-mile e.t.’s with simple bolt-ons. As his nickname might suggest, the trusty nitrous system was all Pete needed to drop his e.t.’s down into the high 11s. To have fun while promoting his business, Nitrous Pete set out to be as fast and successful as possible. Pete doesn’t like to stay with any combination too long if it threatens to get boring, so he made his way through the 11s and into the…

Affordable performance. Aggressive styling. Awesome potential. These are but three elements that give late-model Mustangs straight A’s as the hot rodder’s choice of the ’90s. Few other cars roll out of the showroom and over the com-petition with such ease, whether it’s on the street, the dragstrip, or a twisty road course. To feed this need for speed, countless manufacturers are producing every conceivable type of component from body updates and suspension pieces to high-tech drivetrain parts that are sure to get everyone’s attention. No matter what your budget is, there’s a wealth of parts and pieces that will turn your wishes into wide-eyed wonder. Follow along and discover the real potential these impressive ponycars have to offer. POCKET CHANGE: BELOW $100 Improve your rear axle control with Steeda Autosports’…

The future is here now. You’ve heard the benefits of electronic fuel injection (EFI)—increased power, reduced fuel consumption, better driveability, and lower emissions on the street. But there have always been bugaboos such as cost, installation complexity, and total installation time. To solve some of the hassles, Edelbrock has made future tech more affordable with its new multipoint sequential Pro-Flo Fuel Injection system. But that’s not all. The Edelbrock system, in conjunction with its matching Edelbrock camshaft and new aluminum heads, will allow a 350 small-block to max out at 412 horsepower and 407 lbs-ft of torque without any trouble. Not only that, but the fuel management adjustment qualities of Edelbrock’s EFI means that the engine starts easily and idles smoothly. But when the pedal’s to the metal, look out!…

It’s a hot summer night in Hometown, USA. You and your fellow wrenchers have worked all spring to assemble your street thumper. And it’s definitely a thumper—big cubes, high-compression, big cam, big carburetor, and lots of stall in the converter. One click of the starter brings this beast to life. Out of the driveway and onto the boulevard it moves. When you pull onto the main cruise strip, the line of rumpety-rump hot rods extends for over a mile. A couple of hot rods have already succumbed to hard-boiled radiators, but you have no fear. You’re confident your car won’t overheat, in fact, it won’t even reach the highside of 195 degrees! Impossible you say? Read on we say! Hot street cars don’t have to run hot. Keeping them cool…

AD NAUSEA One of the most annoying items I have seen in your magazine is the National Rifle Association (NRA) ad. I would expect this stuff in Field & Stream, but not in HOT ROD. I am not interested in the lame politics of this organization. What next, ads about abortion? Please, no more ads like this. Let’s get back on track. Bill BryanClarkston, Michigan The March ’92 centerfold ad for the NRA was great. It’s nice to see a magazine exercise its First Amendment rights and allow advertisers to support Second Amendment rights. Most readers probably don’t know how many publications refuse paid ads from the NRA, yet run anti-gun ads at a discount! Keep up the good work. Robert DayNewark, Delaware Even non-gun-owning hot rodders should support the…

While most exotic car manufacturers are stretching the limits of conventional automotive technology, Guldstrand Special Automobiles is pioneering new ground with its compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered GS90. An enhanced version of the ZR-1’s LT5 engine was reworked by Mercury Marine and Lotus engineers to produce a clean 500 hp for the coupe and 400 hp for the Nassau roadster. Both cars will be constructed with the latest composite materials and fasteners to improve torsional stiffness while greatly reducing curb weight. Of course, Guldstrand will also update the suspension to handle the additional power. The resulting performance of the 3100-pound GS90 coupe should produce a top speed of 200 mph, a quarter-mile run in 12 seconds, 0-60 in 4 seconds, and 1.2 g’s of cornering power. Then again, with looks like…

Since 1932—the year Ford Motor Company produced its depressionbred lineup of roadsters, phaetons, coupes, convertibles, sedans, Victorias, pickups, sedan deliveries, commercials, and a thing called a B-400—there has been a never-ending 60-year-old love affair between hot rodders and their precious ’32s. There are many reasons behind this hot and heavy relationship. The ’32 Ford was the first common man’s car that contained a mass-produced V8 engine. From its elegant grille shell to its rounded rear-quarter panels and exposed gas tank, the ’32 Ford was a far more attractive package than its dowdy GM and Mopar counterparts. They were simple, easy to modify, and very a-Fordable. A standard roadster, equipped with a four-banger and precious little else, sold for $450 new! Sixty years later, that same roadster could bring in $45,000.…

During a recent meeting between members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and the Street Rod Equipment Alliance (SREA), new standards were established to determine the difference between a street rod and a kit car in order to finalize their registration process with the American Association of Motor Vehicles Administrators (AAMVA). Using Burns Waggener’s ’37 Ford flatback sedan, Rick Love’s ’32 Ford five-window coupe, and Jamie Musselman’s ’32 Vicky highboy as examples, new standards were agreed upon as to the true definition of an individually constructed street rod. In short, vehicles built to resemble pre-’49 vehicles will be designated as STRD (specially constructed vehicles), and are subject to the individual state’s safety and emissions requirements based on the year of the engine. Those vehicles referred to as kit cars…

