Indholdsfortegnelse for September 1951 i Hot Rod

Russetta Timing Association members held their third meet of the 1951 season Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24, at El Mirage Dry Lake, California. A total of 308 officially timed runs were made without changing the course. However, course conditions could only be described as fair, after watching a number of cars slither and slide through a few of the ever-present soft spots close to the traps. In spite of the poor surface, two records were broken and one was tied. The fastest time of the meet was made by the Earl Evans tank at 165.89 mph, which also netted Earl a new “B” Streamliner record. Needless to say, Evans equipment was used throughout the Merc, engine. A new “B” Sedan record of 141.17 was made by Howard Johanson’s chopped and…

Eleven class records fell by the wayside at the SCTA’s third dry lake meet of the ‘51 season, July 7-8. Course conditions were considerably improved over earlier meets this year and a 1.3 mile running distance, from start to finish line, boosted the speeds in most classes. One of the outstanding highlights of the meet was a duel for the “C” Lakester record between two Merc-powered belly tanks, the Evans Spl. and Breene & Haller’s entry. On its first run of the opening day, the Evans tank set a new class record speed of 174.757 mph. This lasted until late in the day when Frank Breene stormed through on his fourth run at a speed of 175.97 and took the record. With his engine apart for inspection and certification, Evans…

Great impetus has been given to the NHRA membership campaign by the fine feature story about the organization which was sent out by the Associated Press and which has appeared in many of the country’s leading newspapers. This story, in the opinion of officers of the NHRA, is certain to have a good effect on public opinion and should also tend to change the attitude of many newspaper editors who have always been hostile toward anything connected with hot rods or hot rod activities. Naturally, the NHRA officers do not expect one favorable story to make converts of these people, especially civic officials who are opposed to hot rodding generally, but this kind of publicity is most effective in presenting our side of the story and thereby enlisting the support…

If your club is looking for a type oj activity in which all members can take part, at little or no expense, then this may be the answer to your needs. It’s commonly known as gymkhana, or contest of driving skill. The event can be conducted with very few props on any smooth surface field or parking lot. Cars do not have to be hot rods but the easily maneuvered car usually pays off in top score results. The Oakland Schools Auto Association of Oakland. California, has conducted several such events within the past schoo’ semester and they have proven very pop ular and interesting. Not a speed run. the event is conducted over an irregularly routed obstacle course which tests the carhandling skill of the driver. The run compares…

PUERTO RICO HOT ROD Sirs: I’ve been especially interested in your “Mail Call” as I’ve often wondered what some of the other fellows have done about their rods. I’ve spent the greater part of the last three years overseas but unlike most of the fellows that write in, I didn’t leave hot rodding in the states. I brought mine with me. It has been the object of much comment, as here in Puerto Rico it is something completely new. The people can’t seem to grasp the idea that a light, low car is safer than their large chrome monsters! Also everyone thinks it’s either an English or French make instead of a common American Ford. The coupe was originally started in Kansas City, Mo., and then driven to New York…

This year’s participants in the Bonneville Nationals, the world’s greatest hot rod event, can look forward to a full week of enthusiastic action! With new cars being readied in all parts of the nation, there should be no end of interesting entries—each one doing its best to end up at the top of one of the many classes of competition. Last year’s championship event saw approximately one hundred entries pitting their utmost efforts in trying to “beat the clock.” With ideal conditions for high speed running, many exceptional times were made and practically every class record was broken. This year, after an active series of spectacularly high speeds being made at the lakes and on the drag strips, there is no predicting how high the records may be boosted in…

Less than a year ago. few non-Californian hot rod enthusiasts had any prospects of running in recognized competition other than a cherished dream concerning Bonneville. But things have definitely taken a turn for the better. Airstrip drag racing is now highly approved by law enforcement agencies wherever it has been instituted. It has been proven that racing cannot easily be stopped, but it can be controlled. Street racing has virtually been eliminated in areas where legal drags were promoted. All this has brought about a new era in hot rodding. In an airminded country like ours, many airstrips are to be found within easy driving distances of even the smallest townships. An abandoned length of highway could serve the purpose just as well, if necessary. The pattern of success has…

