Indholdsfortegnelse for September 1953 i Hot Rod

One of the memorable things about the 1951 Bonneville Nationals was a black, stock-bodied '32 roadster entered by Clark and TeBow of Los Angeles which made more noise than any other car at the meet. The reason for so much noise was that the engine was probably putting out more horsepower than any other engine present and the extra exhaust noise was a natural by-product. There was an extra story behind this engine though because it was using a homemade fuel injector. The engine was a 284 cubic inch Mercury equipped with a pair of special Ardun aluminum heads with overhead valves. This made breathing and exhausting possibilities much greater, but” the cost involved to purchase these heads and build an engine had also done a good job of exhausting…

After years of trying, we have found that safety is one commodity that is practically impossible to sell to anyone. To go a step further, it is almost equally impossible to give it away. However, in this age of increased, country-wide drag strip and straightaway competition, reliability runs, hill climbs and the like, a good, thorough pre-event safety inspection on all competing vehicles is the best possible kind of insurance. Such an inspection could even be performed on the family sedan from time to time to good advantage. In fact, anything that moves should not be exempt. To know that one's car is in the best possible mechanical condition is a good feeling. The sponsors and promoters of competition events could also take heed and save themselves many sleepless nights…

Introduced in 1949 as something of a “revolutionary rocket,” the name Oldsmobile has taken on new significance. Prior to '49, the Oldsmobile name had acquired a reputation for dependability, long life, reasonable price and complete and utter docility, a reputation that is still shared by its next-of-kin, the Pontiac. Whether or not the buying public has been aware of it, the Oldsmobile cars, in conjunction with Cadillac, have been the General Motors Corporation's “experimental production cars.” When a new development reached the production stage, Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs were the first GM cars to appear with it. Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs were the first cars to use the Hydra-Matic, a “shiftless” method of transmission gear shifting. As these units were improved, the improvement first showed up in the Olds and Cads, and…

Credit due on Bob Allen's cool-looking Ceramic Green roadster is actually a three-way split between: Allen, the car's present owner; Bob Hamke, original customizer; and the Ford Motor Company. The latter is mentioned because we feel it somewhat of a phenomenon that a car designed and built over 21 years ago can become so attractive today with the mere restoration of its original equipment. Basically, the masterpiece consists of a virgin roadster shot with a '49 Cadillac powerplant. Allen, age 23, an employee of Charlie Edson's body shop in Indianapolis, Indiana, fulfilled a childhood ambition when he made the conversion by lowering the car two inches, installing 15-inch wheels with Calnevar wire spoke snap-ons, hydraulic brakes, dual Porter exhausts. A general campaign of detail work distinguishes his rod as one…

Considered one of the most attractive cars of its type in its native haunts of Illinois, this beautifully customized '50 Ford sedan is owned by Robert Meyer of Chicago. Although the entire upper part of the body retains its stock proportions, the car's low silhouette is accounted for by the fact that a three-inch-wide horizontal strip has been cut out of the lower body section. Since the owner was interested primarily in the car's appearance, rather than in exceptional performance, the V8 Ford engine remains practically stock. Nevertheless it continues to attract as much attention from bystanders and motorists as it might with 300 horses.…

That modern mechanical-phenomenon which now enchants youth universally, hot rodding, has come to be recognized as very much a part of sports. And. contrary to common conception, the activity warrants acceptance in sports circles. Hot rodding has been in somewhat questionable repute far too long. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of the National Hot Rod Association, the sport is rapidly finding favor in the American lexicon—and especially is this true in Hamilton, Ohio. A comparatively new organization, the Hamilton group, affiliated with the NHRA, is known as the Shatters Hot Rod Club Public officials, safety and law enforcement bodies, are unanimous in support of the movement, which has an ex? ceptionally bright future. Under their president, Robert “Bob” Kyle, the Shatters are in the initial process of “trouble shooting,”…

POT LUCK Sirs: Enjoy your magazine very much and look forward to receiving it each month. It is the only magazine here that gets “dog-eared” around the edges so soon, from being passed from guy to guy. Even the Korean kids (south) seem to appreciate the fine cars pictured. Speaking of pictures, you will find enclosed a snapshot of my '39 Merc at the Santa Ana drag races. There is nothing exceptional about it except that it used to be a club coupe. The guy who had the car before me had termites in his garage, but didn't know it until the roof fell in one night. This in itself wouldn't have been so catastrophic except for the presence of an apartment on top of the garage, and the portion…

Seven cars had been qualified for the '53 race when we arrived at Indianapolis, but these seven were the only cars ready to run and there were still 26 starting positions to be filled. Finding the speed proved to be the big question. Where was the extra speed that was being anticipated for the 1953 Indianapolis “500"? For months prior to the race there were hot rumors of the new sprint chassis' and other newly designed cars that were being built with special suspensions and other new speed producing ideas. A trip around the garage area revealed a number of new cars plus the majority of last year's cars, all being worked on by the same familiar pit crews. There were the seven 500-B Kurtis cars which were untried but…

Real sneaky looking,” said HRM's Tom Medley as he looked over this Italian designed Abarth. The car, owned by Packard Motor Car Company, was displayed at recent Michigan Motor Show. With ultra modern styling by Bertone, the car was modified for competition from a 1952 Fiat 1400. It was purchased by Packard in connection with their program of experimental research work. Before being acquired by Packard, the Abarth proved a sensation in several of Europe's finest automobile shows. Despite the three prominent headlights and unusual, scoop-like air intakes in place of the conventional grille, the Abarth is in line with the simplified decoration and free automotive design characteristics of the best Italian postwar stylists. Although the car is hardly a hot rod, we LIKE its looks. We think you will…

