Indholdsfortegnelse for February 1998 i Hot Rod

Between mortgage payments, child rearing, the 9-to-5, and generally taking care of business, you may have noticed that HOT ROD is becoming much more visible outside its traditional realm. Our hallowed logo is now displayed on the hood of Joe Gibbs’ Interstate Battery Funny Car and, in a slightly diminished form, on the side of his Top Fueler, as well. Soon you’ll see our familiar standard popping off the hood of another Gibbs’ racer—Bobby LaBonte’s Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix. To put it bluntly, the market is competitive, and the name of the game is having proper exposure at the right time. The new Petersen encourages such public display. It’s a cool and quite soulful experience to be young and coming up, fiercely adamant about ideals, and totally unwilling to…

Justin Harris, a 23-year-old from McCook, Nebraska, forwarded the results of this Ford father-and-son project to our man Posie. Can you believe this ’67 Fairlane has been a daily driver for four years? The 289 has been hopped up with 351 heads, forged pistons, headers and a lumpier cam. The suspension was refreshed to factory specification, and the whole package rolls on Cragar Street Stars. Too sweet! If you think your ride has what it takes to catch Ken “Posie” Fenical’s critical eye, send the skinny on your wheels, along with a decent photo, to: Posie’s Picks, 219 N. Duke St., Hummelstown, PA 17036.…

He Ain’t Heavy and He’s Not My Brother Just because Noel and Tim Davis share the same last name doesn’t mean they see things the same way. Their Hot Street philosophies, in fact, couldn’t be more different. In the case of Science Hill, Kentucky’s Noel Davis and his split-window ’63 Corvette, we have a former NHRA/IHRA Super Stock champion that has been slightly reconfigured to conform to HOT ROD World’s Fastest Street Car Drag Racing Series (WFSCDRS) Hot Street class rules. On the other hand, Tim Davis’ Zionsville, Indiana-based Dodge Daytona was built specifically for Hot Street action, and is the one and only Chrysler product in the class worth discussing thus far. But when the final round of Hot Street is called, more often than not, it’s a Davis-versus-Davis…

Junkyard motors are a dime a dozen, but what good are they? Well, with a little bit of luck, some basic bolt-ons, and a big nitrous system, even a grime magnet can run like hell. We explored this concept recently by plucking a down-and-dirty 318 from a junked 78 Cordoba, and dropping it between the fenders of an equally nasty 71 Duster. We just had to know how much nitrous we could pump into this thing before it got messy. We’d get the car running to potential on the motor, then twist the knob on the pretty blue bottle in the trunk. And for a grand finale, we’d pour in a lethal dose of laughing gas to see what part of the old 318 landed on the track first. Keep…

We were not prepared to like the new Corvette as much as we do. Our jaded journalistic sensibilities had us expecting a car with far fewer refined manners, and significantly lower levels of overall improvement. We were wrong. Flat wrong. From the all-aluminum LS1 OHV V-8 and rear-mounted transaxle to its rigid backbone frame with hyrdroformed steel siderails, the latest Corvette is also the greatest. Its power and sound say “pure American muscle machine,” its handling is slot-car precise, and—the biggest surprise of all—its ride quality, quietness, and interior comfort rank right up there with German metal in the $60K class. Looks and comfort are one thing…but how does this beast drive? The LS1 fires to life with a distinctive tenor; we turned off the traction control, revved ’er to…

There’s no doubt that the AC Cobra is an enthusiast’s machine. Since Carroll Shelby started stuffing the English-built AC full of Ford engine, the car has steadily gained fancy with the sports car set, and has received good reports in the sporty car mags. Our test roadster, with the exception of a few luxury extras, was the standard. Early Cobras were using the 260ci Fairlane V-8, but now the standard powerplant is the 289ci version. This engine is the same currently offered as a high-performance option for the Fairlane. A solid-liftercam, four-barrel carburetor, and 11:1 compression ratio makes 271 hp at 6,000 rpm, with 312 lb-ft torque at 3,400 rpm. In spite of the tremendous acceleration the package allows, the Cobra is surprisingly docile in traffic. Although it isn’t recommended,…