Okay hot rodders, you’ve asked for it and now you’ve got it. The most complete collection of workable, repeatable, demonstrable “science-wizardry” tech tips on the planet. The mad scientists at HOT ROD have been observing, taking notes, asking questions, discovering methods, performing experiments, and interrogating the best minds in the automotive world with the express goal of delivering the finest quality, purest grade, domestically produced tech tips ever! And while this may not be the largest compendium of tech tips ever assembled in the history of man, who cares? We know you prefer quality over quantity, that is why you drive a hot rod, that is why you read HOT ROD, and that is why you will turn the page and explore the unending universe of these helpful technical tips.…

If it’s true that form follows function, it would also stand to reason that hot rod styling would mix its lakes past with its drags present. Well, it’s not so. Instead of straight arrow speed, most rods reflect fat-tire quickness. That was the observation Larry Erickson’s fertile imagination made during a return flight from Boyd Coddington’s shop in Stanton, California (Hot Rods By Boyd), to his home near Detroit, Michigan. Coddington had just suggested to Erickson, CadZZilla’s creator, that once the Cadillac was finished, they should collaborate on a modern version of an old hot rod coupe. As a traditionalist, Erickson immediately conjured up visions of the Pierson Brothers’ ’34 combined with elements from Art and Lloyd Chrisman’s ’30 A “The nose and grille,” said Erickson, “should have that tipped-back…

Many years ago, a powerful tribe settled in the Great Lakes region of North America. Known as the people of Chev, they were extremely intelligent, hard working, and eventually became so dominant that they literally controlled the entire Western automotive world. History says this culture built fabulous monuments to itself in the form of brutally powerful automobiles. Ancient records indicate these creations roamed freely with uncontrolled fury for years. But then, a great automotive pestilence struck. Some say it was sent by the God of Oil himself; and the world, including the people of Chev, would never be the same again. Even though most of those monuments perished when the black death struck, there were persistent rumors of great treasures of these machines that are hidden somewhere in the Southeastern…

We received an amazing response to last month’s “Tuff Trucks” story, so we decided to follow up with another look at the parts and pieces that make trucks great. Whether your interests are visual or visceral, they can be easily realized with a vast array of trick external and internal updates, corner-shredding suspension components, and high-powered engine enhancements. All you need to do is decide which of these improvements are right for your ride. While pickups were originally conceived as utilitarian work horses, modern-day thinking has added fun to their function, and so can you. Imagine the possibilities and then bolt them on! SOURCES American RacingEquipmentDept. HR0719067 S. Reyes Ave.Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221800/321-5489213/635-7806 (in CA) Boyds WheelsDept. HR07 8402 Cerritos Ave.Stanton, CA 90680800/266-BOYDS714/952-4038 (in CA) Creative GiasDept. HR07229 S. Alberta…

Oh no! Not another Chevy small-block cylinder head story! What’s left to say about Mouse-motor heads? How about smog-legal, aftermarket aluminum Chevy heads? Frankly, few of you are going to rush out and buy a set of trick heads just to be politically correct. So let’s cut to the chase: Air Flow; Research (AFR) has released a new Street Head that adds power without the harassment at the smog-check station. This is exciting proof that you don’t have to be boring to be environmentally sound. Air Flow Research threw a ’90 Chevy truck on the chassis dyno and claims that the heads pumped an extra 55 horsepower and 58 lbs-ft into an otherwise stock 350. Even Sierra Clubbers will approve! Here’s what AFR can sell you under California Air Resources…

Scott Budisalich likes variety. Maybe that’s why he’s had four different motors in his ’69 Z/28. He started with a 327, switched to a 350, then a 454, and finally to a blown nitrous oxide-assisted 462ci big-block that runs 10.30s at 132 mph. A couple of years ago, he popped a blower pulley and had to run several weeks with a single four-barrel while the parts were repaired. With 8:1 compression and nitrous, the car still ran 10.61 without the blower. At 3760 pounds, Scott’s Camaro is no lightweight, but its performance is well ahead of your average street machine. Scott and his father Steve modified the current powerplant with a Competition Cams street roller cam, TRW pistons, gapless rings, a Dyer’s 6-71 blower, twin 750-cfm Holley carbs, and Hedman…

These Leo Bestgen sculptures depict Carroll Shelby with the machines that made him famous—the GT350R and the wickedly fast Cobra. The sculptures are cast in pewter and are available from The Creative Showcase, and only 1965 of each of these pieces will be made. In addition to the individual works, 150 doubles with both works on one base and enclosed in a glass case complete with a brass plaque signed by Carroll Shelby will be available. The single sculptures cost $195, plus $10 for shipping and handling. The doubles cost $790, plus $20 for shipping and handling. For more information, contact The Creative Showcase, Inc., Dept. HR07, 1278 Tree Tops, Wharton, New Jersey 07885, 800/873-2710.…

