Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2001 i Hot Rod

By now, you must have seen the Honda Civic assassin we featured as part of the "12 Second, 20 MPG“ section last month. I would imagine that you were delighted, nauseated, infuriated, or (this ones my favorite) horrified at the idea. I’d like to introduce the man responsible for subjecting you to that extreme discomfort. He is our friend, not an enemy, and he comes from a drag racing background. In fact, his work has been featured in HOT ROD before, notably in an article ("The Soft Head, July ’85) authored by then-editor Pat Ganahl. Larry Widmers professional past is as diverse as it is voluminous. He broke into drag racing in the late ’60s with a Pro Stock Boss 429 Mustang and campaigned nationally. "On my sister’s wedding day,“…

The old model kit builders among you will recall MPC’s Zingers, characterful caricatures of real cars done in small scale with immense tires and out-of-scale engines busting out all over. Well, the Zingers concept returns, but instead of model kits, the new Muscle Machines casts the fantasy in diecast metal. Staging Lane Productions, following on its successful line of posters, is now doing diecast replicas (in 1:18 and 1:64 scale) of the very cars seen in those posters. The 1:18 Mustang features soft tires, real braided hose on the blower, and tons of character, and more body styles are coming soon. The 1:64 scale models (six so far, more coming) are available in a variety of colors as you read this and are just as detailed. Available through Staging Lane…

There’s nothing more embarrassing when you’re out on the links, or in the pits, than riding around in the same rented golf cart that everyone else has. I mean, where’s the status in that? Well, there’s a new way for some people (not us, though) to stand out: American Custom Golfbars’ new California Roadster. Billet wheels, grille, and steering column, working headlights and turn signals, shocks on all corners, billet cup holders, a Lexan windshield, Marinegrade vinyl seat, a removable golfbag holder, and your choice of 3.75hp electric-, 9hp gas-, or optional 1 Ihp gas-engine is available. A long options list, including leather, a CD player, and billet pedals is yours for the asking-well, more money, too. Speaking of which, the introductory price is $15,500—about the price of a well-equipped…

Ed. Note: Its been eight years since Kenny Howard, aka Von Dutch, died at the age of 63 in Santa Paula, California, but hot rodding’ enfant terrible and his vacuum-filling pinstriping and Dali-inspired artwork continue to loom ever since he became a cult-figure 45 years ago. Dutch was exceedingly prickly and prone to go “Tasmanian” with towering rages. One of his pet peeves was to be viewed as a caricature of himself: He even threatened to kill a former HRM editor who wanted to do a story on him rather than his art. We understand. We will describe his passion though the eyes of fine artist, hot rodder, and Von Dutch protege Robert Williams. Dutch, according to Williams, filled the visual vacuum that rods needed in the ’50s. They had…

The foundation for the Ford segment of I this three-way test-’n’-tune venture took another step beyond our original intent. We began with a complete engine, a package thats considered "bracket race” ready by Ford Racing and Performance Parts, because "’complete crate assemblies are far more popular with our customers than short-blocks.” Fair enough, but a hi-po crate? Wouldnt we have to "de-tune“ it to make the big torque numbers? Our concerns lay with the heads, cam, and intake. The torque recipes typically called for iron workhorse heads to keep port velocity up at lower piston speeds, but the grunt doesn’t come from the iron, it comes from the design—aluminum heads are typically associated with performance applications, and move lots of air at higher-rpm operation. With that in mind, we investigated…

Usually, when were looking for HOT ROD feature cars, we search for something that’s new and different… or at the very least something that hasn’t been seen in a while. We don’t just mean style-wise… just because you flamed your Crosley Hotshot doesn’t mean you’re going to win a place in our pages. It’s not just cubic dollars, either—It’s cubic smarts. Is it a powertrain combo we haven’t seen before? Bring it on. Lets see something new. Show us clever solutions to the inherent problems that each marque has been cursed with. If It’s just going to be a pile of bolt-ons, there had better be a damned good result. Now, we’ve seen plenty of Camaros before, and that just raises the stakes higher: It had better have something serious…