The heart of this tough new Mustang is a 289ci V-8 that pulls 271 hp at 6,000 rpm. It is coupled to a four-speed, close-ratio gearbox with a rearend assembly (4.11:1 in our test car) of the Galaxie variety. Needless to say, it contains more than enough beef. With considerable anticipation, we fired up and headed off for the flat-road course. After several laps spent getting acquainted with the new mount, it was pushed progressively quicker with a minimum of effort. And, if you are wondering about the muscle, it’s there in abundance, feeling stronger than some of the big, hairy, early experimental Sting Rays I drove in the Sebring 12-hour enduro. There was good news in the handling department, too: The Mustang was one of the most forgiving cars…

I know you’re probably thinking, “Hey, this ain’t the NHRA, hell, it’s not even the IHRA. If I wanted to, I could slap together a race car, show up on time for lane calls, and be competitive.” Right? Uh…no. There’s quite a bit more to the HOT ROD World’s Fastest Street Car Drag Racing Series (WFSC-DRS) than punctuality. The dedication, preparedness, and determination to win that these racers exhibit at each event would be a tough act to follow for even a seasoned pro. But don’t feel dejected, HOT ROD is here to guide you through not only the race procedures per the rule book, but also the “in-the-pits” preparation needed to win should you decide to join the fray this season. To gain further insight into this heads-up Pro…

Aaah, SEMA. The annual Novemeber ritual, the Introduction to the Goodies. The Specialty Equipment Marketing Association once again took over the Las Vegas Convention Center, and we walked until our blisters had blisters. Herein, we take a peek at the some of the coolest new stuff for the coming year. Weiand You know about the 6-71 supercharger. You know about the 8-71 supercharger. Now get ready for the wildest addition yet—the Weiand 14-71 blower! It’s designed primarily for marine applications of the BB Chevy, but we have a hunch that a bunch of them are going to wind up under and through some Street Freak hoods in about 4 seconds. If too much is never enough, you’re getting close with the 14-71. Contact: Weiand, Dept. HR02, P.O. Box 65301, 2316…

Road racing and Firebirds go hand in hand. From early SCCA Trans-Am participants (where do you think they got the name?) to plenty of more modern road-racing victories, Pontiac has been in the thick of it. For the 1998 season, Mobil 1, GM Performance Parts, and Pontiac join forces to hustle a Firebird GT in the SCCA A/Sedan series class. Limited mechanical modifications and the addition of safety and competition equipment mean that A/Sedan racers are as close to a factory-built racer as you can buy. With 400 hp backed by a six-speed stick, short-throw shifter, 3.42:1 gears, and 17-inch wheels and tires, you can bet there’ll be plenty of trophies once things get rolling in 1998.…

• Vintage Air will once again be running a very cool ride the distance on Power Tour. This year, it’s a ’59 Chevy El Camino. • Our first steps toward the re-resurrection of the Crusher Camaro, now renamed “pROJEKT z,” will have been completed by Power Tour. Expect to see our race-me yellow ’68 with a 700-plus-ci Summit big-block throbbin’ its way across the country. Our 50th Anniversary Giveaway truck, a Traders-built Ford F-150 extended-cab truck, will be on both events, too. Yeehaw! • Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Performance West will bring its Dodge Durango Super Pursuit, a Kenne-Bell Whipple-charged 360hp version of the highly touted new Mopar SUV. Painted solid black with 20-inch wheels, it should be a real looker—not to mention a mover. • Dave Rentsman drove a…

Pontiac and GM have successfully bridged a long-open breach between European styling and U.S. functionality with the Firebird. The 345hp Ram Air engine is standard in the T/A, but uses a through-the-hood scoop with the opening facing the rear, rather than ram airscoops in the Formula 400 fiberglass hood. Don Evans, slick-shifting ex-editor of HOT ROD, did the driving honors here, bringing the Trans Am through the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at a speed of 102 mph. The engine is good for 6,000 rpm but ran better when shifted at 5,500 rpm. No trouble was encountered with either the Hurst shifter or the 10.4-inch clutch. Handling and ride are the most significant aspects of the 70 Firebird. Ride is generally smoother and softer on all models because of reduced spring…

Though this roadster is almost indistinguishable externally from its predecessor, it now incorporates many of the GTS coupe’s comfort and performance advances. They include outside door releases (just like a real car!) and power-operated side windows made of actual glass. A removable, color-matched hardtop and air conditioning are standard but can be deleted. Inside, you’re treated to dual airbags, adjustable pedals, and the expected white-face analog instrumentation. These conveniences enhance the roadster’s comfort, practicality, and overall usefulness, without dulling the car’s famous keen sporting edge. The enhanced all-aluminum 8.0L V-10 that first appeared in the GTS is employed here. Some 80 pounds lighter than the original Viper’s V-10, the new engine’s higher compression ratio, revised camshaft, and other refinements combine to develop 450 hp while boosting torque to a staggering…

