Indholdsfortegnelse for February 1963 i MotorTrend

HIGH PERFORMANCE ISN’T ALWAYS SPEED Stock car competition for 1963 is well under way, both in the sales division and the who-gets-to-the-finish-line-first department—or to put it bluntly: racing. Close contests are forecast in stock car closed course, road racing, and the crowd-pleasing drags. High performance will be a big factor in focusing attention on car makers’ products, whether the buyer drives away in a new model loaded with horsepower or just a normal model with only comfort accessories. Whichever the buyer chooses, from minimum to maximum horsepower, and whether he likes it or not, his car will be loaded with high-performance components. Let’s take an average mid-western car and driver. His car’s been standing in an unheated garage overnight, or maybe over a weekend. The temperature is anywhere from zero…

The Formula Junior race is won on Champions. And Champion-fired cars win both classes in the Grand Prix for Sports Cars, with 76,000 fans cheering on the top American and International sports car drivers at California’s Riverside Raceway… Performance like this is more proof of a fact that engine experts have long known: No one has ever built a spark plug to outperform a Champion! In 1962 sports car racing and drag racing—from Sebring to Riverside… from the Winter nationals to the National Drags—it was proved again and again! So next time you install spark plugs, insist on the plugs that pack the performance punch—silvery-plated Champions!…

THE RAMBLER AMERICAN will never be the darling of performance enthusiasts, but the men in charge at American Motors couldn’t care less if the car never stars at the drag strip. They’ve aimed their American at a much broader segment of the population—motorists who want reliable, economical transportation in a package that’s conveniently small without being crowded. That American owners approve is indicated by the fact that an increasing number of them are repeat customers—and unhappy car owners seldom repeat their mistakes. For our test we selected an American 440 convertible fitted with almost every available accessory. Their price totaled $1006.50, and for that reason its suggested total price of $3481.50 (including $131 transportation) is hardly typical of the average Rambler American sold. It does demonstrate an interesting fact about…

THE DODGE DART ENJOYS the distinction of being one of the few all-new models introduced this year. Replacing the Lancer in the company line-up, this new compact takes its name from last year’s middle-sized Dodge series. While the Lancer was generally agreed to be a good car for the money, its sales never quite came up to the company’s expectations. Too many people felt (and rightly) that it was just too much like the less expensive Plymouth Valiant to warrant the difference in price. One look at the new Dart will show that its styling belongs to it alone. Although the body shell and styling are completely new, the Dart’s dependable mechanical components were tried and proven during the three-year lifespan of the Lancer. Built on a 111-inch wheelbase, the…

I’VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH during the past two years to have driven three Wankel-engined NSU cars. In the spring of 1960, the Neckarsulm plant loaned me an otherwise normal Prinz sedan with a rotary piston engine of 250cc (15-cubic-inch) chamber size. It was admittedly crude and hard to drive, but fun nevertheless. I found it difficult to get used to this engine’s weird torque characteristics, and everyone politely acknowledged its other bugs. (See MT, May, 1960, for an early road test.) Then in 1962, Neckarsulm again invited me to try my hand. The difference was enormous. This engine was smooth, silent, powerful, and efficient. It garnered roughly 45 hp from a displacement of only 15 inches, turned up to 11,000 rpm, and was about the size of a Texas cantaloupe.…

THOMAS B. JEFFERY built and sold Rambler bicycles in Chicago from 1878 to 1900. He was one of America’s first men interested in automobiles in the late 19th century, and in 1897, he built himself a motor car. Jeffery was serious and visionary enough about cars to buy a plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he planned to manufacture automobiles on a large scale. His experimental prototypes of 1900 and 1901 used at least two radical innovations—steering wheels and front-mounted engines. But by the time Jeffery was ready for production in 1902, his father had talked him out of these wild dreams and convinced him to stick with tillers and engines under the seat. American Motors Corporation eventually sprang from these hectic beginnings. Between the buggy-like Ramblers of 1902 and AMC’s…

WRONG REAR When I bought my 1962 Ford Ranch Wagon (with the “292” V-8 and manual transmission), I specifically asked the salesman for a 3.56 rear axle. With his assurance that 3.56 was standard, I bought the car. After a little highway driving, I examined the rear axle and found it was 3.89. Further investigation showed the 3.89 axle is standard on Ranch Wagons with manual transmission. Since both the dealer and Ford Motor Company refused to do anything about it, I’m stuck with an axle that provides adequate (for me) acceleration but poor gasoline mileage and a high noise level at highway speeds. I’m mostly interested in reducing rpms at highway speeds without going to too much expense. I feel an overdrive, with my present 3.89 axle, would be…

VINTAGE YEAR It’s time some stubborn people admit there are some really fine cars being produced in the U.S. I nominate the following ’63s as outstanding: Buick Electra and Riviera, Cadillac, Corvette, Imperial, Chrysler 300-J, Lincoln Continental, and Studebaker Avanti. HARVEY s. BRONSTEIN Detroit, Mich. REVIEWING THE NEW CROP With the new crop of cars in full bloom, here are a few comments I should like to pass along: GM should have a banner year—they’ve gone back to the big-car look after de-emphasizing length the past couple of seasons. Their cars have a sleek, almost de-chromed look, but busy, sculptured side panels, angles, and bends to grille and rear decks add the “worth the money I paid” touch common to most GM styling over the years. Corvette is a wild-looking…

ROAD TESTING THE CAR OF THE YEAR isn’t like testing any of the other new cars. With this one we tend to be a little more critical, more miles are logged, and we spend a lot more time with it than usual. While the award is based on pure progress in design, we like to make sure the car is also worthy of the title in the critical areas of performance, dependability, value, and potential buyer satisfaction, For our tests we chose a Classic Six, Series 660, four-door sedan and an Ambassador V-8, Series 990, two-door club sedan. The Classic Six is strictly an economy family sedan, while the Ambassador V-8 is a sportier, more performance—oriented vehicle. This, we felt, gave us a good cross-section of what’s available in the…

ONCE again Norm Thatcher has established new speed records for stock body cars at Bonneville, Utah, winning 12 trophies for his performances. And—once again he depended on Quaker State Motor Oil for the finest lubrication. What does Norm Thatcher recommend to his garage customers? Quaker State, of course. He has used and sold Quaker State for over 45 years. It’s 100% pure Pennsylvania oil… the best there is! And the best protection for today’s high compression engine—for both stop-and-go and high-speed highway driving. Remember—Quaker State keeps your car on the road, out of the repair shop—saves you money. It’s your best Engine Life Preserver! Available most everywhere. QUAKER STATE OIL REFINING CORPORATION, OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA…

Vignale “Rekord” Although aerodynamics are excellent on this prototypal show car from Vignale, distortion through windshield and rear window leaves something to be desired. Power comes from a Fiat 1000 engine, mounted at rear. Doors curve very gracefully into roof, and driver sits well back from glass. Michelotti-Hino This handsome little Japanese coupe, called “Contessa,” is much smaller than it looks in photographs. Good proportions and lines (reminiscent of the Karmann-Ghia and Renault Caravelle) make it one of the most handsome cars from the Orient. This model also uses a rear-mounted engine. Zagato-Alfa Actually in production and with buyers waiting, this Alfa-Romeo Giulia competition coupe with body by Zagato has a tubular chassis, disc brakes, and independent rear suspension. Car is available with either the 1300cc or 1600cc engine. Body…