It’s official! Chevrolet presents the 7th annual HOT ROD Magazine Power Tour 2001, and we511 be coming to the following towns to eat your food and make some noise. (The driving distance is in parentheses.) KICKOFF BASH: THURSDAY, May 3, Phoenix Center, Pontiac, Ml FRIDAY May 4, Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL (311 mi) SATURDAY, May 5, Mid-America Designs, Effingham, IL (215 mi) SUNDAY, May 6, Bass Pro Shop, Springfield, MO (312 mi) MONDAY May 7, Moose Lodge, Tlilsa, OK (185 mi) TUESDAY, May 8, State Fairgrounds, Amarillo, TX (363 mi) WEDNESDAY, May 9, Downtown Albuquerque, NM (288 mi) THURSDAY, May 10, Downtown Kingman, AZ (435 mi) FRIDAY, May 11, Downtown San Bernardino, CA (305 mi) SUPER GRAND FINALE: SATURDAY, May 12, continues in Downtown San Bernardino, CA (2,414 mi…

To many truck fanatics, 4x4s cant be too high and 4x2s cant be too low. Thats idiotic. Steve Millens Stillen operation pioneered the custom-tuned truck industry a decade ago and continues to pump tweaked and twisted trucks and SUVs out of it’s California facility. But its not a company set in it’s ways. Hence the supercharged F-150 SuperCrew before you, which looks like a four-by but is a twoby. Why not? An RCD 6-inch front and rear lift kit gets the SuperCrew up, and that loftiness is furthered by BFGoodrich 35x17-inch Baja T/A radials on Niche Throttle 17-inch wheels. Such altitude makes the Manik side steps a necessity, but getting in is still a challenge. The side steps are joined by taillight guards from the same manufacturer, Putco bedrails, a…

Want to retrofit that LSI in your old Chevy but have’nt a clue how to get it in there? There’s a cat in Pennsylvania who knows what to do. We’ve seen his work, and it is aircraft-quality stainless steel. Cal Nicholson has engineered all the parts to swap an LS1 into the tri-five series, the early Corvette (’63-’67), and the big B-body (’65-’70). The kit for our LSl-into-’66 Biscayne project consists of motor mounts, Z-bar clutch linkage, and an AIR system block-off plate. Nicholson says this stuff also works in street rods. In addition, he offers a 450hp “LS7" as a ready-to-run package. Contact the Nicholson Company Dept. HR04, 404 Wirt Ave., Hanover, PA; 717/637-7115 (fax: 717/637-0338).…

What will be the first piston-driven, wheel-driven hot rod to touch the magical 500-mph mark? As of now, our guess would be Gene, Betty, and son Tom Burklands four-wheel-drive streamliner. Last September, at the Utah Salt Flat Racing Associations (USFRA) World of Speed meet, Tom was timed at over 450 mph in the #411 streamliner. Power comes in the form of two 450-inch, supercharged, alky-burning Donovans, which were operating at 60 percent throttle during the historic 450-mph pass. Number 441 was built in the Burklands’ Great Falls, Montana, shop. After a two-mile buildup, Burkland was timed at 341 mph in the 2¼, followed by flying mile averages of 361 mph between the second and third mile; 402 mph between the third and fourth, and 438 mph between the fourth and…

Torque and horsepower are not mutually exclusive — it just seems that way… unless you are working with huge cubic inches, sky-high compression, or a power-adder. To explore the torque/horsepower relationship, we ran a side-by-side dynamometer evaluation based on pre-assembled short-blocks from Mopar Performance Parts (360), Ford Racing Performance Parts (351W), and GM Performance Parts (350). Phase 1 includes torque-oriented bolt-on parts; in Phase 2, we replace the grunt parts for ones designed to enhance midrange and top-end horsepower. A big barrel of 92 octane Union 76 unleaded pump gas keeps it all legit. Handling the wrenches on the Mopar 360 swing are Universal Technical Institute (UTI) students Tim Mercer and Mike Farias, with UTI Senior Instructor Craig Luke supervising the work. TORQUE MODE: 349 hp, 397 Ib-ft When optimizing…