Camaro afficionados we ain’t, but our repertoire includes at least one experience with each iteration. Over the last 30 years, our little buddy Camaro has matured into something undreamed of back in the day. The ’67 SS 350 my brother bought when he returned from ’Nam was the first. It revved up to 295 hp, but was a torque engine nonetheless. The chassis was simple and marginal, but it worked. In 1969, I bought a COPO L-72 from some schlub in north Jersey for $2,900. Radio delete, dog dishes, 4.10:1 gears, and barely 1,000 miles on the clock. I drove it to California immediately. The chassis was pretty much the same as the one in the ’67, and the 425hp big-block needed a free-flowing exhaust system so bad you could…

ALABAMA Atmore DragwayP.O. Box 770, Flomaton, AL 36441334/368-8363Eighth-mile Baileyton Good Time DragstripP.O. Box 64, Baileyton, AL 35019205/796-2892Eighth-mile Holiday Raceway20062 Hwy. 11, Woodstock, AL35188205/938-2123Eighth-mile Huntsville Dragway913 W. 16th Ave., Birmingham, AL35204205/251-7311Eighth-mile Mobile International RacewayP.O. Box 54, Irvington, AL 36544334/957-2026Eighth-mile Phenix DragstripP.O. Box 1691, Phenix City, AL36867334/291-0494Eighth-mile ALASKA Fairbanks Racing Lions175 E. Van Horn, Fairbanks, AK99701907/452-8913Quarter-mile ARIZONA Firebird International RacewayP.O. Box 5023,20000 MaricopaRd., Chandler, AZ 85226Quarter-mile Speedworld Motorplex19421 W. Jomax Rd., Wittmann, AZ85361602/256-0333Quarter-mile CALIFORNIA Carlsbad Raceway6600 Palomar Airport Rd.Carlsbad, CA 92008760/727-1171Quarter-mile Famoso Raceway33559 Famoso Rd., McFarland, CA93250805/399-5351Quarter-mile Inyokern DragstripP.O. Box 182, Ridgecrest, CA 93556619/375-8832Quarter-mile Los Angeles County Raceway6850 E. Ave. TPalmdale, CA 93543805/533-2224Quarter-mile Pomona RacewayP.O. Box 5555, Glendora, CA 91740818/914-4761Quarter-mile Sacramento Raceway Park5305 Excelsior Rd., Sacramento, CA 95827916/363-2653Quarter-mile Sears Point RacewayHwys. 37 and 121, Sonoma, CA 95476707/938-8448Quarter-mile COLORADO Bandimere Speedway3051 S. Rooney…

Hot rods, like fingerprints or DNA, share one thing: no two are alike. Yet a commonality runs through the genre—time, money, and energy. And the number of people who don’t view rods as a combination of the three never ceases to amaze me. Instead, they tend to view rods in terms of bucks—low bucks, high bucks, even megabucks. I guess I’m different. I view rods from a time and energy standpoint—to the extent that I figure changing a fuel pump will take 1 hour plus the energy required to down 5 beers and 25 foul oaths. Using Baskerville’s formula after considering the amount of activity Sniper represents simply boggles the mind—let alone the bladder or vocal cords. Troy Trepanier figures he’s got 8,000-plus hours metal-morphizing George Poteet’s ’54 Savoy into…

Hedman Hedders and Hypertech are highly regarded in their respective fields, and both are immersed in a partnership that combines technologies to examine and then produce parts-specific, performance optimizing hardware and software as true “integrated” high-performance systems. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tuning for production passenger cars and trucks has historically been a compromise of varying degrees. The vast cross-section of consumer use has created “middle-of-the-road” approaches to the ignition spark and fuel calibrations of stock vehicles, leaving enough of a margin for the performance aftermarket to develop application-specific products for niche markets. However, the advent of tougher emissions regulations, fuel-economy mandates, pump-fuel prices, and the encroachment of comparatively efficient import vehicles has prompted the domestic OEM to adopt sophisticated onboard computer-controlled strategies. The throttle-body injection, multipoint fuel injection, multiple ignition-spark…