Al Jimenez, 25-year-old native son of San Juan Capistrano, California, started building model autos while still in high school. Naturally, his first efforts were in the field of cars that were popular with his classmates. He built models of the actual cars that were driven to school by the students who went there. However, these cars were all basically similar and Al soon began to look for new fields of endeavor. During this time his mechanical knowledge began to match his modelbuilding prowess. Al then realized the interesting possibilities in the unlimited detail work of duplicating the complexities of the typical hot rod. Just as he was beginning to put his new found theories to work, the war interrupted. Three years overseas service as a U. S. Infantryman occupied all…

Within the past year, nitromethane has become one of the principal ingredients in the fuel tanks of most of the cars competing at dry lakes and drag racing events. Nitro’s ability to boost a car’s acceleration and top speed to unprecedented heights have led it to be called “the poor man’s supercharger.” This title is not entirely correct as nitro is not inexpensive. But, because only small quantities of the chemical are required at one time, the financial strain imposed by its use is made bearable by a comparatively small, although frequent, cash outlay. Nitromethane—nicknamed “nitro”—is defined as a colorless liquid with a specific gravity of 1.139; boiling point of 101 degrees C; flash point of 95 degrees F; and a weight of 9.5 pounds per gallon. It is used…

Those who hold the opinion that originality in custom hot rods is becoming a rarity should take more than a passing glance at this coupe. Built by its owner, Bill Albott of Abilene, Kansas, it is a ‘37 Ford that has been chopped, channeled, and had the body lengthened. The overall height is less than 5 feet. A ‘40 Ford frame was the basis of construction over which the ‘37 body was channeled. Evans equipment is used on the ‘40 Merc, engine. All the running gear, such as the front axle, rear end, steering, etc., are ‘48 Ford. Front fenders are ‘40 Ford, reshaped to match the contour of the cowl and the altered hood. The revamped grille was originally from a ‘39 Buick. Chrysler Corporation products were not slighted…

Builders of fine street roadsters could do worse than to emulate Rico Squaglia owner of the car awarded the Oakland Roadster Show’s perpetual trophy for “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster” this year. Rico built his first hot rod in 1947—a track roadster which was the first of a pair. After studying the street roadsters featured in HRM and displayed at several roadster shows, he decided to enter into this phase of hot rodding. He made his car’s frame out of 3 ½ x 2 inch channel iron, with crossmembers of 2½ inch chrome alloy steel tubing. The front axle is Model B. with an A spring. The 3.78:1 rear end is Model A, with a 1923 T spring, mounted behind the axle. Rico chose a 1923 T body for this car.…

The practice of “stroking” crankshafts has, in the past few years, become very popular as a means of increasing the piston displacement and horsepower of Ford V8 and Mercury engines. Although not a new process, fairly recent changes in production parts and repairing methods now permit greater increases by stroking than were originally possible. Stroking was made possible without costly mechanical alterations by the advent of Mercury crankshafts. These shafts were originally made with the same stroke as Ford V8 shafts—33/4 inches—but with connecting rod journals .140 of an inch larger. It was the larger rod journals which started the development of this new process for it was soon discovered that they could be reduced to the diameter of Ford journals and at the same time ground off center to…

Denver. Colorado, is a racing minded community, having one of the country’s most active hot rod organizations, the Denver Timing Association, and being near the scene of the famous annual Pikes Peak run. Therefore, it is only fitting that Denver should contain a first rate hot rod shop. Accordingly, we found the Kenz & Leslie V8 Service to be just the place we were seeking—Denver’s center of speed. The present business first got its start back in 1934 when Bill Kenz gave up a Ford dealership job, after 14 years service. and struck out for himself. Bill rented a small 3 stall garage and went into the business of seriously looking after the community’s ailing automobiles. In 1938, with business going along very nicely, Bill and his friend Roy Leslie…