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ENGINE Type: ’94 Dodge 318 (5.2L) V-8, iron block and heads Induction: Stock fuel injection (stock 19lb/hr injectors) with Nitrous Express dual-stage? kit 150-horse (tuned for single-stage 100 hp) Cartech fuel system Heads: Stock with mild port work and Crower 1.6:1 roller rockers, hardened pushrods Cam: Engle (0.525/0.533 lift, 225/233 degrees duration) Ignition: MSD 6A, crank trigger, MSD timing control module to counteract stock computer (8 degrees initial) Exhaust: Jet-Hot coated Hooker Long Tube # 5803 custom-fit around bell-housing Primary 1%- and 3-inch 2% pipes, Borla XR1 mufflers Cooling: Meziere electric water pump, Griffin aluminum radiator Best Time: 11.65/117 mph (aggregate) Engine Built By: Owner DRIVETRAIN Transmission: NV3500 5-speed stick, Centerforce clutch, shortened shifter with B&M T-handle, B&M line-lock Driveshaft: Stock Rearend: 9-inch Ford (71 Mustang housing), Moser axles, 4.10:1,…

Technology has come a long way since the early ’60s, so when the 9-inch assembly in our ’62 Ford Galaxie began creaking and clanking on Power Tour, we felt obliged to elevate it. Moser Engineering accepted the challenge, and soon we were the proud parents of a new 31-spline 9. While the basics remain the same, the Moser piece features a slew of updates for strength, durability weight reduction, and high performance. Windsor-Fox Performance Engineering performed the install, and though we’re quite happy with the results, we’re saddened somewhat that one of the most bitchin’ pieces on this car will be hidden from the light of day. Check out this fine work in the latest chapter of our fullsize Ford soap opera. Sources Eaton Detroit Spring Inc. Dept. HR04,1555 Michigan…

GMC Sierra C3 GMC is following through on it’s threat to be different than Chevrolet. In ’98, there was the Yukon Denali luxury SUV and for 2001 there’s the new Sierra C3, which is essentially a Denali-ized Sierra pickup. It is magnificent. The C3 doesn’t challenge Fords Lightning for the title of quickest truck, but with a 6.0L Vortec V-8 under it’s hood, it’s the quickest pickup GM offers. In fact it’s the only haFton pickup that gets the 6.0L, which is otherwise reserved for %- or 1-tonners and the Cadillac Escalade and Denali luxury SUVs. Rated at 325hp, this is a sweet-natured, easygoing engine with excellent low-end torque and an eagerness to rev. In the C3, it’s lashed to the 4L60-E four-speed automatic that, in turn, leads to a…

Herein are some of our favorite (and more intriguing) show and production vehicles from this past January’s big shows. Ford Forty-Nine This is the kind of high-style concept we’ve come to expect from Chrysler… but Ford? Underneath is Lincoln LS/Ford Thunderbird running gear (3.9L 32V V-8, rear-drive LS chassis stretched 4 inches), but outside is an amalgamation of ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s Ford styling cues that look simply bitchin’ in suede. The Forty-Nine is just a sweet V-8 rear-drive four-passenger coupe, the kind you, dear reader, have been clamoring for forever. Hello, Dearborn? Build this, please. Thanks. 2003 Dodge Viper 2003 Dodge Viper of 505 ci (8.3L)? Makes our black little hearts go pitter-patter. You Copperhead (sorry, Dodge Concept Car) fans will note that more than a little of that…

The approach we took with our Chevy varied slightly from that of the Mopar. Our original intent was to maintain the same formula: Get a short-block and outfit it twice—once for torque, and once for horsepower. However, when we consulted the folks at GM Performance Parts, they suggested we try another approach. Their experience shows that many customers on a budget would sooner select a basic long-block crate engine package rather than a short-block, and then upgrade as their finances allow. It seemed reasonable enough, especially when we realized that the GMPP 330-horse 350 package was nearly identical to our own recipe for a torque mill. This came as no real surprise; our vision of a torque-oriented performance engine isn’t something you’d find tugging an RV around, but rather a…