Oil-Pump Profile Q As I read about different types of engine coatings, it occurs to me that it might be good to do this to an oil pump. Arnold RainsTampa, FL A Of the various sources that affect temperature in engine oil, spurgeared oil pumps are among the most significant. In fact, reliable data indicates that an oil pump can generate more heat than typical engine-friction surfaces. Application of “coatings” intended to reduce fluid (oil) shear between meshing teeth in an oil pump can therefore be desirable. Since there is no “sliding contact” between pump teeth (compared to spiral-bevel or helical gears) in a spur-geared oil pump, coatings that either reduce “impact temperature” or “absorb” temperature (e.g., “heat-sink” function) can reduce oil temperature elsewhere in the engine. Discuss your objectives…

Our Brizio-built 50th Anniversary HOT ROD ’27 T is going on tour around the Championship Auto Shows circuit! This beauty will be coming to your hometown real soon! A full schedule is listed below, but the locations in boldface type are where you can check our 50th-anniversary hottie for yourself! Nov. 27-30 Houston, TX38th Annual Hi/Lo Auto SupplyAutoRama, Astro Domain Jan. 2-4 Denver, CO32nd Annual World of WheelsColorado Convention Center Jan. 2-4 Phoenix, AZ29th Annual Carquest World ofWheels, Civic Plaza Jan. 9-11 Boston, MA24th Annual Auto Palace World ofWheels, Bayside Exposition Center Jan. 9-11 Cincinnati, OH38th Annual Cavalcade ofCustoms, Convention Center Jan. 9-11 New Orleans, LA30th Annual World of WheelsLouisiana Superdome Jan. 16-18 Lincoln, NE32nd Annual AutoramaPershing Municipal Auditorium Jan. 16-18 Sioux City, IA31 st Annual World of WheelsConvention Center…

Most musclecars built today have roots that go back 15 years or more. The current GM F-bodies are heavily based on the version that was introduced back in 1982, for example; the Mustang rides on a modified Fox chassis that was once under the 78 Fairmont. In those terms, the Japanese-designed, American-built Eagle Talon (the closest thing Chrysler has to a musclecar, bar the Viner) could also be considered a classic. Though the body was refreshed for the ’95 season, its engine and underpinnings go straight back to 1989—an eternity in a culture that redesigns its cars every four years whether they need it or not. The Talon is Chrysler’s entry in the classic ponycar wars, and checks in as an exciting (if often overlooked) prospect. Long ago, Mitsubishi figured…

Double the Points, Double the Fun Norwalk Race Update For this, the next-to-last and rain-plagued World’s Fastest Street Car Drag Racing Series (WFSCDRS) event for 1997, the fact that a competing organization (the NMCA) was running its season finals event on the same weekend in sunny Memphis didn’t help the climate either. Would racers who had planned on attending “our” race hear about the rain, and decide at the last minute to go to “their” race? To add to the hysteria, “they” required racers competing in their year-long race series to be present for the finals in Memphis—or risk losing all points. For our part, after discovering the scheduling conflict, rulemakers announced that racers who elected to be present at the HOT ROD magazine Norwalk Power Tour event would receive…

GM may not be in racing, but its divisions build the best darned line of production competition cars in the world. The 435 Sting Ray is the king of these kings. The fact of the matter is that the culmination of all the Sting Ray’s pizzazz in the 435-horse model has created a backlash—it has out-statused the XKE. Ask any kid you meet what the hottest thing going off the showroom floor is and you get one answer: the 435 Vette. Being observers of the latest social movements, we got programmed into a keen little 435hp convertible with a Muncie four-speed box and 3.55 Posi rearend. Not so keen were a set of puny U.S. Royal Laredo 7.75x15 tires that didn’t match the rest of the car’s flavor. We knew…

Pontiac’s Trans Am is about two things: absolute pavement-eating performance and flashy styling. For 1998, there’s a new 305-horse aluminum V-8 ready to crank up the wick under the car’s already attention-grabbing look. If you’re crying over the end of the LT1 or the LT4, dry your eyes and gander at a 5.1-second 0-to-60 time, and a quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds at better than 107 mph. Not only is this high-spooling, aluminum-block, cast-iron-cylinder powerplant the sweetest-running Firebird engine we’ve ever sampled, it makes positively incredible amounts of muscle for an assembly-line V-8. So with a 15.5-gallon fuel tank, will you be making lots of pesky stops for a gas-thirsty beast? Drive it like we did and you’ll be on a first-name basis with every service station in town, but show…