I here's no shortage of money. Some people just have more than their share,” observes Dave Caveli. Australian sport rodder who came to an abrupt halt on the construction of his speed wagon for, shall we call it, limited funds. Dave, on duty with the Fleet Air Arm, has done a remarkable job, plugging along with the barest tools to bring his Merc to its present stage, despite the lack of chrome fittings and refinements. Had this measly money business not entered the picture, Dave had full plans of dressing his speedster in aluminum and striking out for the first Grand Prix race, but now, with the car's growth stunted, he has lowered his sights and is going to take a blast at the forthcoming airstrip meetings where standing and…

The nation's most spectacular hot rods, including many of the record-holding Bonneville competition machines, will be on exhibit at the 4th annual International Motorama in the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, October 26—November 1. In addition, the hot rod section will feature many of the finest dragsters, a type of car which has become increasingly popular over the past twelve months. Beautiful custom cars, numerous foreign importations, fiberglas cars of various types, classics, antiques and a large exhibit of motorcycles and motorcycle equipment will occupy prominent space on the show floor. Also, there will be a large display of specialized equipment in the speed field. The annual Motorama presentation has been one of the most successful shows of its kind in the United States. Plans are being made to…

EXHAUST HEADERS—Standard Automotive Mfg. Co., manufacturers of the Fenton Speed Equipment and Custom Accessories line, now have added cast iron exhaust headers for Ford V8 and Mercury and all V8 Oldsmobiles. Fenton originated cast iron exhaust headers and they have proved superior to steel-tubing type headers by operating more quietly, with less heat under the hood and exhausting the gases more efficiently because of the specially engineered flow lines in the design of the unit. They are available now at most speed and sports shops priced as low as $49.50 list price for Ford V8 and Mercury, complete with extensions, clamp set and tailpipe, less mufflers. OFFENHAUSER INTAKE MANIFOLD—Ford V8 and Mercury cars, 1932 to 1948. Regular dual carburetor set-up has many innovations, many advantages. Increased power and performance are…

The birth of a Hot Rod is always some sort of a miracle—always a challenge, never a push-over, even here in America where the gol-dernd things originally spring from. But transport some of these gow-buggy cultists to far-off Korea, where a sparkling set of chromed headers comes about as easy as a thirty-day leave, and does the hand that triggers the carbine forget the feel of a speed wrench? Let's see what a group of four Seabees, Uncle Sam's “Can do” boys, pasted together from the far-flung junk yards of Asia. After many nocturnal huddles around the Coleman lamp, their project took shape. It was obviously going to be a battle between battles against red tape and material shortages, one that the rest of the GIs branded as “Impossible.” After…

The striking custom Olds on this month's cover belongs to Jack Stewart of Canton, Ohio. Jack was so impressed with the Valley Custom Shop's treatment of Ron Dunn's sectioned '50 Ford, that he contracted the same crew to do a similar job on his '50 Olds '88' Holiday. The restyling ideas carried out by Neil Emory and Clay Jensen of Valley Custom, have resulted in a car that is beautiful, simple and unique. To say such a restyling campaign is expensive is putting it mildly. Three months time and $1800 cash were consumed in the metal and paint work alone. An additional $450 went for the two-tone beige plastic upholstering job, which was expertly done by Floyd Tipton. The major metal surgery consisted of removing a four-inch section from the…

Danny Ramm, of Wayne, Michigan, isn't exactly new at the competition car game, having been one of Southern California's hot drivers on the old Ascot Speedway back in the middle thirties. A very meticulous mechanic, Ramm built the car himself with the intention of entering it in local sports car events. He is a member of the Ford Sports Car Club, made up of Ford employees, who are free to use Ford test ground facilities. Two basic components of the car make it outstandingly unique when compared with other makes of sports cats; the arrangement of its tubing chassis, and the inverted 6-cylinder Ranger aircraft engine with which it is to be powered. With a total of 441 cubic inches piston displacement, the Ranger puts out an estimated $50 horsepower,…

WE'VE ADDED a new personality to the growing roster of NHRA members; none other than the Secretary of the Interior, Douglas McKay. An Honorary Membership in the National Hot Rod Association was recently presented to “Mr. Secretary,” making him the 15,000th member of the two-year old organization. On hand to present the membership and its accompanying certificate were representatives of Eastern and West Coast hot rod organizations. As newsmen and photographers stood by, the Secretary hastened to point out that true hot rodders are not menaces, as the public often brands them, but are a safety-conscious segment of everyday life with mutual interests in things mechanical; a story that NHRA's members have been trying to get over for a long time. This time it was more than effective, coming from…

The Kenz-Leslie streamliner earned the title of the World's Fastest Hot Rod by establishing a one way speed mark of 252 mph during the 1952 Bonneville Nationals. A recent talk with driver Willie Young, however, revealed that this speed was recorded as the car was coasting through the one mile timing traps after the power was shut off. Willie stated that he was just approaching the first timing light at a far greater speed than he had ever reached before, when a terrific vibration started shaking the streamliner. The vibrations were so bad that no instruments could be read and Willie himself was being shaken so violently that he couldn't see the black lines marking the straightaway. He immediately pushed in the clutch, turned off the engines, and guided the…

Requirements of “Hot Rod Mart” are: limit of 25 words per ad, not including name and address. Ads will be placed in this column on a first come, first served basis. We reserve the right to edit ads when necessary. We are not responsible for the accuracy of descriptions, but we will reject any obviously misleading statements. No ads will be knowingly accepted from commercial firms. A charge of $2.00 per ad will be made and must accompany each ad. Only one car may be listed in any one ad. This limitation will not apply to parts or equipment, however. Address all ads to Hot Rod Mart, 5959 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 28, Calif. WANTED—Complete turtledeck for 1923-'25 Model T roadster, and a used Harman & Collins magneto. State price…