This is the last year that Richard Petty, the undisputed king of stock car racing, will be behind the steering wheel of his Petty-blue and STP-orange Winston Cup Pontiac. During his illustrious career, King Richard has won far more stock car races than any other racer in National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing (NASCAR) history. Only two years into his 30-year career, Petty was already into a career change. After Chrysler re-introduced its 426 Hemi in response to the increasingly powerful 427ci Chevys and Fords, all was not well at NASCAR. By the end of 1964, Bill France had outlawed Chrysler’s new Hemi because, ’They were not readily available production engines and could not be purchased right off the assembly line.” Chrysler retaliated by boycotting the ’65 NASCAR season,…

Goodyear recently announced an image overhaul for its fleet of blimps. We caught a glimpse of the new design before its release and got the inside skinny from Chief Pilot Nick Nicolary. First, Goodyear’s airship isn’t a zeppelin—it’s a blimp. While both are considered dirigibles, a rigid internal structure differentiates a blimp from a zeppelin. Goodyear has built Navy blimps since 1919 and has maintained a private fleet since 1926. The current family of three GZ20A blimps are 192 feet long and hold 202,700 cubic feet of air and helium. Each blimp travels four to seven months out of the year, with a range of 700 to 800 miles in 25 hours. Support trucks follow them on the ground. When we first heard of the blimp redesign, we envisioned a…

For years, the beginnings of this ’40 Ford convertible sat in a barn. And for years, Doug “Slim” Klann tried to buy the old canvas car. He even got to the point of talking cash, but the owner wasn’t interested. However, being the head dude of Slim’s Body Works in Freeland, Michigan, has its advantages. “I talked the guy into trading the car,” remembers Doug, “for a paint job on the other ’40 convert he owned.” Another plus was that Doug could transform it into a mildly wild ragtop. Take its pre-war sheetmetal for instance—to the naked eye it looks relatively stock. However, Doug chopped the windshield four and a half inches; sectioned the body an additional two inches; stretched, smoothed, and peaked the hood; filled the decklid; and frenched…

Dave Vanden Brand’s ’57 Chevy is a bad, bad ride. The tube-framed Pro Street-styled car sports a Mark Williams-enhanced, four-link located. Ford 9-inch with a 4.86 gear. Pro Shocks coil-overs damp all four corners, while a Pinto rack and pinion and JFZ brakes do the work on the nose. Weld wheels (15x3.5 in front, 15x14 in the rear) and a combination of rear-mounted Goodyear slicks (32x16-15) for the strip and Mickey Ts (33x21.55-15) for the street make up the business end of the rolling stock. Dave installed the fiberglass hood, truck lid, and bumpers and then sprayed his machine in Hugger Orange with silver accents. The interior is finished in black ’Hyde with JAZ seats, Auto Meter gauges, and custom aluminum work. The juice is supplied by a 468ci Chevy…

This is Jon Kennedy’s first effort at building a street rod. And it’s no surprise that he did such an excellent job since he’s no stranger to mechanical excellence—he’s been a class-winning off-road racer for several years. His rod is built around a Deuce Factory frame kit in which Jon attached a Super Bell front end, a dropped axle, and spindles. The spindles were modified by Pete & Jake to fit the company’s front-disc brake kit. Custom shocks were tit in each corner to keep the BFGoodrich-shod Boyds wheels in contact with the road. Jon elected to dress the small-block Chevy with an Offy Tripower manifold, which is fed by a triple hit of Rochester two-barrel carbs. He buttoned up the engine with Mickey Thompson valve covers and a Chet…

GOOD GOING Before Sam Foose applied this beautiful layer of deep brandy-wine paint to Marilyn Meadors’ ’34 Ford, he reworked the all-steel body from end to end. A three-piece hood was modified with finned aluminum side vents and was “nosed” over the grille, while new smooth running boards were fitted with milled accents. The windshield was recessed into the cowl for a clean look, while the taillights were replaced with handmade flush mounts, and the turn signals were recessed into the bumpers. Sam also built the handsome removable Carson top. The Roy Brizio chassis features a Super Bell axle, a Pete & Jake four-bar rear suspension, Mullins steering, a Ford 9-inch rearend, Aldan shocks, and Deuce Factory sway bars. POWER UP Beneath this specially fabricated air cleaner with twin K&N…

The design and tuning of the suspension and driveline often seem to be the last thing on the “to do” list of most hot rodders. Actually, we should say the chassis is last on the list for slow hot rodders, because the savvy rodder knows that! chassis setup is the key to a truly’ quick car that handles and brakes well and one that delivers smooth performance without undue maintenance. Here are several valuable tips and tricks that most rodders will find useful, as well as entertaining. THE LOOK OF LOW Street stance is everything. The right rake combined with the right ride height can make even an average Streeter look really cool. And while most rodders slam their cars to the ground and live with choppy ride quality, this…