Just as the first Mustangs looked mighty like a Falcon underneath, Chevrolet has borrowed freely from the Chevy II line, adopting its floorpan and the single-leaf “monoplate” rear-spring arrangement. Body construction utilizes two projecting frame stubs that thrust forward from underneath the front seat area to the limit of the radiator like the Chevy II setup. The Camaro seemingly bridges the gap between two construction worlds: frame and body on the one hand, and unit-body on the other. We were amazed to learn that many in Los Angeles thought our Bolero Red test car was a new Corvair or (Chevy stylists, clap your ears) a ’67 Mustang for gosh sakes. It isn’t too difficult to see why. You’ve got to admit the Camaro’s lines are pretty slick, but equally important…

Mustang fans have yearned to stick it to uppity Camaro drivers for years, but have lacked the firepower to make anything more than hollow threats. With the Mustang Cobra SVT, the threat is suddenly very real. For Ford’s engineers, building the new Mustang Cobra to be nearly as fast as a Z28 wouldn’t do. The Cobra would need a clear edge in horsepower, but not at the expense of cut-and-thrust bottom end. Relative to the 280hp Mark VIII, the Cobra has wilder valve timing and has gained siamesed intake runners to improve high-rpm breathing. Meanwhile, valves close down at speeds below 3,500 rpm to flesh out the bottom end. That keeps the torque curve rising briskly from low speed. The dyno needle snaps smartly over to the 250 lb-ft hash…

The essence of hot rodding will always be owners modifying the powerplants of their cars or light trucks for better performance. In the very beginning, this pleasant madness tended to encompass only Fords, as it was Henry and his simple, strong, and Spartan Model T that formed the basis for the high-performance aftermarket. It all started as a PR effort to sell the new Model T. To better acquaint potential customers with the strength and stamina of the fledgling ’09, Ford built a series of badass, factory-modified T-bugs. The performance of his “Sunday winners” wasn’t lost on the “rakes” of the early teen era. They loved their frugal flivvers, but found they couldn’t dust off the potent Appersons, Mercers, and Stutzes. So T owners began to emulate Ford. We don’t…

A little more than 50 years ago, racing engine builder Regg Schlemmer built a track/lakes roadster that appeared on the first cover of HOT ROD magazine. Fifty years later, cutting-edge craftsman Roy Brizio and company have re-created Schlemmer’s ’27 T with a homey, street rod touch. Schlemmer’s dual-purpose, 148-mph record holder was equally at home at the lakes as it was on So-Cal’s dirt tracks. Then, in 1948 or ’49, the roadster went east to race. According to Dale Fairfax, a veteran-HRM reader and track roadster nut, “Schlemmer’s Roy Prosser-driven ’27 ended up in Indiana doing battle with the cars and stars of the late, lamented Mutual Racing Association before disappearing.” The idea of street-cloning Sehlemmer’s dual-purpose dirt racer came quite naturally. After all, hot rodders have been modifying Detroit…

Editor’s note: Pete Saueracker stirred up more mail with his “The 350 Engine Chevy Should Have Built” (HRM, June ’97) story than anything we’ve seen in years. Ford fans immediately wanted to know when their turn would come. This two-part series promises to surpass the long-rod Chevy 352. Those of us old enough to remember the horsepower of the ’60s often dream of feeling that thrill of brute power again in the current environment of stringent emissions and high fuel-mileage requirements. But no matter what age you are, few seriously think that a factory fuel-injected V-8 will ever produce the massive horsepower and torque that marked the golden age of musclecars. Although the Big Three focused on fuel mileage and low emissions nearly 25 years ago, small groups of performance…

Thanks to their ability to provide greater clamping force, main cap studs are frequently chosen over conventional bolts for lower-end durability. But if the studs are treated like glorified bolts and installed carelessly, disaster is sure to follow. A typical screwup goes like this: The stud is tightly threaded into the block, the main cap and washer are put into place, then the nut is tightened. The snag? As the nut is torqued, the stud wants to rotate with it. Because the stud is already bottomed in the block, the added rotation jams it in with so much force that cracks form. These cracks grow when the engine sees heavy loading, and before very long, really big problems begin to surface. At the least, the cracks will allow the surrounding…