ENGINE Type: Stock LS1, aluminum block and heads Induction: Stock with Turbonetics T-76 turbo (9 psi boost max) and 36lb/hr injectors Exhaust: Stock header (passenger side), custom-fabricated header for turbo (driver side), Mufflex 4-inch exhaust. Borla XR1 stainless muffler Computer By: Ed Wright at Fastchips Power: 505 hp at 5,600 rpm, 568 Ib-ft at 3,200 rpm (rear wheels) DRIVETRAIN Transmission: 4L60E modified by Art Carr, 10-inch Pro-Torque 2,400-stall converter, B&M transcooler Rearend: Stock housing, 3.42:1 posi CHASSIS Front Suspension: Front sway bar removed Rear Suspension: Stock with LS1 Motorsports aluminum lower control arms, Edelbrock Panhard bar Brakes: Stock-diameter PowerSlot slotted rotors Other: Custom 6-point rollcage WHEELS & TIRES Wheels: ROH 17x9 Snyper; strip: 16x8 ROH Snyper Tires: Generic 275/40ZR17; strip: M/T ET Streets, 26x11.5x16 BODY & PAINT Repairs: American Sports…

Even though cowl hoods and tasteful understatement have replaced outrageous through-the-hood showmanship as the latest hot rodding trend, there are still times when nothing less than a gaping hole will do the job. As with most things, there is a lot more to it than taping a stick of dynamite to the hood, lighting the fuse, and hitting the deck. In this story we’ll demonstrate a safe way to put the hole right where it needs to be the first time using simple handtools, and we’ll highlight the differences in technique when working with fiberglass versus steel. FIBER GLASS STEEL…

Everyone loves the gregarious Teddy Dzus, the Quarter-Ttirn Fastener man. He’s parked his silver Viper in favor of this slick ’51 Merc, complete with a Shafiroff-built 540 Chevy, with a Merlin block, Edelbrock heads and intake, ATI Ttirbo 400, Gear Vendors overdrive, an S&W custom axle with 9-inch pumpkin, and an S&W 10-point cage. American Racing rims roll with 15-inch Hoosier radials. Jerry Hobgood did the arrest-me-red leather interior with carbon-fiber dash insert. Watch for big Ted along the route~you won’t be able to miss him. He plans on taking it down the strip at Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois.…

February 24, 25 Moroso Motorsports Park West Palm Beach, Florida March 17, 18 Rockingham Dragway Rockingham, North Carolina May 19, 20 Memphis Motorsports Park Memphis, Tennessee June 23, 24 Beech Bend Raceway Bowling Green, Kentucky July 28, 29 Route 66 Raceway Joliet, Illinois Route 66 Raceway Joliet, Illinois Maple Grove Raceway Mohnton, Pennsylvania September 22, 23 Atlanta Dragway Commerce, Georgia All dates are tentative and subject to change. For the latest information, call 323/782-2830 or see www.emapusaevents.com.…

Replace Your Rear Moser Engineering Moser Engineering introduces it’s new Chevrolet 12-Bolt Housing unit. Available for Camaros, early Chevelles, and late Grand Nationals, this newly cast nodular iron housing unit is a direct replacement rearend for most leaf spring, coil spring, and torque arm OEM applications. These units also accommodate a variety of brake setups and can include a complete differential, perches, brackets, choice of axles with pressed on bearings, or OEM style C-clip axles with C-clip retention. Information: Moser Engineering, Dept. HR04, 102 Performance Dr., Portland, IN 47371; 219/726-6689; www.moserengineering.com. PRODUCT OF THE MONTH Perform With PerTVonix PerWonix Performance Products PerTronix thought of everything to revive your stock Chevy, Olds, Pontiac, or Buick distributor and put it all in one kit. The Flame-Thrower HEI performance tune-up kit includes Pei…

During a recent discussion with Universal Technical Institute instructor Craig Luke, he shared some insight on the proper handling and use of spark plugs. Although rare, shipping damage can close gaps, crack insulators, and even lead to mix-ups where the label on the package doesn’t match the contents. Closely inspect each plug during installation. As fbr the gap (the space between the center and side electrode through which the electrical current flows to initiate ignition), Luke relates that the preset gap used on most box-stock spark plugs is smaller than it could be for maximum performance and economy. Plug-makers do this because most shade-tree mechanics concentrate on spark plugs rather than replacing more expensive wires, caps, and rotors. The tighter gap puts less demand on weak ignition components, thus reducing…